As you all know by now, my all time holy grail powder is MAC's Mineralise Skin Finish Natural. Recently I completely used up this powder, so I decided to try another powder instead of repurchasing it. I was actually quite hesitant as I was afraid that nothing would match my beloved MAC powder.

I was wrong - I have found a new powder soul mate. Urban Decay recently launched their Ultra Definition Loose Finishing Powder as part of their Naked Skin range, and I only had an interest in it when I saw Karen from Lovely Girlie Bits use it in a video - I fell in love with the results!

I normally gravitate towards pressed powders as I can't be fussed with the messiness of loose products, but this powder has a really effective little dispenser that is in the shape of the Urban Decay logo. I just tap the product into the lid and work from there. The packaging makes it so easy to dispense the right amount of product and ensure you don't waste any powder during application.

The powder is incredibly finely milled and feels like pure velvet on your skin. If you're familiar with Benefit's Porefessional, it's similar to that texture, only in powder format. It feels so luxurious on your skin, it definitely reminds you that you've paid good money for the powder!

According to the box, the Ultra Definition Powder's formula blurs flaws, sets makeup and cuts shine while feeling virtually weightless on the skin. I can confirm that this powder stays true to every one of those claims.

The powder is like a filter for your face - it just glides over imperfections and defuses light away from them. It feels so light-weight and it blends flawlessly into the skin. One major advantage I've found with this powder is that it doesn't transfer. I'm the worst for getting makeup smudges on the collar of my jacket, but the powder doesn't budge at all so it's not an issue any more!

From watching other reviews of the Urban Decay powder, many people have found that if it's applied liberally, it will cake up. I personally haven't had an issue with it looking cakey, but bear in mind that my skin is extremely oily so it really eats up powder quickly!

I would also recommend a duo-fibre brush for applying this product as I found it far more effective than using my regular powder brush. 

On that note, the longevity of this powder is unfathomable. Dare I say it - it actually lasts longer than my beloved MAC MSF. Who ever thought I would be rating a powder higher than my MAC one?!
It's the finish of this powder that I really love - it's semi-matte, but doesn't allow any oil get through. It keeps my skin looking fresh all day and that's a luxury I never experience, thanks to my oily skin!

The powder is available in four different shades, and the one I have here is Medium.
I couldn't recommend the Urban Decay Naked Skin Ultra Definition Loose Finishing Powder (they chose a short name didn't they?!) enough, it's absolutely incredible. The powder will set you back €30, but as it's a loose powder, it'll last you a life time.


What's your favourite finishing powder?

Zara :-) x

Ultimate Urban Decay Naked 3 Palette Dupe!

Here at The Glamourelle, you all know I love a good dupe. I don't believe in paying well over the odds for a product if a cheaper alternative is available. When this little gem arrived at my doorstep, to say I was excited would be an understatement!

When Urban Decay released the Naked 3 palette in 2013, many people were doubtful over how much use they would get out of the rose-toned neutrals. This is a completely understandable worry for two reasons - if you're a fan of golds and browns, it's quite a step up, and secondly, the Naked palettes are on the expensive side. What I recommend to people who say that they're somewhat afraid of going for a palette like the Naked 3, is to get a good dupe and experiment with the colours before investing a lot of money on the real deal.

I've tried quite a selection of Naked 3 dupes, and this one is by far the best I've ever tried, both in terms of colour match and overall quality and pigmentation. It is the I Heart Makeup I Heart Obsession palette in 'Pure Cult.' It's an absolute doppleganger for the Naked 3 - so let's do a more in-depth comparison and some swatches!

The Perfect Palette Tag!

This tag has been going around for a good year now, but after cleaning out my make-up collection I thought it would be a fun tag to do!
As the owner of a ridiculous amount of eyeshadow palettes (just at the tip of 50....) I found it understandably difficult to whittle down my favourite palettes, but I managed to do it!
So let's get into the questions!

1. Best Packaging?

Not off to a good start, but I've cheated and chosen two! They're both luxury eyeshadow quads that house some beautiful neutral colours.
The first is the Her Cocoa palette from the limited edition RiRi Hearts MAC collection that Rihanna did with MAC last October. I absolutely adore the rose gold casing with her logo printed on it. It also has a magnetic closing, which is always fun. It's a very sturdy palette without being bulky, so I love it for travelling.

The second one I've chosen is from Charlotte Tilbury, and it's her Dolce Vita palette. Just look how beautiful that packaging is! I love how simple and sleek it is - it looks so elegant on my dressing table! On the inside I adore how the shadows are held in a little golden section with Charlotte's name ingraved in it. The cute little star on top of the mirror is also a gorgeous effect!






2. Best Colour Payoff?

For this one, I chose Urban Decay's Vice Palette. This came out about two years ago, and Urban Decay have released two more Vice palettes since - I believe they're released as part of the Christmas collection every year. Anyway, I got this one for my birthday in 2012 and I absolutely love it. The colours are certainly more 'out there' than your regular every-day eyeshadow palette, but the pigmentation is impeccable. It's actually quite rare to find a palette with such bold colours that has the pigmentation to match. I would definitely recommend checking out the Vice 3 Palette if you're on the hunt for a fantastic palette of bold colours.

3. Most Versatile?

This was a tough one for me, as I have so many palettes that could fit into this category, but I think the most versatile palette in my collection is the Urban Decay Naked 2 Palette. I adore all three of the Naked palettes, but I definitely think that the Naked 2 has so many transitional colours that can bring your look from day to night with just one or two extra shades. The left side of the palette has some fabulous neutral, everyday shades, while the right half of the palette is packed with the most beautiful shadows that are perfect for darker looks. To be honest, I think you could slot any of the Naked palettes into this category - it's so hard to choose the best of the three of them!

4. Best For Travelling?

I'm going to cheat again and go with my new Urban Decay Naked Basics 2 Palette and NARS' Ride Up To The Moon palette.. I bought the Urban Decay Naked Basics 2 recently and I just think it's the dinkiest of palettes! It houses six eyeshadows, which are predominantly matte - there's only one satin shade that can be used for highlighting. They're all cooler toned neutrals, as it's designed to go hand-in-hand with the Naked 2 palette. I think this palette is ideal for travelling as it's so compact and there are so many looks you can do with just these six shadows. If you have darker hair like me, you can also use a shadow to fill in your eyebrows! You could pack this palette and maybe just one shimmery pigment and you'd be able to do a huge variety of different looks.
I also love the NARS Ride Up To The Moon palette as I think the shades are perfect for both day and night wear. The colour selection is both practical yet beautifully unique at the same time. As you can tell from the picture, I dropped mine and cracked two of the shadows but they still work all the same! Unfortunately this palette was limited edition, but NARS release some fantastic palettes all year around so keep an eye out for them!

5. Biggest Regret?
I actually have to skip this question as I have absolutely no palettes that I regret buying! I don't tend to impulsively buy palettes, so I usually have done a good bit of research into them before I go and purchase them. I obviously have a few palettes that I don't use as often as I should, but I still wouldn't say I regret them!

6. Best Colour Names?

This was an easy one for me! It has to be the Too Faced Chocolate Bar palette! To be honest, I would have easily chosen the Chocolate Bar palette for the first four questions too but I felt that I needed a little more diversity in my answers! It's my absolute favourite palette at the moment and the names are just so cute. Each shadow is named after some sort of sweet treat, for example Triple Fudge, Haute Chocolate, White Chocolate, Cherry Cordial and Marzipan. In addition to sounding yummy, each shadow is scented with real cocoa powder and looks as good as it sounds!

7. Least Used?

This was also a bit of a struggle for me, however I did come up with an answer for this one. I picked my Catrice New York Collection eyeshadow palette. I've had this for about two or three years now, but I just don't use the colours anymore. They're all quite dark and difficult to transition for everyday use so I tend to stick it at the back of my drawers and leave it there. Despite this, looking at these photographs just made me realise how beautiful those two blushes are - maybe it'll be brought back to the front of the drawers...



8. Most Loved, Most Used, Desert Island?
Without a doubt my original Naked palette! It was the first high-end piece of makeup I ever owned, and I got it about three years ago. I've loved and used it religiously ever since. It's one of those palettes that no matter how many new palettes I buy, I always find myself coming back to the comfort of my trusty Naked palette. There is not one look you can't do with it, and the pigmentation is absolutely incredible. I honestly couldn't imagine my makeup collection without my little Naked palette perched at the top of the eyeshadow drawer!



So that's it for my perfect palette tag! Feel free to answer the questions in the comments below or tell me your favourite palette!
Zara :-) x

New York Beauty Haul Part 1: Sephora and MAC!

I came home from New York on Monday, and I've been so looking forward to sharing all the beauty items I bought while I was there! I went a little bit crazy, so I'm dividing the haul into two parts - this will be the high-end make-up from Sephora and MAC, and the following part will be drugstore, Bath and Body Works and Victoria's Secret items.

If you want more in-depth reviews on any of the products mentioned, be sure to let me know! I can guarantee you'll be seeing a lot more of these goodies on my blog in the next few weeks anyway! So let's get started:

Sephora Favourites Give Me More Lip Set

This set is apart of this year's Christmas collection, and it was the only one of the sets that interested me. As a self-confessed lipstick junkie, nothing excited me more than the opportunity to trial 17 different lip products! It's organised according to colour, and includes glosses, lipsticks and balms. The brands included in the set are Too Faced, Benefit, Bite Beauty, Laura Mercier, Kat Von D, Stila, Makeup Forever, OCC, Sugar Fresh, Sephora, Hourglass, Tarte, Buxom and Bare Minerals. I love the fact that 16 of these products are mini sized, as I never get through a full lipstick anyway. It also gives you the chance to try a variety of finishes and brands that you may not have been exposed to prior to this. For me, I loved the fact that it contains so many brands that aren't available here in Ireland. If you'd like a full in depth review and swatches, let me know!

Too Faced Chocolate Bar Palette 

I've been coveting this palette for a very long time, but I made myself wait until I got to New York as it was remarkably cheaper than it would have been to buy here. I have more neutral palettes than you can imagine, but there's just something so unique about the colour selection in this palette. The colours also have really cute names like Haute Chocolate, Triple Fudge and Strawberry Bon Bon! The palette itself is packaged as a chocolate bar, and the shadows are made with 100% natural cocoa powder. Eyeshadow scented with chocolate - what's not to love?! I'll be doing plenty of Makeup Of The Day looks with this palette so stay tuned for those.

Too Faced Melted Kisses Lipstick Set

One thing I noticed about the Sephoras I visited in New York, is that they are incredibly cleverly laid out. When you are queuing to pay, the whole queue is lined with new goodies and little gift sets. For someone with no self-control like me, this is bad news! I ended up buying more standing in the queue than I did walking around the shops! I saw this while I was waiting and I thought it was too cute to resist. I've always wanted to try the Too Faced Melted Lipsticks, but we have limited availability of Too Faced here in Ireland so I thought a mini set consisting of the four best selling shades was a good way to go. You get Melted Nude, Melted Peony, Melted Fuschia and Melted Berry. I adore the look of Melted Berry!

Marc Jacobs Genius Gel Super Charged Foundation

Marc Jacobs' beauty line has not yet reached Irish shores, so this foundation was top of my list to pick up in America. I've heard countless fantastic reviews of it, particularly for oily skinned girls like myself. The lady in Sephora helped me choose shade 14 Ivory Medium, and it's a perfect match. Like all of the products, I haven't played with this yet but I'll be sure to do a full in-depth review letting you know how I get on with it. I have incredibly high hopes for it, so I'll keep you updated!




Kat Von D Lock-It Tattoo Concealer

Kat Von D is another brand that has never made its way to Irish seas - as far as I'm aware, it's exclusive to American Sephoras as I've never seen it in the many European ones I've visited.
I was debating whether to try the concealer or her famous Lock-It Tattoo Foundation, however I found the foundation was just too thick for my liking. I concluded that I would buy the Marc Jacobs foundation for light to medium coverage, and then use the Lock-It Tattoo Concealer to cover anything that the foundation didn't. I actually tried this on in the shop and I absolutely love it! The coverage is like nothing I've ever seen before! I got it in the shade 16 - Light.

Tarte Pin Up Girl Amazonian Clay 12 Hour Blush Palette

The Tarte Amazonian Clay Blushes are some of the most raved about blushes on the market. Again, they're incredibly difficult to get a hold of if you don't live in the US. This is a limited edition Christmas palette that contains five brand new shades. From left to right they are: Breathless, Embraced, Whimsy, Bashful and Irreplaceable. The colour selection is beautiful, and you get two mattes and three shimmers. My current favourite is Embraced, which is the second on the left! This palette was $42, making each blush just $8.40, which I thought was exceptional value considering one full sized blush will set you back $26.


Elizabeth and James Nirvana Black Rollerball

Elizabeth and James is the luxury brand created by Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen, and they recently released two perfumes called Nirvana Black and Nirvana White. Beauty bloggers raved tremendously about the fragrances, so I made a second trip to Sephora on Times Square to check them out. From reading the notes of the fragrance and various reviews, I thought I would prefer Nirvana White, but when I tried the two of them in the shop I hated the smell of Nirvana White! I can't quite explain it, but it just didn't appeal to me in the slightest. Nirvana Black reminds me ever-so-slightly of Chanel's Allure perfume - it has notes of violet, sandalwood and vanilla.

Urban Decay Naked Basics 2 Palette

This was another purchase that I made standing in line to pay for my already too full basket! I'm a huge fan of the Urban Decay Naked Palettes - I own all three, but I took a pass on the original Naked Basics. I considered it for quite some time but I concluded that my collection of warm, basic neutral colours was too big and I didn't need any more. However, while I was in full-on shopping spree mode in Sephora, I reasoned with myself that my cool-toned collection was severely lacking a good basics palette. I love cool-toned colours with my eyes and my skin tone, so I thought it was only right to treat myself to yet another palette! I think this palette will be a fantastic every day staple as the matte colours are perfect for quick, on the go looks.

NARS Blush and Bronzer Duo
My final purchase was another one that drew me in as I stood with my bulging bag in the queue. NARS Orgasm blush and Laguna bronzer are arguably two of the biggest cult beauty products in the world, and I have never tried either. So when this little guy popped out at me in the line, I didn't think it was fair to leave him behind. The two shades are absolutely stunning, and I can definitely see why they are so sought after. I also love the fact that I have them both contained in one little compact so I can take them on the go with me. This was excellent value for a NARS product too - it was $24, which is a steal for NARS, as you all well know!

That concludes the shopping I did in Sephora. However when I went to pay, the lovely ladies at Sephora gave me this gorgeous VIB tote bag to carry my items in. As I had a Beauty Insider card, I was able to avail of both the birthday gift and my 100 point perks (I had two!). I opted to use up the points on my first night as I didn't expect I would get another chance to use them, so I got two Formula X nail polishes in A+. I was a little disappointed that they were both the same colour but I'll definitely be giving one to my friend - they're so cute! I also received two of the Makeup Forever birthday gifts, I'm not quite sure why I got two, but I'm not complaining!

I love the little tote bag they gave me - it was so handy for carrying my makeup around with me until I got it back to the hotel - it's still in this bag as I haven't gotten the chance to organise my makeup drawers since I got back!

After I shopped up a storm in Sephora, I made a quick pit stop into MAC in Macy's. I knew exactly what I wanted so it was a short and sweet visit! MAC is so much cheaper in America that I wanted everything, but I limited myself to three items!



MAC Lipstick in Brave

Brave by MAC is one of the most popular shades used to achieve the famous Kylie Jenner lip look, however my local MAC counter is always sold out! I'm so glad it was in stock in Macy's, as I think it's going to become my absolute go-to lip colour. I think it looks best paired with Soar lip pencil - it's the perfect subtle pinky-brown colour that goes effortlessly with any makeup look. It's also a satin finish, which is my favourite finish from MAC. This was $16, which converts over to about €12, which is a much nicer price to pay for a MAC lipstick than €19.50!



MAC Lipstick in Pervette 

The second lipstick I chose from MAC is Pervette. Again, this always seems to be sold out when I go to buy it, so it was another priority to pick up whilst I was in Macy's. Pervette is a difficult colour to explain - it's a sheer, lilac-but-pink shade. I got my makeup done in MAC once and the makeup artist used this on me, paired with Viva Glam Nicki 2 lip gloss and I absolutely loved them together! Unfortunately Viva Glam Nicki 2 was limited edition, so if anyone knows any good dupes to the lilac lip gloss please let me know!



MAC Blush in Melba

This blush has also been on my wishlist for quite a while, as it's a cult favourite of MAC lovers. The reason I decided to get this one of all the colours on my wishlist is that I felt my blush collection was seriously lacking a colour like this with no shimmer, just a good basic blush that would match any lip or eye look. I love getting new makeup items that aren't like anything I already own, so I can't wait to start playing with this!





So that is it for my high-end beauty haul! Let me know if there's anything you'd like any more information on, or anything you'd like reviewed. I will definitely be doing plenty of posts on the products I love, so be sure to keep an eye out for those. Also check back here next week for part 2 where I'll show you all of the drugstore goodies I picked up!

Zara :-) x

Make-Up Of The Night: Janoskians Edition!

Today's post is another make-up of the night post! Last night my friends and I went to see the Janoskians and I wanted to share the make-up look I wore! It's a little bit more autumnal, as I personally prefer winter make-up with darker colours! We didn't have much time to get ready for the show so I chose to keep my make-up relatively simple - I just used my new MAC eyeshadow and did a quick winged liner look with a matte black eyeshadow!

                                                     FACE
                                           - Benefit The Porefessional Face Primer
                                           - Bourjois Bronzing Primer
                                           - Maybelline Super Stay Better Skin Foundation in 30 Sand
                                           - MAC Pro Longwear Concealer in NW20
                                           - MAC Mineralise Skin Finish Natural in Medium
                                           - Milani Sunset Duo Bronzer in Sunset Breeze
                                           - MAC Sheertone Blush in Blushbaby
                                           - MAC Mineralise Skin Finish in Centre Of Attention

                                 

                              EYES
      - Urban Decay Primer Potion in Eden
      - MAC Eyeshadow in Antiqued
      - Sephora Matte Black Eyeshadow
         - MAC Gigablack Lash Mascara
                                         
                               LIPS
             - Essence Wear Berries Lipstick
                                                                 





I realise my make-up was very MAC heavy - I've definitely been on a bit of a MAC hype recently! I will have a Best Of The Brand featuring MAC coming soon for my fellow MAC lovers.
Anyway, I hope you liked the make-up look!

Are you going to the Janoskians Got Cake tour? Let me know!
Zara :-)

Make-Up Of The Night - Dirty Dancing Edition!

I recently went to see Dirty Dancing - The Musical with my cousins and I wanted to share with you the make-up look I wore! The show was incredible - I couldn't recommend it enough! Unfortunately my make-up pictures aren't great because I couldn't get my camera working to take some pictures before I left! However these are the pictures I do have! I only used the Naked Palette 1 by Urban Decay to do a neutral smoky eye.
Here is the look I wore and the products I used:


                                                             FACE:
                        - Benefit The Porefessional Primer
     - Maybelline Better Skin Super Stay Foundation in Sand
      - MAC Pro Longwear Concealer in NW20
       - Chanel Eclat Lumiere Highlighter Pen in 20 Beige Clair
              - MAC Mineralise Skinfinish Natural in Medium
                                      - MAC Mineralise Blush in Dainty
                                      - Benefit High Beam Highlighter

                           
                                                          EYEBROWS:
                                      - Kiko Cosmetics Eyebrow Expert Styling Kit in 01
                                      - Benefit Gimme Brow Eyebrow Gel in Medium/Deep

                                                           EYES:
                                      - MAC Painterly Paint Pot
                                      - Urban Decay Naked Palette - Buck, Darkhorse, Smog, Half Baked and Virgin
                                      - Chanel Intense Eye Pencil in Noir (tightline)
                                      - Sephora Eye Pencil in Chocolate (waterline)
                                      - Maybelline Eye Studio Lasting Drama Gel Eyeliner in Black
                                      - Dior It Addict Mascara in It Black

                                                     





     LIPS:
                                       - YSL Glossy Stain in #4 Mauve Pigmente.