Naked 2 palette PLUS Essie, shoes and other goodies!!!

It may be cold outside but I've been getting ready for spring!  Since I've been doing a little shopping lately, I wanted to share some things I've picked up that I am currently impressed with.  I could not hold out any longer on the Naked 2 palette and I just HAD to have two new shades from Essie's Spring 2012 collection.  Of course I also picked up some more leopard print items...I can't get enough of leopard print lately! 

When the last Naked palette came out I ordered it immediately online via www.sephora.com and I probably was one of the first to get it.  Even the Urban Decay rep at my local Ulta didn't have one yet, lol.  This time when the Naked 2 palette came out I decided to wait.  Well...last week I broke down and purchased it.  I purchased it as a reward for surviving a stressful week at work and I'm glad I did.  It's really a great palette with 5 brand new shades and yes I do believe there is enough room in everyone's collection to have both palettes.

Each Naked 2 palette comes with a sample size of Lip Junkie gloss in Naked and a double ended brush.

If you are not familiar with the first Naked palette, please read my review and tutorial here.

The first difference you will notice about the two palettes is the packaging.  The first palette is a velvet covered box with a magnetic closure.  The Naked 2 palette is made of metal and securely closes by snapping shut.  I personally like the packaging on the first palette since I have found the Naked 2 harder to open and close.  The metal packaging however does protect the eyeshadows better.

The only repeat shade is from the first palette is Half Baked (which happens to be one of my favorites!).  Half Baked is a warm toned gold with an incredible sheen.  The 5 new shades are Booty Call, Tease, Snakebite, Pistol and Busted.  I have found that the Naked 2 palette has more "cool toned" shades whereas the first Naked palette has warmer shades.  I personally love Booty Call, Suspect, Pistol and Busted.  I actually based my decision to purchase the Naked 2 palette on the swatch I made of Pistol in the store.  You can purchase the Naked 2 palette (and the original Naked palette) at Ulta, Sephora or www.urbandecay.com for $50 each.  Pictured below are some close-ups and swatches of each color.

#1- FOXY- a warm, vanilla colored matte shade

#2- HALF BAKED- a warm, golden shimmer

#3- BOOTY CALL- shimmery champagne shade

#4- CHOPPER- shimmer based bronze with slight glitter

#5- TEASE- cool toned, matte brown

#6- SNAKEBITE- cool toned brown with bronze and gold

#7- SUSPECT- golden beige with shimmer

#8- PISTOL- cool toned shimmery gray

#9- VERVE- shimmery "mother of pearl" shade

#10- YDK- cool toned bronze, similar to rose gold

#11- BUSTED- deep brown with a sheen finish

#12- BLACKOUT- black with a matte finish

~~~~~~~Swatches~~~~~~~

Booty Call, Chopper, Tease and Snakebite

Suspect, Pistol, Verve and YDK

Foxy, Half Baked (repeat from 1st Naked palette), Busted and Blackout

Close-Up Shots of the Shadows

L-R- Foxy, Half Baked, Booty Call & Chopper

L-R- Tease, Snakebite & Suspect

L-R- Pistol, Verve, YDK, Busted & Blackout

Swatch of Lip Junkie gloss in "Naked"

~~~~~~~Spring Nail Polish Picks~~~~~~~

L-R- Essie's A Crewed Interest, Sally Hansen's Gem Crush in Be-Jeweled and Essie's Ole' Caliente

In addition to the Naked 2 palette, I picked up two shades from Essie's Spring 2012 collection plus a lovely polish by Sally Hansen.  A Crewed Interest is a creamy, peach shade that is really unique.  Ole' Caliente is a bold, orange-red that would look phenomenal against tan skin.  Sally Hansen's Be-Jeweled is currently on my toes and it sparkles very nicely.  If you are a purple lover like myself, you will love this shade!  Essie costs $8 each and Sally Hansen's Gem Crush shades are about $6.50 each.  You can find Essie and Sally Hansen at Ulta or your local CVS.

I also picked up a new blue polish by Milani in honor of my son's recent blue belt in karate and a new bronzer.  Bolting Blue is a nice bold, blue shade that goes on smoothly.  You can find Milani nail polish at Target, CVS and Walmart.  Park Ave Princess is a smooth, medium toned bronzer that has no shimmer.  I really like this bronzer since it goes on smoothly, doesn't fade throughout the day and gives me a nice glow.  You can find this bronzer at Ulta for $29.00.  Did I mention it is waterproof too?! 

Milani's Bolting Blue nail polish and Tarte's Park Ave Princess bronzer

Close-up of Tarte's Park Ave Princess (notice I am wearing Ole' Caliente by Essie on my nails).

~~~~~~~Shoes & Dresses~~~~~~~

I've been hunting down some leopard flats and look at what I found at Target!  Run...don't walk to Target for these super-cute leopard flats!!!  They are only $14.99!

I needed some nude pumps for a new suit I bought recently...how about these?  I found them at Target for only $29.99!  They are comfortable too!  Nude pumps go with everything!

Since I've been on such a leopard print kick lately, how about this scarf that I found for $14.99 at World Market?  I also picked up these earrings and bracelet which were both $4.99 (plus 20% off).

Finally I want to share two dresses I picked up this weekend at my favorite store...Belk!  Belk always has incredible clearance racks and these dresses were a steal!  The black dress was originally $110.00 and I got it for $26.00!  The purple print dress was originally $98.00 and I got it for $11.99!  I plan to wear the black dress to an evening wedding I am going to in March.  It has a tiered skirt (hard to see in this picture) with a bodice lined in nude under lace.  The purple dress will be perfect for work! 

Black lace dress-$26!

Purple print dress-$11.99!

As a side note...I've been playing this song on repeat this past week :) 

Favorites of 2011!

Favorites of 2011!

Here is a quick listing of my favorite accessories, shoes, makeup, skin care, nail polish and hair care products that I purchased in 2011.  I've tried to pick items that I've used consistently throughout 2011 and that I thought...

1. Did what they were designed to do

2. Was worth the money I spent

3. Made me happy :)

ACCESSORIES

Nothing completes an outfit quite like a good pair of shoes, handbag or jewelry.  Here are a few of my favorites from 2011.

It was hard for me to narrow down to one favorite handbag so I chose two! 

L-R- Urban Expressions tote (I don't know the style however I picked up mine at a boutique called Persona for $80) and Michael Kors Leopard tote.  Both are eye catching and roomy enough for all the junk I carry around each day!

These boots have been fabulous all year!  They are the Alfani "Bernie" boot.  I picked them up at Macy's but this style now appears to be discontinued.  I really could recommend any black, heeled boot though.  You can dress them up or down.  Alfani makes great boots and I can walk in these all day without my feet hurting.  They look great over a pair of skinny jeans or dressed up with tights and a dress.  Macy's always has great shoe sales and now is the time to buy winter boots!

I LOVE jewelry and scarves but these three items were worn practically every week in 2011 at least once.  I'm still in love with my Swatch watch (FULL-BLOODED - SVCK4032G) which is available for $160.00 at www.store.swatch.com  It's a great oversized watch that I get compliments on each time I wear it.  It's less expensive and less common than Michael Kors watches which makes me love it even more.  My bracelet is the silver bead bracelet by Tiffany & Co.  A lot of people don't realize that Tiffany's sterling silver collections are affordable.  This bracelet can be purchased at www.tiffany.com for $200.  I wear this bracelet almost everyday and it has held up nicely.  My last accessory I couldn't stop wearing in 2011 was my gray scarf.  It's super soft and long which is a rare thing since I hate short scarves!  I picked it up for $9 at World Market.

Makeup

I found some great products this year.  Some I blogged about and others were discovered recently. 

Pictured above are all my favorite beauty products from 2011!

A good face needs color and what better way to get it than bronzer, blush and eyeshadow?  My favorite bronzer is still Laura Geller's Bronze n Brighten.  It goes on smoothly and gives a natural glow.  Bronze n Brighten can be picked up at Ulta for $31. If you want to see a swatch, click here.  My favorite eyeshadow was a tie between Wet n Wild's Dancing in the Clouds palette and Urban Decay's Naked palette.  Both offered unique shades.  I love Dancing in the Clouds because its affordable (costs only $2.99) and provides a unique mix of color.  You can see a swatch and a review I did of this palette and other Wet n Wild palettes here.   I love the Naked palette because of its versatility and quality.  You can find the Naked palette at Ulta for $48 and you can read my review here.  My favorite blush is Lovejoy by NARS.  It has been my go-to color that accents my cheekbones without being too "over the top".  It looks great when applied and is a really nice contour color too.  You can find NARS blushes ($27) and other NARS products at www.sephora.com

Pictured above is my top choices for lipstick, concealer, makeup brush, foundation, nail polish and perfume.  I couldn't choose one lipstick shade so I want to share them both.  I loved MAC's High Tea lipstick and L'oreals Fairest Nude.  Both offered great coverage and a natural finish.  If you want the perfect "my lips but better" look, then these lipsticks are for you!  You can find MAC lipsticks at your local MAC counter for $14.50 each.  L'oreals Fairest Nude is usually priced around $5.99 at your local drugstore, Walmart or Target.

My favorite concealer was one I "rediscovered" this year.  I've enjoyed Maybelline's Super Stay concealer almost everyday.  It works hard and does a good job brightening my undereye area without caking.  You can find Super Stay concealer at your local drugstore for around $7.  My favorite makeup brush this year would no doubt be my Ecotools Bamboo bronzer brush.  It's amazing at applying foundation quickly and evenly.  Just buff into your skin and you are set!  It's soft and doesn't shed.  You can find it at Ulta for $12.59.  My favorite foundation is another drugstore find.  I have gone through many tubes of Rimmel's Lasting Finish 25 hour foundation but I never posted a review about it.  It goes on smoothly, provides full coverage, costs under $8 and stays on ALL DAY LONG.  If you love Estee' Lauder's Double Wear, then you must try this!  You can find this foundation at any drugstore, Walmart, Target or Ulta.

My favorite nail polish this year wasn't very bright or fancy.  I loved OPI's Lucerne-Tainly Look Marvelous and wore it many times in 2011.  It's a charcoal grey with silver shimmer.  It's perfect to wear when going out or even to work.  I found my bottle at Ulta for $8 and you can see my original thoughts and swatches here.

My favorite perfume was discovered late in the year but I've enjoyed it since the day I bought it.  I discovered it during one of my Ulta "spray and sniff" outings.  I love going there and trying out new scents.  When I tried Oh Lola! by Marc Jacobs I thought it was perfect.  I picked up my bottle for $48. 

Top-bottom- My favorite pencil eyeliner is Urban Decay's 24/7 liner in Baked.  My favorite liquid liner is Jordana's Fabuliner in Black (can be purchased at Walgreens for $1.99).  My favorite mascara is Lorac's Multiplex 3D-it really lengthens and separates my lashes.  You can get a tube at Ulta for $22.  My favorite lip gloss is Beige by NYX.  This shade looks great over so many lipstick colors and on any skin tone.  NYX lip gloss costs around $6.  Last but not least is my favorite brow product.  Milani's Easybrow in Natural Taupe is a great buy.  On one end is a great eye pencil that is retractable.  The other end has a "spoolie" brush which is perfect for brushing unruly eyebrows!  It works great!  I picked up my Easybrow at CVS for around $5.

Skincare

The older I get (I turned 30 this year!) the more interested I become in skincare products.  I try each night to adhere to my skincare routine and I always try to go to bed with clean skin.  I've tried some great products in 2011 but I am still searching for a great moisturizer. 

L-R- Ahava's Body Sorbet Caress in Mandarin Cedarwood, Boscia's Enlivening Amino Eye Treatment, Clinique's All About Eyes Serum, Elemis' Soothing Apricot Toner, Sun Labs Self Tanning Lotion and the Clarisonic Mia 2.

If you want a body lotion that absorbs quickly, is not greasy and has a great smell, then check out Ahava's Body Sorbet.  It's a great lotion and is worth every penny.  You can find it on www.amazon.com for $34 for 12.3oz.  Boscia's eye treatment has been a recent find but I am loving how it moisturizes my eye area without irritation.  It goes on smooth and is not greasy like some eye creams.  I picked up my bottle at Ulta for $38.  I couldn't leave out Clinique's All About Eyes serum.  I apply this each morning to help reduce puffiness.  It applies with a rollerball applicator and it works!  You can find it at your local Clinique counter for $26.  Elemis' Apricot toner has been a great way to soothe my skin after cleansing.  It is not irritating nor does it use alcohol like most toners which can be drying.  It smells lovely and is extremely gentle.  I recommend Elemis products because of their quality.  You can find the Soothing Apricot toner at www.timetospa.com for $33.  You can also read my thoughts on Elemis skincare here. 

Lastly I've enjoyed my self tanner and Clarisonic.  Sun Labs self tanning lotion is a great product!  It doesn't smell like all self tanners I've tried.  The product itself is the color of chocolate which helps you see where the product is going when you apply it.  It absorbs quickly and in no time your "tan" appears.  I find that my tan lasts 3-4 days and doesn't become spotty like some self tanners will.  You can find it at Ulta for $36.50 but I found my bottle at TJ Maxx for $16.99.  I also want to mention my Clarisonic.  It really has helped my skin become clearer, cleaner and brighter.  I use it every night with my favorite cleanser for 1 minute and my skin hasn't looked better.  It was definately an item I thought long and hard about before I purchased but I'm glad I did.  You can purchase the Clarisonic Mia 2 at www.clarisonic.com for $149.00.

Wild Card Item of 2011

There's always that one thing you bought that you thought you would probably use but you didn't realize how much you liked it (or needed it) until after you started to use it.

I didn't realize how much my luggage was in bad shape until this set arrived.  My old set had been with me during many travels and had lasted me all through college and the first 8 years of marriage.  When I saw this set on QVC, I thought I would pick it up.  It wasn't until the luggage arrived that I realized how cool it really was (and how useful).  My old set did not have spinner wheels, hard sides or handles that worked properly.  It was a boring black set that was heavy and REALLY dirty!  I have enjoyed this set and I recommend it to anyone looking for a super cute way to travel in style.  I promise you won't miss this luggage in baggage claim (that is of course if the airline doesn't lose your bags first, lol)!  I found my set at www.qvc.com  It is the Heys 3 piece Hardside Spinner Luggage set (F09494).  It sells for $186.90.

Quick Tutorial and some Recent Good Deals!

It's hard to believe that 2012 is already here!  Seems like yesterday we were worried about Y2K!  This past New Years Eve I wanted to go out and celebrate with my sister and spouse.  We went out for dinner then to a party a local club was hosting.  We had a fabulous time.  The biggest hurdle for me this year however was finding the right look and outfit that I would be comfortable in.  I had watched a few online tutorials but I decided to go with a black smokey eye.  I then decided that I would be the most comfortable in pants so I pulled a quick look together that I want to share.  This eye look and outfit is perfect for any night out.

My black smokey eye look-it's real easy to do (ignore my brows-this was taken before I gave them a plucking, lol!)

~~~~~Super-quick tutorial for this eye look!~~~~~

First prime your lids with an eyelid primer.  I chose Urban Decay's Primer Potion.  After priming them, choose a shimmery shade to place all over the lid and brow bone.  I chose Stila's Kitten.  Next take a cool grey shade and apply to the lid.  I choose to use the grey shade (3rd down in the last row) in the Coastal Scents 88 Color Palette.  After applying the cool grey shade, take a matte black shade and begin by lightly applying it to your upper lash lash line and blending it towards the outer corner of your eye.  Keep blending the black color away from your inner corner.  Repeat this step of blending up and away until the depth you want is achieved.  Always focus the intensity of the deepest shade on the outer region (corner) of your eyelid.  I chose to the use the black shade in the Coastal Scents 88 palette but any matte black shade would work. 

Next take a shimmery silver shade and blend it on the inner half of your eyelid, making sure to blend the black and the silver so the two colors merge without a harsh line on your lid.  You can also take the silver and place a little in the inner corner of your eye.  I chose to use Urban Decay's Gunmetal shade from their Naked palette.  After applying the silver, line your lower lashes with the black eyeshadow you used on your eyelid.  Next take a black, liquid eyeliner and line your upper lash line.  I chose to use Jordana's Fabuliner in Black.  Lastly apply mascara-I used two different types to help my pitiful lashes appear fuller and longer.  I chose to coat them first with Lorac's Multiplex 3D mascara.  My final coat was with Covergirl's Lashblash Waterproof.

This is a side view showing how I took the black shade and blended it up to create a "cat eye" look.

  

~~~~~~~~~~~Quick Night Out Look~~~~~~~~~~~

I also wanted to quickly share my outfit from New Years Eve since I pulled it together REALLY fast.   

Don't you just love my messy bedroom, lol?!  I used a pair of black pants I already had (The "Drew" pant from The Limited) and I paired them with a fitted black blazer and sequin top I bought 3 hours before I headed out the door!  The sequin top was on clearance at Sears and I paid $9.99 for it!  The blazer is by AGB from Macy's and it was on clearance for $30.00!  My earrings were found at Sears for $9.00 too!  Who says you have to wear an uncomfortable dress to have a great time? 

As you can see, I was excited for 2012 to arrive!

~~~~~~~Recent Good Deals ~~~~~~~

I love a good buy and in addition to my clearance rack New Years Eve outfit, I wanted to share two more deals I've picked up recently.

If you love perfume, then RUN (don't walk) to your nearest WalMart! I found this awesome Michael Kors Very Hollywood perfume giftset at an amazing price! Usually the giftset is priced at $29.84 but it was marked down 50% off which came out to $14.92! The giftset included a 1oz bottle of perfume, shower gel and lotion.

All perfume giftsets at my local WalMart were 50% off but I couldn't resist this one because I spent $49.00 on just the 1oz bottle of perfume alone at Ulta about a year ago!! I now have a back-up bottle at a fraction of the cost of my first bottle!!! There were other giftsets with quality fragrances, so now is the time to stock up for yourself and get a little something that Santa may have forgot!

I also wanted to share this new peacoat that I picked up at Macys.  It was priced at $149.00 originally however I picked it up for $49.00!  I needed a new peacoat and this one is fabulous.  It's a longer cut which is great for women who are taller like myself (I'm 5'9").  It is fully lined with a type of silver claw clasp positioned on the front.  It also has a hood and it zips up completely.  While at Macy's I noticed a lot of their outerwear was marked WAY down so now is the time to buy a new coat!

Urban Decay "Naked" Palette Tutorial

If there is one item in my collection of makeup that I love, I mean REALLY love, it is the Urban Decay "Naked" palette.  All the hype is true...there is a reason it is always sold out!  I was one of the lucky few who was able to get a hold of the palette before they ran out late last year.  There are 12 eyeshadows in the palette.  The palette also comes with a mini primer potion and a duo 24/7 eyeliner in "Whiskey" and "Zero".  If you can't tell from above, I love the eyeliners just as much as the palette!  The Naked palette retails for $44.00 and can be found at Ulta (when in stock), Sephora or http://www.urbandecay.com/.  Currently the palette is in stock at http://www.sephora.com/.

What makes this palette so special is its versatility.  Everyone loves a neutral eye look.  Everyone also loves a smokey eye look.  You can achieve both and everything in between with this palette.  There are 12 shades in all-you would spend $204.00 if you were to buy each eyeshadow separately.  Each shade is shimmery except there are two matte shades (both brown).  The palette includes their famous "Half Baked" eyeshadow and my own personal favorite "Toasted".

L-R-
"Virgin" (an off white shimmer), "Sin" (a champagne shimmer), "Naked" (a light brown matte), "Sidecar" (a glittery champagne), "Buck" (a darker brown matte), "Half Baked" (a metallic gold shimmer), "Smog" (a metallic brown shimmer), "Darkhorse" (a deeper brown shimmer), "Toasted" (a bronze/brown shimmer), "Hustle" (a plum based brown shimmer), "Creep" (a black shimmer) and "Gunmetal" (a gray shimmer).



Below is a tutorial using 6 shades coming from this palette.  I wanted a smokey look and getting that was easy since all the shades I needed were right in one palette!

Start by priming your lids with Urban Decay's primer potion.  Next apply "Virgin" all over your lid and up to your browbone.  Next take "Gunmetal" and apply it to just your eyelid.  Blend with your brush until the shade is over your entire lid.  Keep blending "Gunmetal" and go up towards your crease, taking the color just above it. 

Next step is to take "Darkhorse" and blend it on just the outer corner of your eye.  This color will help deepen the look without the being too harsh.  Next take another application of "Gunmetal" and apply another layer, this time deepening the shade.  Keep blending it over the eyelid, going into the crease and just above it. 

After that take "Creep" and blend it into the outer corner of your eye, dragging the shade into the crease.  Keep blending it while moving your brush back and forth within your crease. 

Next take "Naked" (small amount) and blend it over where "Gunmetal" ended near your browbone.  This will help blend out the color line so it is not too harsh above your eye. 

After using "Naked" take "Sin" and blend it into the inner corner of your eye.  Pat down the color and place it directly over the inner corner then blend up and over onto the eyelid. 

Finally take "Virgin" and blend it onto your browbone, keeping the color just underneath your eyebrows.  The key to this look is blending.  Feel free to keep adding layers of "Gunmetal" and "Creep" for a deeper, more dramatic look.

Notice the darker color is on the outer corner of each eye. 

Finished look- Origins VitaZing moisturizer, Clinique All About Eyes serum, Hard Candy Sheer Envy primer, Lancome Teint Idole Fresh Wear in Buff 4C, NARS loose powder in Flesh, Hard Candy bronzer in Hula Hula, MAC mineralize skin finish in By Candlelight, NARS blush in Orgasm, Urban Decay's primer potion, Urban Decay's NAKED palette shadows (Virgin, Sin, Naked, Darkhorse, Gunmetal & Creep), Wet n Wild creme liner in 886, Lancome Hypnose Drama mascara, Ardell lashes in 301, Jordana lip liner in Natural, Loreal lipstick in Fairest Nude and Lancome Juicy Tube in Moulin Rose.

 

Luxe for Less!

What if I told you that you could get 6 awesome eye shadows from a high-end makeup company for only $19.00?  Well I am not lying...you can.  At Sephora.com right now you can get the Stila Pro Artist palette no.1 for only $19.  The original price was $28-which was an excellent value considering the amount of product and color choice that the palette provided.  What makes this palette special is that it includes Stila's "Kitten" eyeshadow which is a staple for most makeup junkies like myself.  It is an awesome champagne color which shimmers without glitter and wakes up anyone's eyes.  The other colors included in the palette are "Prize", "Sparkle", "Grand", "Lucky" and "Moxie". 

Stila Pro Artist Palette No.1 pictured above.

L-R
Prize, Sparkle, Kitten, Grand, Lucky and Moxie

Swatches

Top Row L-R
Prize, Sparkle, Kitten and Grand

Bottom Row L-R
Lucky and Moxie


There are many good things about this palette...first is value.  You are getting 6 full sized Stila eye shadows for a not-so full sized price.  If you were to pay separately for each shadow you would pay $108.00 (not to mention an additional $2 per shadow for each refillable pan) however Grand, Lucky and Moxie appear to be exclusive to this palette.  Each shadow is shimmery however each shadow is very soft and easy to blend.  The colors are rich, velvet-like and are fun to use.  The darker colors like Lucky and Moxie have a lot of pigment as well without being overwhelming.  Oh and did I mention this palette includes Kitten?! 

There are 2 drawbacks to this palette...fallout and packaging.  Since these shadows are soft (very soft) they tend to have a lot of fallout (flecks of shadow falling onto the cheeks).  You always want your eyeshadow to be soft so it is easier to blend however these shadows are on the verge of being TOO soft.  The other drawback is packaging.  The palette cover is horrible and there is no way to actually close it.  You can try to tuck the open/close flap under another flap but it does not fit.  Good luck if you try to make it fit...the palette is thin and if you drop it you may have a mess!

Overall this palette is an excellent deal from a wonderful company that includes fabulous shadows.  I reach for this palette often, especially in the summer since these shadows look wonderful over tan skin.  Since spring is just around the corner I suggest picking this one up and save yourself some major $ while doing so!