Category Archives: Laura’s Favorites

An Ode To Awesome, 24/7

Posted on April 30, 2013 | 2 Comments

Oh, Urban Decay. There was a time when I thought your 24/7 pencils were cliched and overrated. I found substitutes, alternatives, and told myself that they were enough. I told myself that the extensive color range (even before the line was extended) didn’t justify the $19 price tag, which was, of course, the only reason to buy them.

Well, I’m here to tell you, I was wrong.

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Urban Decay 24/7 Glide On Eye Pencil in Sabbath

Behold: the pencil that changed my brain. This is the most beautiful, deep, navy blue pencil, and lately, I’ve been super obsessed with navy eye liner.

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This color is insane. It’s rich, completely flat (no shimmer or sparkle), and utterly saturated. UGH. I LOVE IT SO MUCH.

The wear time is phenomenal. All day, all night, and it may be the only thing still put together when you do the Walk of Shame the next morning. (Hopefully, this isn’t a selling point for you.) (BUT HEY. No judgement here.)

I also appreciate that it doesn’t transfer onto my crease. My eyes are a little more recessed, and if an eye liner doesn’t work well, there will be a mirror line in my crease before I’m even finished with my hair.

Time for a swatch!

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UGH. I CAN’T STAND IT. SO GOOD. Soft, creamy, amazing.

These are available at UrbanDecay.com, Ulta, and Sephora for $19.

So, have I sold you yet? :)

I hope you’re having a great week so far. I’m thankful for all the sunshine we’ve had lately.

-Laura

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Posted in Eye Products, Laura's Favorites, New Products

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Awestruck by Moonstruck (See what I did there?)

Posted on April 12, 2013 | Leave a comment

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Oh, have I got a winner for you today.

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Remember the post I did about the two Prestige Total Intensity shadow singles I did a while back? They have since added more shades and have also added trios, like the one above. Prepare yourselves- you’re going to want ALL of them.

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I bought Moonstruck, which is a color palette I don’t typically go for, but after seeing Vampy Varnish’s review on these, I couldn’t stop myself. I love the combination of cool, icy blue, dark cobalt, and warm copper-bronze.

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The dark blue has a black base, but not too much, and the blue is just GORGEOUS. It is one of those shades that looks striking with every eye color- from dark brown to green and everything in between. This is the dark blue I’ve been looking for!

The lightest shade has a blue-lavender iridescent duochrome, which just looks so cool on the eye. It looks ridiculously awesome on its own, or layered over a darker shade to give the dark shade more depth.

And the last shade, the copper gold, is just perfect. It’s exactly what I would have added to the trio to make the other two colors work with my warm coloring. It’s bright and complex, and it’s exactly perfect.

All three shades in this trio are smooth, buttery, incredibly blendable, and have no fallout in sight. I cannot get over how insanely amazing the quality of these shadows are, as well as how undiscovered they are.

I wore these yesterday and received compliments all day at work.

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I wore this palette with one of my favorite navy eyeliners and some super dark mascara. Easy peachy cheeks and subtle nude gloss helped balance out the drama on my eyes.

Some people may have a problem with the price tag: $12.49. It is a little steep for “drugstore” brands, but the quality is phenomenal. The packaging is a bit bulky, but is still substantial and feels like it might actually protect the shadows if dropped. I know Wet ‘N Wild can produce great quality shadows for a cheap price, but apparently they’re the only ones…

You can find Prestige Cosmetics at Ulta stores and Ulta.com.

I’m absolutely in love with these shadows so don’t be surprised if more of these trios show up on the blog…

What do you think? Would you wear these, and if so, how would you wear them?

HAPPY FRIDAY!!!

-Laura

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Posted in Eye Products, Laura's Favorites, Makeup Looks

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A New Favorite… Lipstick

Posted on February 19, 2013 | Leave a comment
MAC Lipstick in Midimauve

MAC Lipstick in Midimauve

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Very rarely do I find a lipstick that I want to wear…with everything. I can throw it on with darker eye looks and it doesn’t compete, and yet I still slap it on with a neutral face and it makes me look polished and presentable. BAM. Lustres are my favorite finish from MAC because they’re lightweight and hydrating for me.

New standard? Me thinks YES.

What lip product is always in your bag?

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Posted in Laura's Favorites, Lip Products

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Lorac PRO Palette: A Must-Have!

Posted on October 26, 2012 | 2 Comments

HAPPY FRIDAY!! So glad we made it. :)

I’ve picked up quite a few new bits and bobs lately, but my favorite new acquisition has to be the Lorac PRO palette. I first set eyes on this beauty a few months ago and Instagram-ed a photo (newshinebeauty) and proclaimed my desire for it. Ever since I bought it, I’ve seen other bloggers and YouTubers rave about it, so it’s high time for a review!

Lorac PRO Palette

First, the packaging is really sleek and slim, and it feels like cardboard covered in a rubbery-kind of material (similar to NARS products). The palette is maybe a quarter of an inch thick and feels pretty durable, so it would be perfect for travel.

And the colors, you say? FEAST YO’ EYES:

Lorac PRO Palette

Aren’t they beautiful? I love every single one, and they’re all pigmented, super soft, buttery, and blendable. I think this is such a comprehensive and complete palette, thanks to the combination of matte and shimmery shades, and the mix of lights and darks. There’s not much you can’t do with these shadows.

Swatches of the Lorac PRO Palette- Mattes on top, shimmers on bottom.

Even though it looks like the mattes (top row) are patchy or chalky, I can assure you they’re not. This was one tap of my finger into the pan and then swatched on my arm. I think the colors are fantastic! They will work on a large variety of skin tones and for all kinds of occasions. A lot of people wish the Urban Decay Naked palette had more mattes in it and feel that the PRO palette picks up the slack really well.

Lorac also claims that these shadows work both wet or dry, though I have only tried them dry. (I think most shadows can be used wet or dry.)

Behind the Scenes Eye Shadow Primer

The set also comes with a mini tube of the Behind the Scenes Eye Shadow Primer. I didn’t take a photo of the actual primer, but it looks just like the Urban Decay Eye Shadow Primer Potion. Behind the Scenes dries down nicely and helps the shadows last all day. Nothing new, but still a really solid product.

This palette costs $42 and can be found at Ulta, Sephora, and Lorac.com.

 

As soon as possible, I’d like to post a couple of looks I’ve done using this baby. If you have any requests, leave them below!

 

Have a fantastic weekend!

Laura

Don’t forget to keep up with all the shenanigans on Twitter @newshinebeauty! 

 

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Bronzed Beauty

Posted on September 28, 2012 | 1 Comment

L’Oreal 24HR Laquer Liner in Bronze and the Accompanying Brush

I really love that “drugstore” cosmetic brands are learning to compete with their high-end counterparts. It seems like brands such as L’Oreal, Maybelline, etc., have really made an effort to produce higher-performing products in the past year or two that are actually worth purchasing!

For instance, the fairly new L’Oreal Infallible Laquer Liner 24H gel liner is really good. Like, really good. What makes it really good is the liner AND the brush, which is actually worth using! The combination makes the $10 price tag easily worth it.

I picked up a couple of these a while back, including Bronze, which I have for you today. I have a dark brown gel liner from another brand that really isn’t working for me, on top of drying out long before I had a chance to use most of the product. So when I passed by a display of these new L’Oreal liners, I decided Bronze looked like an excellent replacement. Fortunately, I was right.

L’Oreal Infallible Laquer Liner 24H in Bronze

L’Oreal Infallible Laquer Liner 24H in Bronze

I’m really happy with this color. It’s a deep enough brown so that it contrasts enough with darker shadows, but not so dark that you lose the color. It’s a warm brown, but I don’t think Bronze has too much of a red base to where only warm undertones could wear it well. It also has micro-shimmer mixed in, and while the shimmer does show up on your eye, someone would have to be VERY close to see it. As in, so-close-you-better-know-each-other-or-you-call-the-police kind of close.

Swatches of the L’Oreal Infallible Laquer Liner 24H in Bronze (Swatches made using the accompanying brush.)

And the brush that comes with it? FUGGITABOUTIT. It has a thin, wide end that makes a slim line, or you can turn it sideways to get a wider stroke. The short handle makes it great for travel, as well as for newcomers to the gel eyeliner world.

L’Oreal Infallible Laquer Liner 24H Brush

Such a great brush!

L’Oreal Infallible Laquer Liner 24H in Bronze and the Accompanying Brush

As for the wear, this liner lasts all day long without smudging, flaking, or fading. And I mean ALL DAY. I’m always so surprised when my eyeshadow surrounding this liner has faded and creased, but this is wonderfully intact and opaque. I honestly have no complaints!

You can buy this anywhere L’Oreal cosmetics are sold for around $10, but it will be the cheapest at Target, Walmart, or Ulta.

 

HAPPY FRIDAY!

I hope your weekend is everything you need it to be,

Laura

PS- Don’t forget to follow me on Twitter @newshineblog! And on Instagram under Newshinebeauty.

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