URBAN DECAY Heavy Metal Glitter Liners in "Midnight Cowboy" & "Spandex"

I know everybody is talking about the new Magnificent Metals Glitter & Glow Liquid Eye Shadows from Stila Cosmetics. Touch In Sol also have some similar glitter eyeshadows that were launched a few months ago. I did a review on here, I enjoyed the shade I got. I am, however, very enamored by these Heavy Metal Glitter Liners from Urban Decay that has been around for a long time. I don’t know how, but I only came to know about these just a few months ago, when I bought Sephora Favorites “Extravagant Eyes” set (detailed review here and this set is still around on Sephora). 

If glitter annoys you because of how messy it can get or if you find the application process a bit intimidating, these are the perfect glitter product for you. They are super-duper easy to use, very convenient to travel with and are extremely sparkly. I appreciate how companies are bringing out gorgeous, easy-to-use glitter products these days but I got to hand it to Urban Decay for being a pioneer in putting the convenient factor in glitter eyeshadows.

Midnight Cowboy - just a light layer all over the lid

All the shade available in color in this Heavy Metal Glitter Liners are stunning! I am eyeing the shade “Distortion” next! If you cannot already tell, I adore these liners. Go, grab a shade that speaks to your heart, You will surely enjoy it. 

Price, Packaging and Availability: These are $20 for 0.25 oz. of products. These are very easily available on Sephora, Ulta, Macy’s, Nordstrom and Urban Decay website. I think these are very reasonably priced! What I absolutely adore about this is the functionality of the product. It comes in a handy tube with a very thin, precise brush applicator. The brush makes it so easy to get a super crisp line. You can easily use it to layer over your winged liner and also to apply all over the lid.

Quality and Wear-time: simply AWESOME! These are very shiny and quite pigmented. All of these has different shades of superfine glitters on clear base so you typically need 2-3 layers to get an even application. If you like an extremely opaque glittery look covering your entire lid, these may not be your cup of tea. I actually do like that these are on clear base, it’s what gives them that sheer but very even glittery look. The glitters are not too micro but not chunky as well! That shine and sparkle of these glitters are simply extraordinary; it speaks to my soul and makes me little heart leap with joy! You know, makeup can be very joyous! :-)

Midnight Cowboy - heavy layer

Midnight Cowboy - heavy layer

They do not take much long to dry down after application. When I first apply this, it slightly tingles over my lid, just a slight irritation but it completely goes away after a few seconds.

Another thing I absolutely enjoy is the staying power. Every single time I wear it, I am amazed to see how intact are these glitters are. They stay on till I remove them at night. I do see a few fall-out on my face sometimes but it is very negligible. There is absolutely no need for any glitter glue and I can easily layer it over any kind of eyeshadow or even on bare lid. I wore “Midnight Cowboy” on my sister’s wedding reception and it lasted from about 6 pm to the next morning. I got loads of compliments and I cannot believe that it stayed put throughout the hectic, humid and crazy busy night! 

Here are the two shades I picked up –

Midnight Cowboy: I absolutely, ABSOLUTELY love this shade. For some weird reason, I love this name too! It’s a gorgeous beige-y gold shade, I swear I can see pink-ish kind of glitter too! But it is mostly gold. It is one of those shades that goes with any kind of eyeshadow color! It is very complimentary against my skin tone and also with heavy Indian dresses. I love to pack this over my entire lid for a super glamorous look; I also love to lightly layer it for a soft, chic look! I have done a few looks with this, you can check them here.

Spandex - heavy layer

Spandex - light layer

Spandex: Weird name but whatever! I am big fan of blue eyeshadows. I wear them more often than I should. When I got $10 birthday coupon from Ulta I decided to invest in this shade because of course, it is blue. This is a deep dark blue shade with some gold glitter shade as well, I am in love! It performs exactly the way “Midnight Cowboy” does.

I am enjoying these so much! I am pretty sure I am gradually going to collect a few more of these!

Go buy these! At least one shade that you think you will get the most use out of. YOU WILL DEFINITELY ENJOY THIS.

"Venom" Vice Lipstick

I also picked up this Vice Lipstick in Venom that was being offered at Sephora as Beauty Insider Rewards. It is a mini adorable size. I appreciate the fact that they kept the size similar to the full-size even though this was a free lipstick. For last few months I have been constantly talking about “Rupture” from their Revolution lipstick line which has been now discontinued. But they now launched 100 shades in few different formulae. Venom is a very deep plum shade with a lot of fuchsia in cream finish. It’s quite a creamy formula, glides on nicely and is satiny/glossy in appearance. Very opaque in one application! I love me some bold shades but this is not one of my VERY favorite shades! But I will surely wear it happily. This kind of shade looks fabulous with a clean face, good winged liner and lots of lashes. It lasted for hrs. and left an even stain!

Love,

~Arrru

Products I've Used Up/Empties Vol. 10

For a makeup hoarder like me, empties posts are always fun to write about, especially if it the First Empties of the year :-)

Paris Hilton Bath Gel: I bought this long long time ago, glad to have finished it. It was ok, I mean you don’t really expect a lot from a bath gel. I still don’t have a clue as to why I decided to buy a celebrity line of perfumes but I will definitely not buy it again.

Victoria’s Secret Love Spell Fragrance Mist: I bought this in a set long, long time ago as gifts to give my cousins back home. I could not take all of them cause of weight restrictions. This was the last of it and I am so glad I finally was able to finish them all! I mainly used it as room spray when I cook heavy Indian curries :-)

Marula Facial Oil: Just a little sample I used up! Noting super impressive about it!

Bath & Body Works 3-wick Candle in Honeysuckle: This is one of my favorite scents from BBW. I already have a backup and will definitely repurchase.

This time I finished up some makeup items! I am very proud about that. I have to admit that #finish17by2017 Project Pan (read full blogpost here) is definitely helping me in going through my makeup up products! These are mostly sample products, but an empty is an empty and I am free to rejoice in finishing up any product; irrespective of the size.

Anastasia Brow Wiz: Woo Hoo! I finished it in the first week of January. This is in my Finish17in2017 Project Pan and I am so happy that I was able to finish it up so early in the year! It is a must-have product for me! I never used to do my brows but now I do, and I absolutely LOVE the effect nicely groomed brows has on my look, especially when I wear a good amount of makeup! I use Medium Brown shade and I just adore how easy it is to use and how long lasting it is! I LOVE IT.

Lashfood Phyto-Medic Eyelash Enhancer: Hmm, sadly this was a disappointing product. I got this in one of "Sephora Favorites" kit and first off, there was so very little product inside. It almost discouraged me to apply this at night on a regular basis. But I did use it consistently and I could NOT see any effect on my lashes. It is such an expensive product and it is a shame that it did not work for me. 

Lakme LOVE Lipstick in Passion Fruit: This is the first lipstick that I ever bought with my hard-earned money! In fact, it was the only lipstick I had for that time. I finished it pretty quickly before I fall in love with makeup. I stopped using it long time ago, but was keeping it for emotional reason! But time to part away from it :-)

Supergoop! Defense Refresh Setting Mist SPF 50: I had so much hope for this one! I hoped this would be perfect for summer months to apply midday when I wear heavy makeup to act as a sunscreen! I actually finished this long time ago but it was still living in my office makeup bag. Anyway, I hated it. First of all, the spray was very, very bad. It speckled the product in my face instead of spraying it nicely. What was worse is that the speckles would turn white and would not sink in. Basically if I apply it over my makeup it ruined my whole look. Absolutely hate it.

Urban Decay All Nighter Makeup Setting Spray: I don’t use makeup setting sprays often, so this tiny little bottle lasted me a long, long time. This is before they underwent a packaging change. Because I have dry skin, I don’t often face problem of my makeup sliding off my face! So, I am not really sure how much it helps to prolong the wear of my makeup. I still do enjoy it though. This is a product that often comes in sample sets or gift with purchase. I already have another sample of it.

Tata Harper Hydrating Floral Essence: This is my second Tata Harper product, and I have to agree that her products get used up pretty quickly. These are expensive products so I don’t like that these don’t last me a lot. Tata Harper is a natural brand, I love her purifying mask but this I don’t see anything special about. It was nice to use, I generally used it after cleaning my face, most of the times twice daily and sometimes just once. It absorbed rather quickly, and I could apply moisturizer very quickly thereafter! Lot of people were complaining about the spritzer but for me it worked fine. It has a unique lightly floral scent, I don’t hate but I don’t love it either! Overall, it was not worth the price; I used it nicely when I had but will not repurchase.

Nivea Lip Balm A Kiss of Moisture Essential Lip Care: I love this. This is one of the best lip balm money can buy. I have quite a few backups already and I will buy it again.

Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair Synchronized Recovery Complex II: Another OG serum in this beauty community. It has been around for ages. I don’t feel any excitement for Estee Lauder products! I used it for a week and then used something else. I started to reuse again and it lasted me about 10 days. It did not break me out but I did not see anything extraordinary. Will not repurchase.

Murad Rapid Age Spot and Pigment Lightening Serum: Deluxe sample that was about to get expired and I had to finish up! I did not care for it much. It did not break me out so I guess that’s something!

Lancôme Advanced Génifique Youth Activating Serum: The best thing about this serum was that it got absorbed in seconds. I am able to apply moisturizer almost immediately after I apply the serum. The consistency of the serum is very thin, gel-like. I liked it but it is a small sample to realize any huge affect on my skin. I have a lot of serums that I need to finish up but I can see myself considering this when I actually need to purchase a serum.

Fresh Seaberry Moisturizing Face Oil: Another tiny sample of face oil. I had a very dry skin before but now it has become more acne prone! Otherwise I could have just slathered this type of oil on my face. This is a bit heavy in consistency so I use it in selective part of my face. I liked it while it lasted. I had two tiny samples that I gave to my mother and one of my family member. I am not interested in a full-size.

Murad Hydro-Dynamic® Ultimate Moisture: I really enjoyed using this tiny sample. It was of the right consistency; not too thick not too thin, gave me enough hydration for almost the entire day. It also sinked in quickly allowing me to apply my makeup without waiting much time. I will not repurchase in full-size now but I will keep this in my “revisit” list.

Fresh Rose Face Mask: An absolute must-have mask for me. Especially during winter, this really helps me keep my skin hydrating. I try to apply it once a week. I already have a full-size back up and I do collect deluxe size samples whenever Sephora offers them!

Fresh Black Tea Instant Perfecting Mask: This one has a very cooling affect on application. I do enjoy it but I am not really sure if it does anything incredible for me. I have a full-size bottle that I got in a set but I don’t think I will repurchase after that.

Korres Greek Yoghurt Advanced Nourishing Sleeping Facial: This was a deluxe sample I got from Sephora and I thoroughly enjoyed it. It is so moisturizing yet absorbs so quickly. I am also impressed that this sample lasted me for so long! I will definitely look into repurchasing once I go through all the current nighttime moisturizer I have.

Origins GinZing™ Energy-Boosting Moisturizer: After trying out many different moisturizers, I have settled with this as my regular daytime moisturizer. I absolutely love how moisturizing and yet how thin this is. Also that mild ginseng smell is very much appreciated! When I went to India last October, this the only thing I could use on my face as it was extremely hot and humid there. During winter months here in the windy city, it sometimes not enough for my dry skin but I just use an oil over it. It is also priced moderately compared to other high end moisturizers. This is my second jar, I already have backups and will continue to repurchase unless I find something that impresses me over this.

Origins High-Potency Night-A-mins Mineral-enriched Renewal Cream: I initially liked this one too but I have grown out of my fondness for this one! It is actually a very nice moisturizing night cream but I am afraid that if I use it all over my face, it tends to break me out. Hence, I just use it on the dry areas of my face. I have a travel size one that I need to use up but I don’t think I will repurchase this in full-size.

Nivea Crème: My god, this brings back memories. My father has been an ardent fan of this for decades! So it always reminds me of my childhood when he always used to boast that his great skin is because of this crème :-) I got this tiny jar just as a reminiscence. I used it over some very dry patches of my skin and it worked great. Will repurchase but not right now!

TonyMoly Pureness 100 Collagen Mask Sheet: I have realized that I am not really a huge fan of sheet masks! I much prefer the good old way of applying masks. I like to keep doing other stuff like cleaning the house or work on my blog when I apply a mask! Most of the sheet masks I have used are just not that comfortable. But anyway, the mask itself was ok. I am not sure if I detected any firmness that this may have provided but it sure felt hydrating. I am however, not interested in repurchasing!

Peter Thomas Roth Acne-Clear Invisible Dots: I bought this in one of those “I-will-try-everything-to-fight-these-goddamn-acnes” moments! The performance of these dots was very inconsistent. Sometimes it did not do anything, an a few times I felt it reduced my pimple quite drastically. I feel like I might just be imagining that because I wanted something that works on my acnes. Will not repurchase.

Schwarzkopf Professional Bonacure Hair Therapy (Repair Rescue) Shampoo: This is my regular shampoos. I have gone through many bottles and will continue to repurchase. I used to buy it from Ulta and now I don’t see it there and I am already panicking!

Schwarzkopf BC Bonacure Oil Miracle Light Finishing Treatment: I stumbled upon this while searching for a hair oil that my regular hair stylist back in India gave me, the first time I chemically smoothened my hair. I could not find that particular oil so decided to try it. I anyway use the Repair Rescue Shampoo and Conditioner from this line, so it made sense. I have been using this on and off for past 2-3 years. I love it as a live-in conditioner after I wash my hair. I only need a few drops! I enjoy just applying tiny little bit on my roots to tame my insanely frizzy hair.

Batiste Dry Shampoo in Original: This is the first dry shampoo I tried. And I very much love it. It is one of those that gives you white cast when you apply it but it is easy to get rid of it by just jazz-ing the roots of my hair. It definitely prolongs the time between I wash my hair. These days, I have been using it on my 2^nd or 3^rd -day hair before I go to bed, and I can survive one more day without washing my hair :-)

Until next time-

Love,
~Arrru

Becca Mineral Blushes : On Medium Skin Tone :-)

Today I am here with a quick look at all of the Mineral Blushes from Becca Cosmetics! I have all the shades from this line that are available in Sephora and Ulta to show you. I have individual reviews on each of these, I will link them down below. There are 3 additional shades that are only available on Becca website.

If you read through my individual reviews, you will know that I absolutely adore this formula. The shades are to die for and the formula is super fine. It is easy to blend and has incredible staying power. You need a light hand as they are VERY pigmented. These are 32$ for 0.2 oz of product. But I say, the formula and the packaging makes it worth the price point. You can buy these from Sephora, Ulta and Becca Cosmetics. Gypsy, Damselfly and Sweet Pea are 3 additional shades that are only available in Becca website.

If you ask me to choose one to be my #1 it has to be Songbird. Wild Honey and Hyacinth will be close second. I also adore Nightingale and Lantana; they look so pretty on the pan. Flowerchild is the only shade that I feel does not compliment my skin tone that much. 

Here are the shades:

Lantana (Full review here): Very pretty but quite scary-looking reddish orange. I live for blush shades. The formula is so blendable that it makes the color very easy to wear; you just need a little bit of patience and light hand. I don’t wear it often but I love it.

Hyacinth (Full review here): This is one of my very favorite shades from this bunch. It’s a very pretty eye-catching fuchsia, and it immediately brightens up my whole look. I really enjoy this shade.

Nightingale (Full review here): It is a deep mulberry shade. It is a just a bit deeper than what I consider my every-day shade. But I do enjoy wearing this shade with a few particular eye looks.

Flowerchild (Full review here): It is a beautiful pale pink shade with a subtle golden sheen to it. Gorgeous color, but I think it will be better suited for skin tone lighter than me. On my skin tone, it may appear just a bit ashy at times.

Songbird (Full review here):This is my most favorite shade of all these shades. It is quite warm and has a very beautiful peach undertone to it. It also has a very subtle sheen to it. I really adore the shade.

Wild Honey (Full review here): It is a peachy warm nude shade. It does not show up in just one layer on my skin tone. But I love it as an everyday shade, also to layer it other shades!

Hope you enjoyed this quick little review and swatches. Do you own any of these? Do you like them?

Love,

~Arrru

Monthly Favorites ::: January 2017

I did not do a monthly favorites for December because I just did Yearly Favorites for 2016; you can check it here. But I have been using a few things quite consistently for the last two months! I live in USA and with the new administration and everything that is happening in this county, talking about makeup almost feels like the least important as well as the most insensitive thing to do! I am not a political person and I don't really get very vocal about my views! But at some point, I cannot help but wonder what is going to happen to this great nation! On that happy note (pun intended), here are the things I have been loving last few weeks!

Urban Decay Revolution Blush in Fetish: This is a relatively new addition to my collection! The formula is smooth, it layers perfectly and the this purple-y mauve shade is great for every day look. I often don't wear foundation but I can still wear this, it does not last as long as when I wear it over foundation but I don't care. I love wearing this.

Bite Matte Lip Crayon in Aubergine: I have a long and happy relationship with Bite Beauty products. I love all the formula but the new Amuse Bouche one, I thoroughly enjoy their shade range and their extreme wear-time. Aubergine is a deep plum-y purple and it is more bright than vampy. Before I tried this shade, I never thought deeper fall-ish shades are my cup of tea. I have been wearing this a lot since late December! I am either wearing it alone or mixing it with some other shades, whenever I got a chance.

Bite Beauty High Pigment Pencil in Meritage: This is the next lip product I am going to focus to finish up after I am done with Urban Decay "Rupture". This shade is described as a brick red but on my skin tone it acts as an everyday rose-y nude shade. I absolutely love layering it with other shades and most of the time I do layer it!

Urban Decay Revolution Lipstick in Rupture (not pictured): I have not tried the new formula for Urban Decay lipsticks but I am sad that they got rid of their revolution lipsticks. I really LOVED this shade, Anyway, this is an unique everyday shade for me. It has appeared in previous favorites, my yearly favorites. And because it is in my Finish17by2017 Project Pan, I am using it constantly. It is a different type of color to wear to work but it does not draw any attention to my lips. I love the creamy formula, it also has ever-so-slight sheen to it which looks really nice. I also enjoy the fact that it can be very easily layered with almost any lipstick. I don't get 3-4 hrs. of wear time but that's OK as I enjoy the stain it leaves behind.

Tarte Amazonian Clay Waterproof Liner in Bronze: This is a very old favorite but its a constant one! I don't talk about it every day but I love it. I exclusively wear it as an all-in-one lid shade. I included it in my Finish17in2017 Project Pan challange and hence it came back to my everyday drawer. I love the shade; its a beautful bronze with equally gorgeous gold shimmer in it. Stays all day and easy to apply quickly. :-)

NARS Dual Intensity Eyeshadow in Himalia: I cannot stop wearing this eyeshadow. I had this forever but since late last year, I somehow started to really, really LOVE it. It is a beautiful beige-y gold shimmery shade. Absolutely brilliant for my rushed mornings. I just lightly pat it on my lid with my fingers and some days I dont even need to use any matte crease shades. And it styas the entire day. Also, I have been wearing it above a good opaque layer of the Tarte cream shadow and I absolutely love the result. 

Love,
~Arrru