Swatches + Comparison: MAC It's a Strike 2016 Collection (300 Game, Bowl Out and Join My League Eyeshadows)

MAC It's A Strike Eyeshadows (Limited Edition) - Each eyeshadow retails $16 and contains 1.5g/0.05oz of product. They're also very easy to depot and can be stored in an empty palette, such as the 12 Piece Interchangeable Palette, which can be purchased from Coastal Scents for $5.95.

• 300 Game is a blackened cherry with a matte finish. Mac's I'm Into It and Makeup Geek's Cherry Cola are more of a reddish brown. I'm Into It and Cherry Cola look very similar to one another, except I'm Into It is slightly darker than Cherry Cola and looks more brown when heavily swatched. Deep Damson looks alot like 300 Game as both colors are more of a purplish burgundy. The only difference is that Deep Damson is slightly lighter, but when applied onto the eyes, they look essentially the same. Makeup Geek's Bitten is lighter, not as matte and pulls more red compared to 300 Game. 

I use all of these shades the same way and as a pop of color in my crease when I want to spice up a neutral eye look.

• Bowl Out is a midtone grey with a matte finish. It's not as light & grey as Copperplate and not as dark & brown as Join My League? and Concrete (review). Also, Coquette is definitely not a dupe as it looks more like a khaki shade compared to Bowl Out.

• Join My League? is a dark espresso with a matte finish. It's not as warm as Espresso and looks most similar to Concrete, except Concrete is slightly lighter and pulls more grey. When blended into the crease, they look practically the same.

I use Bowl Out, Join My League?, Coquette, Concrete and Espresso interchangeably. They are all great shades for defining the crease and creating depth.  

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Swatches + Review: MAC Good Luck Trolls Glow Rida, I'm Into It Eyeshadow, Cremesheen Lipsticks + Pro Longwear Lip Pencils

MAC Good Luck Trolls Beauty Powder in Glow Rida
(Limited Edition, $28 for 10g/0.35oz)

Color: It's a warm peachy beige that leaves a subtle glow to the skin. 

Formula + Application: The pigmentation is very sheer and works best as a highlighter for my NC30/35 skin tone. I recommend using a dense natural brush, such as the Sonia Kashuk #17 (comparison pictures), because dense natural hair tends to pick up and pack on powder products much easier.

I love pairing Glow Rida with matte blushes when I want a subtle sheen on my cheeks. It gives me just enough luminosity without looking too dewy or frosty for day-time office wear. 

Longevity: It lasts at least 8 hours without fading when worn over foundation + setting powder. (I don't have issues with products lasting on my cheeks in general. I also have cheeks that are neither dry nor oily.)

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Swatches + Review: Nars Long Hot Summer Eyeshadow Palette, Orgasm Blush, Audacious Lipsticks and Velvet Lip Liners

(Direct Sunlight)

Nars Long Hot Summer Eyeshadow Palette ($45, Limited Edition) - The palette is about three-fourth the size of my hand and measures approximately 3.80 inches x 0.25 inches x 2.20 inches. It's very sleek and travel-friendly. Each shade contains 0.03oz/1g of product. Nars' individual eyeshadows retail $25 (with compact) for 0.07oz/2.2g and $18 in pan form.

• Long Hot Summer I is a shimmering cream.
• Long Hot Summer II is a bronze taupe with a shimmery finish.
• Bellissima II is a matte gray-brown. This shade is also available in the duo compact. 
• Long Hot Summer III is a shimmering copper.
• Long Hot Summer IV is a shimmering warm brown.
• Bengali is a matte rich chocolate brown. Out of all the shades in this palette, Bengali is the only one that's available individually. 

Formula: The eyeshadows have great pigmentation, layer well and blend easily. Just make sure to tap off any excess before applying so you don't experience major fallout. I usually apply my eye makeup before foundation so I can easily wipe away any shimmers that have fallen down my cheeks or underneath my eyes. 

Longevity: They last at least 8 hours without fading or creasing. (For reference, I have extremely oily lids and always wear a primer underneath as a base.)

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Swatches + Review: Collective Haul (MUFE, MAC, Chanel, Urban Decay)

I'm back with another haul! Some of these items are re-purchases, while others have been in my collection for a while now and have been rigorously tested. 

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Swatches: MAC Vibe Tribe, Brooke Candy, Simpsons, Style Warriors and Indulge Collection (Limited Edition)

I recently purchased a few goodies from MAC's Vibe Tribe 2016 Summer Collection and plan on picking up the Adobe Brick blush as well, which I will review in a later post.

When I was going through my stash to check for possible dupes, I realized that there were a few limited edition MAC products that I never reviewed on my blog. I decided to include them in this post because maybe you guys have forgotten about them too and this may remind you to use them again? You can also call your nearest CCO (The Cosmetics Company Store) to see if they still have them in stock. (The CCO carries products from Estee Lauder-owned companies, including MAC, Clinique, Bobbi Brown, Origins, Smashbox and Lab Series, and sells them for around 30% off retail price.)

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Swatches + Review: MAC Haul (Blush, Eyeshadows, Paint Pot & Foundation)

This is really a collective haul of items that I purchased over the past few months. 

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Review + Swatches: Sigma Synthetic Eye Brushes for Cream Products

Sigma's synthetic eye brushes stand out from their competition because they come in a wide range of sizes and shapes. You're bound to find one that's perfect for you. The ones mentioned in this post are all made of synthetic material and animal cruelty-free. I love using them to work with cream eyeshadows and concealer because they glide product onto the skin smoothly and evenly.

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Swatches: Tarte Cosmetics 500 Point Perk at Sephora

I hoard my Sephora points and rarely redeem them because they rarely offer any goodies that I'm interested in. They came out with the Tarte Cosmetics 500 Point Perk ($45.98 value) last week and I placed an order to redeem it. As most of you know, for every dollar that you spend at Sephora, you get 1 point. Some of you guys may feel that I paid $500 for the Tarte 500 Point Reward. However, I don't see it that way. I see the Tarte 500 Point Reward as a bonus on top of the $500 worth of makeup products that I bought. Also, even if Sephora terminated their rewards program, I would still buy my cosmetics from them because they have an extensive line of beauty products, an amazing return policy, and awesome discounts without limitations throughout the year.

Tarte Lights Camera Lashes 4-in-1 Mascara 0.10oz ($7.92) - The full size costs $19/0.24oz. It volumizes, darkens and separates my lashes well, but since it's non-waterproof, I can't wear it. Non-waterproof mascaras tend to weigh my lashes down and don't hold my curl. Unfortunately, the Tarte one was no different.

Tarte Amazonian Clay Finishing Powder 0.07oz ($6.34) - The full size costs $29/0.32oz. It's transparent, mattifies my skin and leaves my skin silky smooth, but my NARS Light Reflecting Pressed Setting Powder controls my oils better. (I have an extremely oily t-zone.)

Tarte Amazonian Clay Waterproof Cream Eyeshadow 0.1oz ($19) - I received the full size! The Maybelline cream eyeshadows (0.14oz each) look much bigger than the Tarte ones, but they contain almost the same amount of product. The Tarte one is definitely more travel friendly and feels more lightweight. Shimmering Moss has a more olive undertone compared to Mossy Green, which is more green and Gold Shimmer is more gold. I find that the formula of the Tarte one is creamier and doesn't dry as fast as the Maybelline one. I love using Shimmering Moss as a base for MAC Sumptuous Olive. It makes the powder eyeshadow more intense, lengthens the wear-time and prevents creasing & fading.

Tarte Pure Maracuja Oil 0.23oz ($6.22) - The full size costs $46/1.7oz. Alot of people love this product. Unfortunately, I find it to be greasy even when I use only a tiny drop and it doesn't sink into my skin. It feels like it's just sitting on top of my skin and I'm scared to lie in bed because I'm afraid that I'll get my pillow case all oily. (You all know how oil can be impossible difficult to remove.)

Tarte Amazonian Clay 12-hour Blush in Exposed

Tarte Amazonian Clay 12-Hour Blush in Exposed 0.05oz ($6.50) - The full size costs $26/0.2oz. This was the main reason I redeemed the 500 Point Reward. Everyone seems to rave about the color and I want to get in on the action too! Also, the packaging is so cute and it's so convenient for travel. Exposed is more rosy, while Prim & Proper is more nude. Both are my go-to neutral shades when I'm doing a day time look or when I don't know which blush to match my eye makeup. You can't go wrong with either shade in any situation. They both have regular pigmentation (not sheer or too pigmented) and are buildable. Also, they last at least 8 hours without fading when applied on top of liquid foundation + setting powder. Prim & Proper is discontinued and difficult to find, but fortunately, Exposed is still in production.

(Indoor Natural Lighting)

(Outdoor Natural Lighting on a Cloudy Day)

(Outdoor Natural Lighting on a Sunny Day)

Note: The Tarte Cosmetics 500 Point Perk is sold out on Sephora's website, but is still available in some Sephora stores. Call your local Sephora store!

Which Sephora 500 Point Perk was your favorite?

*This post contains affiliate links.

Swatches + Comparison: Urban Decay Sephora Inside JCPenney Stores Exclusive Eyeshadows

From Top Left: Naked ~ Buck ~ Faint ~ Secret Service

From Bottom Left: Heartless ~ Sidecar ~ Snare

From Top Left: Buck ~ Faint 

From Bottom Left: Naked ~ Secret service

Naked is a beige brown with a matte finish. When swatched, it looks like it would be a nice transition color or a blending shade, but it's actually too dark for that purpose and too light as a crease color for my NC30/35 skin tone. Kid, Wedge, Cork and Soft Brown work much better as a transition color for me even though they all look darker than Naked because the formula of the MAC eyeshadows are more stiff and they don't pack on as much color when used with a fluffy brush, such as the MAC 217. Moreover, they don't crumble in the pan and I don't experience any fallouts during application. They are also very versatile because when I use a dense crease brush, such as the Inglot 80HP, they provide excellent color payoff. 

(Indoor Natural Lighting)

(Outdoor Natural Lighting on a Sunny Day)

(Outdoor Natural Lighting in the shade)

Buck is a medium beige brown with a matte finish. It's similar to Naked, but just darker. It's too light as an outer v shade, but it's excellent as a crease color.

Faint is a medium brown with a matte finish. Urban Decay describes it as a "warm, dusty brown matte," but it looks more neutral on my eyes. It's a tad bit darker than Buck, but they both look very similar to one another when used as a crease color. 

Secret Service is a dark cool-toned greyish brown with a matte finish. It defines the eyes and works well as an outer v shade. Embark is more intense and more red, while Brown Down is more brown. 

The Urban Decay matte eyeshadows are much softer than the MAC matte eyeshadows; therefore, they get messy in the pan easily and I experience fallouts during application. However, because the formula is softer, they also apply more smoothly, pack on more color even with a fluffy brush and blend like a dream. Also, they last at least 10 hours without fading when used with a primer.

(Direct Sunlight)

(Outdoor Natural Lighting in the shade)

From Top Clockwise: Sidecar ~ Snare ~ Heartless 

Heartless is a pale pink with a satin finish. I find it to be too chalky and light on my skin tone. Moreover, the pigmentation is not as great as SWF, which has a more frosty finish.

Snare is an olive green with gold micro-glitters. When I swatched it by itself, it looked more like a bluish grey shade, but when swatched next to a more blue shade (Gunmetal), I can definitely see the green undertones. Also, it looks more green when applied onto the eyes. However, it's not as pigmented as other urban decay eyeshadows and it fades a bit when blended.

(Outdoor Natural Lighting in the shade)

(Outdoor Natural Lighting on a Sunny Day)

(Indoor Natural Lighting)

From Top Clockwise: Heartless ~ Sidecar ~ Snare

Sidecar is a medium warm brown with a bronzey sheen and silver micro-glitters. Blaze, Suspect and Chase are all lighter and more suitable for my skin tone. I find Sidecar to be a little bit  too dark as a lid color and too light as a crease color. The texture doesn't feel as buttery smooth as other UD eyeshadows, but it doesn't feel gritty either. I did experience some fallouts during application. So, I recommend using a cream base and tapping off the excess before applying the eyeshadow with a dense brush, such as the MAC 239.

(Indoor Natural Lighting)

(Indoor Natural Lighting on a Sunny Day)

(Outdoor Natural Lighting in the shade)

Bottom Line: Each Urban Decay eyeshadow is different in terms of color, finish and formulation. Most are hits, while some are misses. Definitely DON'T dismiss all Urban Decay eyeshadows if you found one that did not work out for you.

Note: Naked, Buck and Secret Service each contain 1.5g and are available for purchase at Nordstrom, Beauty.com, Ulta and Sephora for $18 each. Faint, Heartless, Sidecar and Snare each contain 1.5g and are sold exclusively at  Urban Decay's online store and Sephora Inside JCPenney Stores for $18 each. MAC Wedge, Cork, Soft Brown, Espresso, Corduroy, Embark and Greensmoke each contain 1.5g, while Kid and Brown Down each contain 1.35g. All 9 MAC eyeshadows are permanent and are available at MAC and Nordstrom for $15 (pot) and $12 (refill pan). 

*This post contains affiliate links. None of the products mentioned are sponsored.

Swatches + Review: Sonia Kashuk Instructional Eye Palette in Eye On Dazzling Color 03

Pros:

• more affordable compared to palettes from other brands, such as Mac or Urban Decay
• these eyeshadows have not been tested on animals
• non-sparkly eyeshadows feel silky and buttery
• non-sparkly eyeshadows have great color payoff (when used with a primer)
• non-sparkly eyeshadows applies smoothly
• blends easily
• lasts at least 8 hours without fading (when worn with a primer)
• doesn't crease when used with a primer
• sparkly eyeshadows are sheer, but they compliment the non-sparkly eyeshadows very well

Cons:

• fallouts during application
• palette gets really dusty and messy 
• palette is bulky because there are step-by-step instructions that slide out on the side

The Sonia Kashuk Instructional Eye Palette in 03 Eye On Dazzling Color comes with step-by-step instructions on how to create 3 different looks, which can be useful for those who are makeup beginners, but it also makes the palette bulky. (Sonia Kashuk recently revamped the packaging of her other eyeshadow palettes and removed the instructions.) 

It comes with 7 pigmented shimmery shades, 1 pigmented shimmery shade with sparkles (the last eyeshadow in the 4th row) and 4 sheer sparkly shades (the entire 2nd column). The eyeshadows are numbered 1 to 12 and they don't have individual names, which I don't mind because the quality of these eyeshadows are amazing for the price. The non-sparkly eyeshadows have great color payoff when used with a primer, and they all apply smoothly & blend easily. 

The sparkly shades don't feel as silky smooth as the other shades, but the texture is not gritty or chunky at all. They contain tiny microglitters that leave a sparkly and wet finish. They're very sheer, but I find that they compliment the shimmery shades very well. I love applying the sparkly shades on top of the shimmery shades to create a shiny metallic finish. It looks absolutely gorgeous! I love the way that they make my eyes sparkle and glisten, especially under direct lighting. The swatches are not doing them any justice! >_<

I recommend applying these eyeshadows before your foundation because there will be fallouts during application. Because of this reason, the palette also gets dusty easily. To minimize the amount of fallouts, tap off any excess from your brush before applying. I really don't mind the fallouts because I can easily wipe off the mess with makeup remover. 

As for the longevity, they last at least 8 hours without fading or creasing when worn with a primer underneath. (I always wear a primer underneath my eyeshadows because I have oily lids.)

(Click to enlarge to read the ingredients list.)

Bottom Line: I'm usually not a fan of glitter, but the sparkly shades blew me away because I love how they make my eyes sparkle and the shiny metallic finish looks amazing. This is a must-have for those who love to create dramatic and smokey eye looks. 

Note: The Sonia Kashuk Instructional Eye Palette (0.34oz/9.6g) retails $19.99 and is only available at Target. It is currently on clearance for $16.98 and will be discontinued.

Do you prefer colorful or matte palettes?

*This post contains affiliate links. The product mentioned was purchased by me, using my own funds.

Swatches: Neutrogena Cosmetics Spring 2013

Neutrogena Healthy Lengths Mascara ($8.49 retail) - Non-waterproof mascaras usually weigh my lashes down and don't hold my curl and the Neutrogena one was no different. However, I did like the non-plastic/rubber brush because it separated my lashes well, darkened them and made them look fuller.

Neutrogena MoistureSmooth Color Stick ($8.49 retail) - I have it in 30 Sweet Watermelon and I love the color. It gives my lips a hint of color and it's perfect for everyday. It's not too bright or flashy. It leaves a glossy finish and looks frosty in direct sunlight, but under artificial lighting, the finish is toned down and looks office safe. Also, it has a slight fruity and bubblegum taste to it. As for the application, it glides onto the lips easily and feels moisturizing. However, because I have extremely chapped lips, I still need to wear a lip balm underneath and need to exfoliate well before applying or else it will emphasize my flakiness.

Neutrogena Crease Proof Eye Shadow ($8.49 retail) - Constant Copper is a light pinky beige that's perfect for a neutral eye look. It can be worn by itself or as a base for powder eyeshadows. Lasting Taupe is a medium greyish brown that I prefer to use as a base because on its own, I find it to be too dark as an all over the lid color for daytime. Both shades are sheer and not as pigmented as the Maybelline Color Tattoos, but they are still buildable. I've tested them without a primer and topped it off with a powder eyeshadow and found that they lasted at least 7 hours without fading or creasing. Keep in mind, I have extremely oily lids. I noticed that they started to crease in the inner corner of my eyes on the 8th hour. These Crease Proof Eye Shadows would last longer on those with normal and non-oily lids because when I tested them on the back of my hands, they were a beast to remove.

(Indoor Natural Lighting)

(Outdoor Natural Lighting)

Bottom Line: I like the price point of these products. They're all under $10 bucks and are very affordable. Also, the quality is good for the price, but I wish they came out with a waterproof version of the mascara and that the eyeshadows lasted a little bit longer for those with oily lids.

Note: The Neutrogena MoistureSmooth Color Stick (3.1g), Healthy Lengths Mascara and Crease Proof Eyeshadows (2.8g) are available at Ulta, drugstore.com, and Target, .

Which products are you excited about?

*This post contains affiliate links and the products mentioned were provided by BzzAgent for review consideration. BzzAgent is currently open to all US, Canadian and UK residents. This does not affect my opinion about the products. I don't do paid or guaranteed reviews. My reviews are based on my own honest opinion.