Zoya Vanessa Swatch and Review

Up next is Zoya's Vanessa from the Dare Collection! Zoya describes Vanessa as a soft but saturated dark pink berry creme with red undertones. It is truly a beautiful color! It leans on the vampier side of berries, and has a tendency to look darker in the shade/indoors and lighter and more red in the sunlight.

Zoya Vanessa

Vanessa is listed as a 5 on the opacity scale by Zoya (1 = sheer, 5 = completely opaque) which is accurate as it was completely opaque in 2 coats.

Zoya Vanessa

Zoya Vanessa

 Vanessa's formula was definitely on the thick side, which made application a little tricky. I have since added some of Zoya's nail polish rejuvenator to it and it is MUCH easier to work with.

Zoya Vanessa

 One thing I did notice about this formula, which I am hoping has been fixed since I thinned it out, was that it took fooooorever to dry. I was still smudging it like 2 hours later. I think it's because the layers went on so thick because of the formula. I will try it out again now that I have thinned it and let you guys know if it is any better. I know that creams do tend to take longer to dry than foils, but this one was pretty bad.

Zoya Vanessa

Zoya Vanessa

In a few of the pictures above you can really see how the color varies depending on the lighting. This is a beautiful color and I am going to getting a lot of use out of this come fall and winter. I do think it's a little vampy to wear in the spring and summer... but if you are like me then you won't care and you will wear it anyway.

Overall opinion? The color is to die for. The formula could have been a little better on this one, but I will let you guys know if thinning it out helped that or not.

Zoya Gloria Swatch and Review

Today we have Zoya's Gloria from the Flame Collection! A beautiful foil pink that Zoya describes as rose, mauve-pink and magenta foil particles with gold and subtle red metallic accents. This is a very pretty pink with strong foil particles that seem to sit on the top layer of the nail.

Zoya Gloria

 Zoya rates Gloria as a 5 on the opacity scale (1 = sheer, 5 = completely opaque), which is pretty true. The polish was completely opaque in 2 coats, though I used 3 out of habit.

Zoya Gloria

Zoya Gloria

 Gloria's formula was perfect. Incredibly smooth and fluid with an easy gliding application. One think I have found that I also really love about Zoya's foil formulas is that they all seem to dry very quickly. Gloria was no exception.

Zoya Gloria

Zoya Gloria

Zoya Gloria

I think Gloria would work well for either cool or warm skin tones, though it definitely leans on the warm side.

My overall opinion? I love it! I will most likely be sporting it more in the spring and summer, though it think the rosey-ness of it could work well for fall as well.

Zoya Elodie Swatch and Review!

Time for another Zoya review! This time it's Zoya's Elodie!

Zoya Describes Elodie as bright and fresh warm melon pink creme with a touch of coral. This is true IF you read the "touch of coral" part as "a tiny hint of orange", I say this because I have read some comments from people saying that this is not a melon pink, well it is.... just with a touch of coral! It's a very beautiful color!

Zoya Elodie

Zoya Elodie

 Elodie is a very pretty pink color!

Zoya lists Elodie as a 5 on the opacity scale (1 = sheer, 2 = completely opaque) which I didn't find accurate at all. Elodie goes on incredibly sheer. I needed like 4 fairly heavy coats before I couldn't see through it. I was actually really disappointed with how sheer it goes on, because it is such a pretty color. You can see in the photos above that you can see straight through the polish that is clinging to the bottle where the air pocket is. Generally with an opaque polish you can't see through the polish on the side of the bottle. I am not going to let Elodie's sheerness keep me from using it though, because other than that the formula is perfect.

Zoya Elodie

 Elodie went on very smoothly and flowed into the nail with easy. It dried down smooth and even and VERY glossy. You could get away without using a top coat with Elodie.

Zoya Elodie

 I do think I should mention that Elodie and Kylie2 are very close. I would say that if you have one you really don't need the other (unless you are a pink polish addict like me). Elodie is slightly lighter and more orange. Unless you are very discerning about colors you probably wouldn't notice though. If I had to recommend one or the other I would say get Kylie2 because it is so much more opaque than Elodie and you will have to do less layers and in turn your bottle will last you longer.

Zoya Kylie2 Right, Elodie Left

Zoya Kylie2 Right, Elodie Left

As you can see in the photos above, there is a difference between Kylie2 and Elodie, but it is very very subtle and without them being side by side you probably wouldn't be able to say which one was which.


Zoya Elodie

Elodie is obviously a warm color, but I think it would be flattering on many different skin tones. 

My overall opinion on Elodie is that even though it is on the sheer side it is going to be one of my favorite summer colors and makes a nice addition to my collection.


~All reviews are my own opinions and are not paid for by the reviewed company. This product was purchased on my own.~

Urban Decay Naked2 Palette Swatches and Review

Today I welcomed the Urban Decay Naked2 palette into my collection!

Urban Decay Naked2 palette in box

Urban Decay Naked2 Palette

Urban Decay Naked2 Palette: Side and Back

Urban Decay Naked2 Palette: Front, Slightly Open

 The palette is in a really lovely metal case, which reminds me of an artists pencil case. It is a nice heavy weight metal and is really sturdy feeling. The lid of the palette snaps into the bottom so you don't have to worry about the palette coming open if you are going to travel with it.



Urban Decay Mini Lip Junkie in Naked

Urban Decay Lip Junkie in Naked

 This palette also came with an extra, the Urban Decay Lip Junkie in the color Naked! It's a nice creamy gloss that has a minty smell and taste. It's a nice pinkish nude with subtle shimmer. I think this is a good shade to have included with this palette because it is a neutral and I think it would be flattering on a wide range of skin tones.

Urban Decay Naked2 Palette. Left to right: Foxy, Half Baked, Bootycall, Chopper, Tease, Snakebite, Suspect, Pistol, YDK, Busted and Blackout

 The palette consists of 12 full size Urban Decay eye shadows, with a dual-ended brush. There are 3 matte shades (Foxy, Tease, Blackout) and 9 shimmer shades. They area great collection of cool based neutrals, focusing on taupes, browns and more grey based taupes. The shadows are highly pigmented and incredibly soft and velvety. Each shadow gives great color pay off and is easy to blend and build up.

Urban Decay Naked2 Palette. L-R: Foxy, Half Baked, Bootycall, Chopper, Tease

 Bootycall looks like a matte shade in these pictures, but it actually has subtle shimmer in it.

Urban Decay Naked2 Palette. L-R: Snakebite, Suspect, Pistol, Verve, YDK

Urban Decay Naked2 Palette. L-R: Ydk, Busted, Blackout

Urban Decay Naked2 Palette. Left to right: Foxy, Half Baked, Bootycall, Chopper, Tease, Snakebite, Suspect, Pistol, YDK, Busted and Blackout

Urban Decay Naked2 Palette. Bottom to Top: Foxy, Half Baked, Bootycall, Chopper, Tease

Urban Decay Naked2 Palette. Bottom to Top: Snakebite, Suspect, Pistol, Verve, YDK

Urban Decay Naked2 Palette. Bottom to Top: Busted, Blackout.

Without owning the original Naked Palette it is really hard for me to compare them, but if it is anything like this palette then I will be purchasing that one as well! I do know that the Naked2 palette is cooler toned (taupes/greyed out browns), and the original Naked palette is supposed to be warmer based colors (think more bronzy/pinky browns.) The quality of these shadows is wonderful and they are a great group of colors to have for everyday wear, but could also be used to create a beautiful smokey eye as well.

Overall thoughts: I think this palette is a great buy for anyone looking to start their collection, or anyone looking for a nice set of neutral colors.

The Naked2 Palette can be purchased at Ulta, Sephora, UrbanDecay.com and other retailers that carry Urban Decay cosmetics.

~All reviews are my own opinions and are not paid for by the reviewed company. This product was purchased on my own.~

Zoya Kym Swatch and Review!

Today I am reviewing Zoya's Kym! Zoya describes Kym as an antique copper base with copper, gold and pink metallic shimmer! This color is very unique and I haven't seen too many other polishes that even come close to it.

Zoya Kym

Zoya Kym

 Kym is listed as a 5 on the opacity scale (1 = sheer, 5 = completely opaque) which is accurate, as it was completely opaque in 2 coats. Kym's formula was perfectly fluid and smooth without being too thin or thick and it dried fairly quickly, though I always find that the foils/metallic from Zoya dry very quickly for me.

Zoya Kym

Zoya Kym

 Kym dried down to an even, smooth, glossy finish that had a beautiful metallic/foil sheen. The shimmer particles in Kym are large enough that they give a beautiful depth to the polish, but are not so large that they add any texture.

Zoya Kym

 Kym is definitely warm toned and feels more like a fall/winter color, though I love it so much I can see using it as a summer neutral.

Overall, I am very happy with Kym and can't wait to get lots of use out of it!

~All reviews are my own opinions and are not paid for by the reviewed company. This product was purchased on my own.~

New Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain!

Hi everybody! Today I am going to review a new product that I found at my local Target, Revlon's Just Bitten Kissable Balm stain! When I first saw these I was a little sceptical but super excited because they look just like the Tarte LipSurgence, and if you read my post on the Tarte LipSurgence then you know how much I love those! 

Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain
Top: Romance
Bottom: Crush

Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain
Left: Romance
Right: Crush

 The packaging is the same size and shape as the Tarte LipSurgence, though I believe the amount of product is slightly less by like 0.01 (or something around there). Not enough of a difference to even be noticeable.

Like the Tarte lip balm these are a twist up pencil that doesn't need sharpening. There is a range of colors from light natural colors to bold reds.

Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain
Left: Romance
Right: Crush

 I am so amazed at how close to the Tarte balms these are! They work wonderfully. They go on sheer, but buildable, have the same minty smell (maybe not as strong as the Tarte), they have the moisturizing balm property AND they leave a stain of color on your lips after the balm wears off! The only and I mean ONLY difference I can find between the two is that the Tarte is a little more satiny in application, and the Revlon seems to be a little bit richer/thicker. The difference in application is not something that is a turn off either, they are just slightly different.

Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain in Romance
Right: 2 layers
Left: 1 layer

Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain in Crush
Right: 2 layers
Left: 1 layer

Another thing I love about the Revlon balm? The PRICE! The Tarte rings in at $22 per pencil, while I picked up the Revlon pencil for just under $7.50 each! That means you could almost purchase 3 of the Revlon pencils for the cost of one Tarte!!

My overall though: I love them and have been converted from the Tarte to Revlon!

Go pick one up for yourself and let me know how you like it!



~All reviews are my own opinions and are not paid for by the reviewed company. This product was purchased by myself.~

My Favorite Revlon Products!

So, I have been trying to think of a good way to do some posts on my favorite cosmetics and beauty items, and I think I am going to do make up by brand and then beauty items by type (body, hair, skin care, etc). So to start I am going to tell you guys about one of my favorite brands: Revlon!


I really love Revlon for a few reasons, first, they actually have foundations that are the right shade AND tone for my skin. I can not tell you how many times I have tried foundation to find out that a brand doesn't carry a shade that is light enough for my skin, or that their lightest shade is either way on the orange side, or way on the pink side. Revlon has very nice neutral toned light foundations.


Second, their products actually perform how they are meant to. Photo Ready, evened skin for photos! Color Stay, the color STAYS! Color Burst, actually has a burst of color!


Third, I like their packaging. It looks more sleek and sophisticated than a lot of other drug store brands. This is, has always been, and will always be, a big factor in the products that I buy. If I am going to use and look at something every day then I want it to be pleasing to look at. If there is a product that works well, but is in a hideous package, I am more likely to keep searching for another product than if the same product was in an attractive package.


Okay, so the first item I have for you is the Photo Ready Foundation in 001 Ivory.

Revlon Photo Ready Foundation in 001 Ivory

The bottle is glass with a pump top which allows you to dispense as little or as much product as you would like. The foundation is very creamy and smooth and has great coverage. Depending on how you apply it ranges from medium coverage to heavy coverage. It dries down to a dewy, silky finish.

Revlon Photo Ready Foundation in 001 Ivory (blended)

One thing I would have to say as a warning about this foundation, if you have oily skin, or break out prone skin, or have dry, flaky patches, I would NOT recommend this foundation for you. It has shimmer in it. If you already have oily skin the shimmer can make you look oilier. If you have break out prone skin or dry patches the shimmer has a tendency to collect around the blemishes or flakes and actually make them stand out even more. If you do use it, I recommend using the Photo Ready cream concealer for those areas and avoiding this product on them. I have skin that is on the drier side, but I do not have any rough or flaky patches, so this foundation works wonderful for my skin. I really love the soft, dewy, natural look that it gives me. In the photo where the foundation is blended I want to show you how well the little swatch blends into my skin and matches my skin tone. My whole hand is not covered, it is a swatch that is about the size of a quarter. It might look like there is nothing there, and that is kind of the point!


Up next is the Photo Ready Airbrush mousse foundation in 010 Vanilla.


This is basically the same as the original Photo Ready, except that it is dispensed from an aerosol can and comes out as a mousse. When you start touching the mousse it turns into a creamy foundation, though it is thinner than the original non-mousse.

I would have to say that the Airbrush is a lighter coverage than the original. It is still a good coverage level for me though, as it leans light-medium coverage. It does still have the shimmer in it though, so the same fore warning applies for those with blemish prone/oily/flaky skin.
I like to switch back and forth between the Airbrush and the original Photo Ready. I use the Airbrush when my skin is looking pretty good already and I just want to even out the tone a little. I use the original if I have a stray blemish or a dark spot.

Revlon Photo Ready Airbrush Mousse Foundation in 010 Vanilla

Revlon Photo Ready Airbrush Mousse Foundation in 010 Vanilla (blended)

Up next is the Color Stay Under Eye concealer in 610 Fair. This is my holy grail of under eye concealer. It is the only one I have found that does not crease or rub off.

Revlon Color Stay Under Eye Concealer in 610 Fair

Revlon Color Stay Under Eye Concealer in 610 Fair

Revlon Color Stay Under Eye Concealer in 610 Fair

It is a twist up pen with a sponge tip applicator. I really love how it the pen tip allows me to sweep it over the area to get a light layer and then I can pat it out with my finger without having to rub and smear it around.


Next we have the Revlon Color Burst Lip Butter in Tutti Fruity. This is a creamy, smooth, nourishing balm with a nice pop of color. The thing I love about this lip butter is that the color can be applied both sheer or boldly, depending on how many layers you use.

Revlon Color Burst Lip Butter in Tutti Fruity

Revlon Color Burst Lip Butter in Tutti Fruity

Revlon Color Burst Lip Butter in Tutti Fruity

Revlon Color Burst Lip Butter in Tutti Fruity
One layer on top. Two layers on bottom.

One of the best things about the lip butter are that there is a nice range of colors and because they can be applied sheer it allows the colors to work on a wider range of skin tones. The wear time on these is pretty much the same as any balm. If you are eating/drinking/licking your lips then they are going to wear off a lot quicker than if you aren't. I can easily get 4 hours out of the balm before I feel like I need to reapply.


Finally I have the Revlon Luxurious Color eye shadow in number 015 Shimmering Sienna.

Revlon Luxurious Color Eye Shadow in 015 Shimmering Sienna

Revlon Luxurious Color Eye Shadow in 015 Shimmering Sienna

Revlon Luxurious Color Eye Shadow in 015 Shimmering Sienna

I love this shadow because it is highly pigmented, blends easily and is velvety and soft! The color pay off is great and it is really long wearing. These are great basic shadows and there is a wide range of colors and finishes to choose from. Plus they are inexpensive so you can afford to get a good variety of shades if you are looking to build up your collection.


That is it for my current Revlon favorites, though they just released some new products so I will probably have some new ones to review for you soon!






~ All reviews are my own opinions and are not paid for by the reviewed companies. The products in this review were purchased by myself.~