Lorac & Tarina Tarantino on Hautelook!

Oh Hautelook…how you empty my wallet but fill up my makeup stash with beautiful little gems. It’s a bittersweet catch-22. Well, I think it’s more on the sweet side, my fiancé does not (“Do you actually need another brown eye shadow?” “It’s not the same brown.” “…it’s brown.” Guys don’t get it).

I always keep an eye on Hautelook sales because while I love prestige makeup brands, I don’t really love to pay prestige makeup brand prices. That’s where Hautelook comes in handy. I just snapped up a bunch of sweet little sales today and now will be watching my mailman like a hawk, waiting for that little brown box to show up at my door. So what’s good today? Let me give you the scoop.

1. Lorac! Hautelook’s sale of the day is a small eyeshadow palette, perfect for trying new shades or the girl-on-the-go. Each palette features five shades and mix matte with shimmers for many looks. You can get the palette in Get Hot or Stay Cool for just $12. This is a quick sale of the day item though, so get it while you can!

2. Tarina Tarantino…my girly heart be still. I had never heard of this brand before I saw it on Hautelook and tentatively ordered a Gem Gloss the first time it appeared (Bobby Pin). I fell head over heels for the gloss and may or may not have purchased three more the next time Tarina was back on the site (Neon Vanity, Nouveau, Carousel). I’ve been thinking lately about how I was hoping Tarina would show up on Hautelook again so I could get another Gem Gloss shade I wanted and the makeup gods answered my call. I might have splurged today. Okay, I totally splurged and got myself three Conditioning Lip Sheens (Pink Elephant, Watermelon Wow, Queen Alice), two Gem Glosses (Pom Pom and another Bobby Pin) and a Fleur de Lash mascara. And that’s after I restrained myself in the lip product department and made myself remove the Dollskin Blush palette from my cart (so if anyone out there needs any gift ideas, I still really want those blushes…hint, hint). But everything was a good deal and I will use it all so I’m completely okay with the fact that I got six things. I’ll try to get swatches up of the products I already have sometime soon and do a follow-up once my new goodies arrive.

If you haven’t signed up for Hautelook yet, I suggest you do! The site is a Nordstrom affiliate, which means it brings you killer fashions, accessories, beauty products and more but for a lot less than if you went to Nordstrom or other major retailers. If you sign up, I would appreciate it if you would use my invite  🙂  – http://www.hautelook.com/short/3MYw6

Happy shopping!

Oh, Mama! theBalm Bahama Mama Swatches & Review

I was on a quest for quite some time. Not a “look.” Not a “search.” A quest.

I hunted high and low for the perfect bronzer. This one was too shimmery. That one was too orange. This one was too cakey. That one was too dry and powdery. This one wore off. That one looked like mud on my skin. Buy. Return. Buy. Give away. Buy. Swap with a friend. Buy. Hang head in defeat. I thought my hunt for the perfect bronzer would never end. And then…Hautelook featured theBalm cosmetics.

The first thing that drew me towards Bahama Mama was the cute packaging. Seriously, the old-timey pin-up style ladies on their packaging get me every time. But look how stinkin’ cute this is!

theBalm Bahama Mama

The second thing that drew me in was my experience with other products by theBalm. I have literally loved everything I’ve tried from the brand. Everything! And that’s super rare, at least for me. Usually at least one thing disgruntles me. The last thing was the description; it sounded exactly like what I was looking for – “Finally, a Caribbean getaway in a compact! This matte bronzer creates the look of beautifully tanned skin without any orange undertones for a fresh-off-the-beach glow. Bahama Mama also doubles as the perfect contour powder and matte brown eyeshadow. Yes, this tropical beauty keeps busy!” This usually $20 bronzer was only $10 courtesy of Hautelook and so it ended up in my basket.

Bahama Mama comes the same style packaging as theBalm blushes, which is to say that it comes in a sturdy little cardboard box with a mirror in the lid and a magnetic closure. I couldn’t help using this before I took a picture, so the bronzer is a little messy – sorry! Sometimes a girl just can’t help herself.

theBalm Bahama Mama

What I love about this bronzer is that it is matte, which means you can use it as an all-over bronzer OR as a contour. I swatched this while tan so it is a little hard to see against my skin if you don’t know where to look. However, the plus side for me was that the matte finish and grayish undertones meant that I was able to use it as a contour shade that helped to shade my face but in a way that looked natural instead of obvious. In the swatch photo below, Bahama Mama is swiped directly under my blog watermark.

theBalm Bahama Mama

Bahama Mama has a smooth formula that is a breeze to work with and that blends beautifully. There is no talc in the product and my skin responded well (some bronzers have made my cheeks go through horrible breakouts). You do need to watch how much you pick up on the brush because Bahama Mama is very pigmented, but that means that a little product goes a long way and it should be quite some time before you hit pan. Also, I found that using a heavier hand caused a little uneven pigmentation and spot-caking later in the day. However, I have oily skin that tends to break down products, which also affects how well products hold up on my skin over extended periods of time.

Dusted all over

Dusted all over

I have been using Bahama Mama almost every day since my order came in – it may be safe to say that I finally found the one! We have our troubles here and there, but that happens in every relationship. For the most part, Bahama Mama and I are very happy together, especially when I have a tan. I think my compact of it will last me for a long time, but I see myself reordering whenever I do eventually hit pan.

What’s your go-to bronzer? Do you use bronzer to contour, warm up skin, or both? Let me know in the comments!

Hot Sales Today on Hautelook!

Hautelook is hopping with great sales and steals today! Check it out –

Tarina Tarantino Cosmetics usually run from about $15-$40 and are deeply discounted on Hautelook today, with prices ranging from $6.50-$16 and $32 for a kit that was originally $78. This fun makeup brand used to be available at Sephora, so you may already be familiar with the collection. I was so excited to see this brand featured and snagged myself three Gem Glosses and a Hyperliner (which I hear is comparable to UD’s 24/7 liners). This sale ends Monday morning, PST.

China Glaze is available for just $4.00 a bottle! 4 bucks, people! This sale ends Tuesday morning, PST.

Urban Decay has a handful of products featured, all of them only $4.00 (!). This sale ends Monday morning, PST.

Stila is another featured beauty brand, with products on Hautelook ranging from $6.00-$25.00. What a steal! This sale ends Monday morning, PST.

Last but not least, Mario Badescu skincare is featured. You can purchase individual skincare products or complete kits, with prices ranging from $9.50-$49.00, with the higher end items being the complete care kits. This sale ends Monday morning, PST.

If you are new to Hautelook, sign up! Signing up costs you nothing and gives you access to some truly stellar sales. You can sign up using my invite code here – http://www.hautelook.com/invite/JK7563. Happy shopping! 🙂

 

Disneyways – How to Look Like Minnie in a Minute

I’m back on Disneyways again today, bringing you beauty looks fit for the parks! Krista asked me if I could come up with some Disney-inspired looks that were fun but fit for an adult and I chose Minnie as my muse. You can see the outfits and makeup I chose at http://disneyways.com/2013/10/05/how-to-look-like-minnie-in-a-minute/.

A big shout-out and thank you to Krista for letting me run with ideas and take over another post  🙂

Stop! Collaborate and Listen (/Read)

A few months ago I started to work here and there with fellow blogger Krista over at Disneyways.com. We both love Disney and I love that beauty can (and does!) go hand-in-hand with the most magical place on Earth. I first guest-blogged on Disneyways back when Urban Decay released its two Oz palettes, writing a feature for each look. And guess what? I’m back!

It may sound hard to look good on the go and/or to find makeup that stays, but it’s actually a piece of cake! I put together my top four suggestions for packing easy, lasting makeup for a day in the parks, although you could use the same tips for everyday looks or basic travel. Head on over to wp.me/p2jJn8-22V for all the details!

Image courtesy of disney-stationary.com

Image courtesy of disney-stationary.com

 

A good breakup? theBalm Balms Away Eye Makeup Break-up

Want to hear something I hate but had resigned myself to? Eye makeup removers. Yes, all of them in general. As someone who usually wears at least mascara and eyeliner, I have always needed some type of eye makeup remover to take those products off at the end of the day. I tried all different brands and types – this one kind would burn my eyes, that one would make my eyes pink and a little scratchy, this one would dry my skin out, that one would be gentle but was so oily I felt like I was looking out through a fog after… I resigned myself to the fact that there was no perfect eye makeup remover. I settled for the best one I found and that was that. Until…

theBalm! That’s right, a Hautelook sale came along and I spotted Balms Away Eye Makeup Break-up. If you read my last post, you know I love theBalm blushes. I also love theBalm lipsticks. I figured that, by default, I would love this makeup remover. And the description makes it sound awesome. See (/read) for yourself –

Fortified with Vitamins A, C, & E and a blend of plant-derived Sterols and Lipids, this Eye Makeup Break-Up is a solid eye makeup remover, gentle enough for the most sensitive skin. Vitamins and Lipids work to hydrate and restore elasticity around the delicate eye area while keeping it smooth.

Sounds sweet, right? Right. And the name made me laugh. Ordered!

First of all, I love the tin. It’s sturdy and closes tightly so that the product can’t dry out and it won’t pop open if you throw it in a bag or, if you’re like me, drop it. Plus that packaging is cute with the old-fashioned script and girl.

theBalm Balms AwaytheBalm Balms Away

The second thing that won me over is all of the product that you get. I don’t know why, but I have a hard time grasping the size of products without seeing them in comparison to something familiar. So, as I’ve done with other products, I took a picture of the tin in my hand so that you can get a visual on the size. Well, kind of. I have never measured my hand so you don’t know exactly how big it is, but you get the gist.

theBalm Balms Away

So first you start with makeup on, obviously. Please excuse my crazy brows, they just refused to be tamed by anything. I have on light liner and shadow in the photo below, as well as Benefit They’re Real! mascara.

theBalm Balms Away

Balms Away is a solid eye makeup remover that softens upon touch. You take a dollop of Balms Away and slowly rub it in a circular motion over your closed eye for about a minute, less if you don’t have much makeup on. Your eyeball with look something like this in the process –

theBalm Balms Away

When you’re all finished circling around with the product, you use a soft tissue to wipe it away. Voila! A clean eye.

theBalm Balms Away

I still had a few traces of mascara left, but not much. I think part of that is because I didn’t use a full dollop of product. More importantly, my eyes didn’t sting, I wasn’t left seeing through a haze like I am with oily products, and the skin around my eyes felt taken care of and soft. Ahhh…finally, an eye makeup remover that likes my eyes and vice versa! I really love this eye makeup remover  🙂

Balms Away retails for $20/2.2oz on theBalm site. Keep an eye out for Hautelook sales though so you can snag this great makeup remover for even less! If you sign up for Hautelook, please use my invite code – http://www.hautelook.com/invite/JK7563 – I’d really appreciate it!   🙂

Sephora Disney Collection Ariel – Ariel’s Arrival!

Hey Sephora Disney Collection fans! Listen up – Ariel’s here!

Image courtesy of Disney

Image courtesy of Disney

I stayed off of the internet (almost) all weekend because I was with my family. I checked my email today and opened up one from Sephora. It had the usual info on it, but I clicked through – and, lo and behold, I found the Ariel Storylook Palette on the site! Well, if you’re a Beauty Insider, which I am. Woohoo!

This is the third Disney collaboration palette/princess collection and it is the perfect choice for summer. I mean, what better princess for summer than the mermaid?

Here’s the scoop from Sephora:

Choose your fate with the Ariel Edition of the Storylook Palette. Third in the Princess series, this covetable collectible comes adorned with original artwork created by Disney; an illustration portraying the lovely Ariel in her grotto of collected treasures as she looks longingly at the world above. Inside reveals a collection of 20 brilliant eye shadows, each customized to match the original hues from the iconic film. These lustrous shadows dare you to dream and encourage your curiosity to lead the way.

Photo courtesy of Sephora.com

Photo courtesy of Sephora.com

Photo courtesy of Sephora.com

Photo courtesy of Sephora.com

This set contains 20 x 0.035 oz eye shadow in:
– Blue Lagoon (shimmering blue)
– Scuttle (shimmering pinky beige)
– Flounder (matte nude)
– Sebastian (matte coraly pink)
– Flotsam (deep blue charcoal)
– Sea Shells (shimmering ivory)
– Les Poissons (dusty satin mauve)
– Caspian Sea (shimmering rich turquoise)
– Your Voice (glistening silver pearl)
– Unfortunate Souls (matte lavender grey)
– Atlantica (shimmering sea foam green)
– Fins (glittery mermaid green)
– Sick Of Swimmin’ (shimmering opalescent)
– Ursula (pearly purple)
– Sha La La La (matte dark fuchsia)
– Triton (shimmering gold)
– Wanderin’ Free (shimmering pink champagne)
– Jetsam (deep teal with dark iridescent glitter)
– Sea Witch (pearly violet)
– Treasure Untold (opalescent pale pink)

The Storylook Palette ($55) is currently the only part of the collection available for sale and can only be purchased online. The rest of Ariel’s collection will slowly be emerging online this month and will hit stores around August.

I really want this! But I just spent a small fortune this weekend! It looks SO pretty. But I do have a lot of palettes. It looks very versatile. But I probably wouldn’t wear the bold, jewel-tone shades. It just looks so stinkin gorgeous and summery. But I don’t really need it (especially for $55). Gahhhh! What to do, what to do…

What do you think of Ariel’s Storylook palette – purchase or pass? What part of her collection are you most looking forward to? (I can’t wait to get my hands on the mirror and I don’t even know what it looks like yet!)

My 1st Glam Bag! Ipsy May 2013 (Spring Fling) Bag

As a beauty junkie, I have been eyeballing subscription beauty boxes and bags for months now. For those of you unfamiliar with the subscription bit – you sign up for a monthly or yearly service and pay a set price per month; in return, a company sends you a random mix of beauty products, usually with some kind of theme behind the blend of products. It’s a great way to try a variety of beauty products for a fraction of the price.After going back and forth (Do I need it? No. Do I want it? Yes. Will it save me some money instead of me shopping for new products? Probably. Is it worth the money? For me, probably. …and so on) and doing my research, I finally decided at the end of last month to subscribe to Ipsy. I chose Ipsy because they send a lot of full or deluxe sized products as opposed to sample sizes, it’s only about $9 a month (for a year subscription), and they feature great beauty brands.

My first bag came in the mail today! I was so excited to come home to this little pink beauty waiting for me at the front door –

Ipsy May 2013

This month’s theme is Spring Fling. There were a number of different products that you could receive, and Ipsy has been releasing teaser Sneak Peeks the past few weeks. The company chooses which of the products to send you based off of a beauty and lifestyle survey that you take when you sign up for the site. The Spring Fling bag is a cute little nylon chevron-print and, man, do they pack the products in there! Here is a good look at the bag and a quick peek at the products I received –

Ipsy May 2013

Ipsy May 2013

Ipsy May 2013

Ipsy May 2013

The bag itself is growing on me. It felt a little chinsy at first because it’s thin nylon, but I actually like the material. I think that this will make a nice little bag to toss some odds and ends in for my beach bag. It’s got a nice zipper closure, is easily wipeable, and has a cute print. I’d value it at a couple bucks maybe? I’m going to go with $5, although my hubby says that’s lowballing it.

The first item I pulled out was the Island Vanilla Perfume Rollerball by Pacifica. Pacifica describes the fragrance as – “Inspired by the unique magic of Tahitian vanilla, this sensual blend sets sweet and sultry vanilla absolute, with honey-jasmine notes and a touch of fruitiness, against a deep and beautiful base of tea.” This is certainly a unique summer fragrance. It’s sweet but deep, a little floral but with a strong vanilla note. My favorite thing about the fragrance may not be the scent though – the perfume is vegan, cruelty free, made without junk ingredients like parabens or phthalates, and a portion of the proceeds support clean water. You can smell pretty and support a good company – score! The Rollerball retails for $12/.33 oz.

Ipsy May 2013

Rollerball

Rollerball

Next I pulled out another Pacifica treat, a 2oz. Coconut Crushed Pearl luminizing body butter. Pacifica’s site says “Shimmer and glow from the inside out with our Luminizing Body Butter.  A little goes a long way with this generously sized, multi-tasking product that brings you healthy moisture and instantly illuminates skin with just-right shimmer.  Ultra-nourishing phytonutrients and natural powerhouse ingredients like coconut, argan oil and tamanu, hydrate and make skin healthier and younger-acting long term.” A little does go a very long way with this lotion and the luminizing shimmer is nice and subtle. This will be a really nice lotion to use during the summer to make my summer tan look more glowy. The scent is okay. At first it smelled a little too synthetic-coconut for me, but once it started to wear away it became more sweet and wearable in my book. Like the rollerball, this body butter is vegan, contains great ingredients, and a portion of the proceeds support clean water. This 2oz. body butter retails for $7.

Ipsy May 2013

Smeared on left, blended into skin on right

Smeared on left, blended into skin on right

The next product out of the bag was a full-sized Zoya polish from the Spring Lovely collection. I had my fingers crossed that I didn’t get Blu, which I already own and swatched! As it turns out, I got Julie, a “soft wisteria” lavender purple with shimmer in it. According to Zoya, Julie is a metallic shade. I only swatched Julie on paper for now (regular swatch post to come), but it looks like a lovely, soft, feminine polish shade. I don’t have many purples and I think I’ll like this one. My brush was a little wonky (see below), but looked okay once I ripped out the weird bristle. Zoya is Big 5 Free and retails for $8.

Whoa brush, calm down

Whoa brush, calm down

Ipsy May 2013Ipsy May 2013

There were a couple different lip products that went out in the May bags to subscribers, some the same product but in different shades. I received a Juice Beauty Reflecting Gloss in Fig, a rosy bronze shimmer. Juice’s Reflecting Gloss is made with all organic ingredients like healing sesame seed oil and a large number of antioxidant-rich ingredients, designed to nourish your lips while providing color and high shine. I loved that this gloss was slick and not sticky, gave the perfect amount of color, and made my lips feel taken care of. And it smells good, which is always a plus! I wasn’t big on the color at first, but I actually think it will look really nice when I have more of a tan (I’m a tad pale at the moment). I still kind of wish I had gotten the pink, but that’s okay! This gloss on the site is listed as $15/0.28oz, but the one in my bag looks a little different in terms of the tube and is marked on the bottom as 0.14oz. As it’s half the size of the listed gloss, I’m pricing it at $7.50.

Ipsy May 2013

Ipsy May 2013

Fig

Fig

Bare lips

Bare lips

Wearing Juice Beauty Reflecting Gloss in Fig

Wearing Juice Beauty Reflecting Gloss in Fig

Last but not least, I received a full-sized Yaby concealer refill in cc008 buff. This is an itty-bitty concealer at 3.5 grams – I thought it was a sample size until I got on the Yaby site to check out pricing. Ipsy used my user profile to color match me and got my shade spot on  🙂  I just swiped my finger through the pan, but the concealer feels creamy without being so soft that I fear it will settle into fine lines or crease. Swatched against my forearm, it appeared to give good coverage and didn’t pull much for a pan concealer. The concealer is vegan and comes in a wide range of shades, including correction shades (yellows, greens, etc).  This Yaby concealer retails for $4.85/3.5grams.

Ipsy May 2013

Swatched below watermark, indoor w/ flash

Swatched below watermark, indoor w/ flash

Swatched below watermark, natural low light

Swatched below watermark, natural low light

I signed up for the discounted yearly subscription (vs. paying month by month), so this bag cost me $9.16. The total value of this month’s bag comes to $44.35 (with what I estimated the bag itself at). What a fantastic deal!

I’m really happy with my first Ipsy bag. It came with brands I’ve never tried before and probably would not have otherwise, is a great value, and I love that it contained so many vegan/cruelty-free products. My only gripe is that I’m very impatient and wish the bags came sooner in the month. Also, I really was hoping to get the St. Tropez – I like everything I did get though! I can’t wait to see what next month’s bag brings   🙂

(Sorry that was a novel. Go rest your eyes now.)

Wet n’ Wild Color Icon Blush in Heather Silk – Swatches & Review

Way back in January I reviewed one of my basic beauty steals, Wet n’ Wild Color Icon Blush in Pearlescent Pink. The cheap blush is a wearable, lovely pink that can be compared to Nars Orgasm…nice, right? 🙂  This past month, I happened upon a $1 off coupon for a Wet n’ Wild product and decided to pick up another blush because it would only be $2 after the coupon. Yes, $2. How could I pass that up? Blush lasts me forever, so there was no point in getting another Pearlescent Pink. I decided to branch out and try Heather Silk (832E).

Wet n' Wild Heather Silk

Wet n' Wild Heather Silk

Wet n' Wild Heather Silk

Heather Silk is a warm, matte rosy pink blush. Each photo is finger-swatched on the left and brush-blended on the right with just one pass of color. Yes, just one pass – this is a very pigmented blush!

Natural light

Indoor w/ flash

Indoor w/ flash

Natural lighting

Indoor w/o flash

Indoor w/o flash

The pros:

  1. Heather Silk is a beautiful medium pink blush. I think this would look especially pretty on tanned, summer skin or darker skin tones.
  2. It’s soft and blends pretty well.
  3. You don’t need to use much, so this will last you forever – you’ll probably have to toss it for makeup-hygiene reasons before you hit the pan.
  4. Quality texture and pigmentation for a cheap price – my wallet and my face are happy with this one! Unless you like to avoid talc, in which case your face  might not be happy.

The cons:

  1. A little goes a long way with this blush, so just watch how much you put on your brush. This blush is darker than Pearlescent Pink, which means it can look a bit clown-ish if applied too heavily. I suggest starting lightly and building up color to where you’d like it – it’s easier to add more after than to take it all off and start over again because you were too heavy-handed the first time.
  2. I hate those little blusher brushes that come with it but I just use my own brush so it’s no big deal.
  3. It could just be me or my blush in particular, but Heather Silk seems a little more powdery than my Pearlescent Pink.

I really like Heather Silk, although Pearlescent Pink is still my favorite out of the two. This one doesn’t blend out quite as easily if applied too heavily, and I’m not always graceful with my blush application. You can snag this little drugstore gem for about $3.00 in most drugstores or places that carry mass beauty like Walmart or Target.

What do you think of Wet n’ Wild products? What’s your go-to blush? How was your Monday? Let me know in the comments!  🙂

Urban Decay Ammo Palette (Original) – Review & Swatches

If you can’t tell from past posts, I’m a big lover of Urban Decay. My favorite products by the brand are eye products, like shadows; for the most part, they are pigmented, smooth, and blendable. I’m still fairly new to the brand though, which means I’m missing a lot of older releases. It’s no surprise then that I occasionally raid Urban Decay’s site sale section to snag some new (but technically old) goodies.One such recent purchase is the Ammo palette. This palette was originally released a few years ago (I think), although it was rereleased in January with Urban Decay’s new eyeshadow formula. New formula = old ones get sent to sale. I don’t mind the old formula so that works for me!

The Ammo palette contains 10 of Urban Decay’s best-selling shadow shades, each in 0.03 oz. The case is sturdy cardboard with a magnetic click-shut design; inside are a mirror and dual-end, sponge-tip applicator. This palette is small but packs a lot of punch in such a small design. The new version of the Ammo palette features a different exterior/interior design, as well as a small brush instead of a sponge-tip.

Urban Decay Ammo Palette

Palette in hand

Palette in hand

Urban Decay Ammo PaletteThe ten shadows are as follows:

  1. Smog – a medium, bronzed brown with a frosted finish; excellent color payoff
  2. Mildew – a mossy, warm green with olive tones and a frosted finish; excellent color payoff
  3. Oil Slick – black with microglitter; ok color payoff – this one was needed to be built up as it was a touch sheer for my taste and blends out to a gray-black
  4. Last Call – a red-plum with a frosted finish; excellent color payoff
  5. Chopper – an orange-based copper with a frosted finish and microglitter; great color payoff
  6. Maui Wowie – a dirty, bronzy light gold with a frosted finish and gold microglitter; great color payoff
  7. Shattered – a sky blue dirtied up with a hint of teal and a frosted finish; good color payoff
  8. Polyester Bride – a creamy, frosted white with a touch of microglitter; ok color payoff
  9. Grifter – a sheer pink-lavendar with a frosted finish and silvery microglitter; needs to be built up but intended to be a sheer color wash
  10. Sin – a warm, rosy champagne with a frosted metallic finish; great color payoff

Click to enlarge for a better view of finish and text:

Natural light

Natural light

Natural light

Natural light

Indoor w/ flash

Indoor w/ flash

Indoor w/o flash

Indoor w/o flash

The pros:

  1. Most of these shades had great pigmentation and were UD’s usual smooth, blendable formula (although the older version).
  2. There are some really unique shades here but they’re mixed in with enough “everyday” shades that you can come up with a lot of versatile, wearable eye looks.
  3. The palette is small and sturdy, so you can toss it in your purse or take it on vacation without worrying about it.
  4. The pans are small, but this lets you try shades that you may not have bought a full-size of for fear of not getting your moneys worth. It will still take you a long time to hit the pan though because a little goes a long way with UD shadows!

The cons:

  1. Glitter fallout on half of these shades! I just put some tissue under my eye while I apply to catch as much as possible, but this is a usual problem with UD. That pretty microglitter? Yeah, most of it just ends up on your cheeks. Try a sticky base and patting on your shadow if you’re deadset on the glitter staying where it belongs.
  2. That sponge-tip applicator is useless! I’m not surprised that the revamped version of this palette features a tiny brush instead.
  3. Some of the shades are a tad sheer for my taste (Polyester Bride and Oil Slick, I’m lookin’ at you!).

My verdict? I don’t think I’d pay $34 for the new version of this, but I’m really glad I picked up this original version on sale for $19 (plus I got it during the family & friends sale so it was even a little less, woohoo!). There are some really fun colors in here that I can see working beautifully with shades in other Urban Decay palettes I already own. Although the shadows are the older formula, I still think they’re great – they blend, are smooth and buttery to the touch, have great color payoff, and last well throughout the day. Look at it this way – if you snag this original palette, you’re only paying $1.90 a shadow. Pretty fabulous if you ask me. Do only some of these colors call your name? Good news – each of these colors is a part of the permanent collection and can be found individually and in some other palettes. You can purchase the old or new Ammo palette on Urban Decay’s website; new palettes can be purchased at a UD store or a beauty retailer like Sephora or Ulta.