Virtual Domination Cheek Palette by NARS

HI FRIENDS! I AM BACK!!

I know I haven't been posting as much as lately. I was back home in the States and I didn't spend one minute blogging (minus the small update I did in my last post). At first, I felt a little guilty about it and thought that I should have put some effort into my blog, but I realized that the break was good and I am happy I spent every minute that I could with my family and friends. But I am back in France now and am ready to go with several blog ideas as well as getting more YouTube videos up! Stay tuned :)

I wanted to do a post on the NARS Virtual Domination Cheek Palette. I got this for Christmas and I have pretty much known since my first couple of uses that I wanted to do a blog post on it. The reason why I knew I wanted to blog about it: There was SO much buzz about it before the holidays when it was released and everyone was raving about it.... but honestly, I am not as impressed. (SORRY if you love this palette!)

Do I think that this is an absolutely terrible palette? No. I still use it but I am just not as excited for it as I thought I would be after hearing everyone rave about it.

I thought that since this palette is Limited Edition, that NARS was just going to offer for the holidays. But it is still available so I thought that I would give you my thoughts on it in case any of you are considering purchasing it.

Virtual Domination Cheek Palette by NARS

Virtual Domination Cheek Palette by NARS

This palette retails for $65 and you are getting one highlighter, one bronzer and three blushes. The blushes you are getting are: Deep Throat, Sex Fantasy and Final Cut. Each blush is .15oz which is slightly smaller than a normal, full size NARS blush of .16oz. The highlighter: Miss Liberty. Again it is .15oz vs. the normal size of .16oz. And the bronzer is the ever-so-famous Laguna. In this palette, you are actually getting .35oz of Laguna vs the normal .28oz. So the value of this palette is amazing and that is the main reason I purchased it. (One blush/highlighter retails for $30 and Laguna retails for $39) But I wish I would have actually played around with the palette and swatched it before purchasing it from the Sephora website. 

Virtual Domination Cheek Palette by NARS

Highlighter: Miss Liberty - My first issue with the palette is the highlighter. Miss Liberty is just straight up glitter and sparkle. It doesn't even really give off a pretty sheen underneath the sparkle as a pretty base - it basically just looks like you took some glitter and smeared it on your face. I could tell immediately by looking at it in the palette that it was way too sparkly for me. But I decided I would give it a try anyways. And this is how I really know it was bad: My husband made a comment about how glittery it was. He knows NOTHING about makeup and he even noticed how bad it was. That was the first and last time I will wear Miss Liberty.

Blushes: Deep Throat, Sex Fantasy, Final Cut - The blushes for me are just so-so. I could take them or leave them. I don't think they are ugly or anything but I am a blush fanatic and these blushes just do not wow me. These blushes are something that I force myself to wear from time to time rather than being something I am excited about wearing. I think they are pretty but nothing overly gorgeous (I take my blushes very seriously, girls!). Deep Throat is probably the one I like best out of the blushes. It is a pretty corally-pink blush. It reminds me a lot of Orgasm by NARS as it is similar in color and has a shimmer to it as well. Sex Fantasy is a cool toned pinky-lavender. It is matte and I do feel like I have to kind of build up the pigmentation. Final Cut is a peachy-orange and is matte. I like peachy-corally blushes but this might be too much on the orange side for me and have to use a little bit of a lighter hand when applying.

Bronzer: Laguna - The bronzer is what saves this palette for me. This is a very popular bronzer from NARS and I had never tried it before purchasing this palette and I was not let down. I think it is a gorgeous bronzer. It does have a slight shimmer/sheen and I typically prefer matte bronzers, but I actually really don't mind the sheen in Laguna. It doesn't give an overwhelming shimmer off whatsoever when applied. It just gives you the perfect sun-kissed glow. I am happy that Laguna has the most product in this palette as it will definitely be the one that I will use the most.

Swatches in Natural Light

Swatches with camera flash
(You can see the sparkle better in Miss Liberty in this picture)

I think the quality of this palette definitely meets the high quality of any typical NARS product. And I really do love NARS products in general! I think I just would have rather invested my money in buying a bronzer and a blush separately. I think I would have gotten more use out of buying Laguna and then finding a blush that I was absolutely in love with. I know it would be less product than what I am getting in the palette, but at least then I know I would be constantly using the separate bronzer and blush instead of letting the palette sit there without days/weeks of use like I have been. 

I know that a lot of girls really love this palette so if you are considering getting it, you might love it as well! I just wanted to give my honest opinion on it in case you are like me and would rather invest your money in a couple of products that you know you will get more use out of. 

Hope this helps!

XOXO Kayla

2014 Beauty Favorites: Eyes

Hey Pretties! Hope your week is going well! Only one week until CHRISTMAS!!!!!! Can you tell I have been excited all month long? :)

This next post is my favorite eye products from 2014. The majority of these products I have been using for the whole year and have consistently stayed my favorite all year long. I have loved them for a while now and I wouldn't be surprised if they made my favorites next year as well! We will have to see :)

PALETTES:

Every palette that I own, I adore. I love eyeshadow palettes and prefer them over single shadows. I just like how I have everything in one spot and knowing I have several shades that will go well together. Even though I could list all of my palettes as my favorites, these would have to be my top three. And if you are looking for any last minute Christmas gifts for a sister, friend, cousin etc... these palettes would be great for anyone!

• Chocolate Bar Palette by Too Faced - This is my all time, number one, nothing can beat it palette! I absolutely LOVE this palette! It is the perfect palette as it has shadows that are matte, shimmery, sparkly, neutral, bold... it just has everything you need! The shadows blend amazingly and are so easy to work with. The colors are gorgeous and the palette smells like a cup of hot chocolate. YUMMM! And I am like a little kid in a candy store this past week since the new Semi-Sweet palette came out! Girl, you already know I ordered it and I can't wait to get it!!!

Chocolate Bar Palette by Too Faced

• Naked 3 by Urban Decay - I love this palette because it is so feminine and girly. It is gorgeous! I love all the pinky, rosy colors! You can do something light and flirty or you can do something more sultry and sexy. I just think this is the ultimate palette for a girly-girl! Urban Decay's shadows are amazing quality. The shadows are so blendable and have so much pigmentation. If you love makeup, this is a must-have!

Naked 3 by Urban Decay

• Pro Palette by Lorac - I love the Pro Palette because it has as many matte shadows as it does shimmery/sparkly shadows. In most palettes, there are only usually 2 or 3 matte shadows. This palette has 8! I usually always use a matte shadow for my crease/transition color so I like that with this palette, I have more matte shadows to choose from. The Pro Palette has an amazing range of shadow choices and the shadows feel so silky and smooth. This is a great staple palette to have in your collection!

Pro Palette by Lorac

PRIMERS:

I think that there are a lot primers out there that work great. A lot of them do their typical job of what they are supposed to do - prevent creasing, help the longevity of the shadow and make the pigment pop. But these are the two that I constantly use and think that they are the best!

• Shadow Insurance in Candlelight by Too Faced - I have used this primer for several years now and it has become a staple for me. I do own the regular Shadow Insurance version but I prefer the Candlelight one. I like that it creates a really soft shimmer (the original version has no shimmer). It is so subtle and pretty and I think it really helps the shadows stand out a little bit more - almost in a glow-like way! This is the primer that sold me on eyeshadow primers. I never knew how amazing your eyeshadow could look with a primer - no creasing, lasts so much longer and the colors look so much more pigmented! This is definitely my go-to for higher end primers and I absolutely love it! 

• Eyelid Primer by e.l.f. - I discovered this primer a few months ago. Not only is it a great primer but the most amazing part about it is that it is only $1! Yes, only ONE DOLLAR!!! Go ahead and splurge on something you have been wanting and pick this up for next to nothing! And don't let the cheap price fool you! It works great and I am constantly going back and forth between this one and my Too Faced one. I notice it works just as good as my higher end primer and I am still amazed how cheap it is for such a great product!

Eyelid Primer by e.l.f.
Shadow Insurance in Candlelight by Too Faced

MASCARA:

If you have been following me for a while, you know it is hard for me to find a mascara that I truly love. Over the past several months of blogging, I have sampled some mascaras that have started to impress me. I have narrowed down my "likes" into the top two that I am truly loving and I think these are the best out there!

• Le Volume de Chanel by CHANEL - This has been my most favorite mascara I have tried all year. It makes my lashes look truly amazing! I have really short, stubby, fine lashes and this mascara makes me look like I have long, voluminous lashes! The formula isn't messy and it is super black! It only takes a few swipes and my lashes are looking so long and voluminous! It really is amazing! For a luxury brand, I feel like the $30 price tag for this mascara is definitely worth it! This sample has lasted me quite a while and I am most definitely going to purchase a full size when I run out! 

• Hypnose Drama by Lancome - Although Le Volume De Chanel has been my favorite mascara this year, Hypnose Drama is my second favorite. I just got this sample probably about a month ago but I have been really loving it. Like the CHANEL mascara, this is not messy at all. I absolutely hate thick, clumpy mascaras! I feel like it doesn't give me as much volume as Le Volume de Chanel but it definitely is comparable on the length I get with this mascara. I just like how clean this formula is and I like using this to apply a good base coat when wearing false lashes. It helps them blend easily into to the false lashes as they won't be clumpy. I am happy to have finally found some great mascaras that are working for me :)

Le Volume De Chanel by CHANEL
Hypnose Drama by Lancome

EYELINER:

90% of the time, I am wearing gel liner. I only use this same gel liner and rarely ever wear any other type of liner. I do not care for liquid eyeliner whatsoever. And if I by chance happen to wear anything other than my beloved gel liner, it will be the pencil eyeliner I mention below. And the best part is: they are both drugstore items!!

• Eye Studio Gel Liner in Blackest Black by Maybelline - When I started to experiment with gel liners, I was a little intimidated. But I quickly learned that applying gel liner is actually much easier than I thought! Once you practice a few times, you will get the hang of it easily! After trying out gel liners, I said goodbye to liquid! What I love about this gel liner from Maybelline is that it is so creamy and so pigmented. It just glides right on and makes your shadows POP! This liner stays put and I never have to worry about it smudging or feeling like it needs to be touched up. I love this gel liner and will forever continue to repurchase it!

• Silkissime Eyeliner in Black by L'Oreal - If I don't feel like taking the time do to gel liner, I will just quickly pop this liner on. It glides on so easily and effortlessly and that is what I love about it! But it is also so pigmented as well... and I love that even more! It will be just as bold as my gel liner and it will never smudge or wear away. I know that it is going to stay put and won't fade away throughout long day. This is the best pencil liner I have tried from the drugstore and if you use pencil liners, you should check this one out!

Silkissime Eyeliner by L'Oreal
Eye Studio Gel Liner by Maybelline

LASHES:

These are the two lash products I swear by. I haven't found anything better than these two, nor do I want to! They are awesome products and both so affordable!

• Sweet Romance by House of Lashes - If I ever could dream up a pair of perfect lashes, these would be it. I love these lashes and they are the only ones that I wear! I don't like wearing lashes that are too over the top. I don't want people to look at me and think "Those are the most obvious fake lashes I have ever seen in my life!" These lashes are perfect because they are SO natural looking but add just like right amount of length and volume. I get asked "What do you use to make your lashes look like that?" and girls are amazed when I tell them they are false lashes. They tell me they look so natural and that is exactly what I am going for! If you love false, natural-looking lashes you must try these out. And if you are a girl who is just getting into false lashes, I HIGHLY recommend these! It is amazing what a little bit of extra OOMPH to your lashes can do to make your eyes look even more amazing!

• Lash Grip Eyelash Adhesive by Ardell - I mentioned a while back that I have a love-hate relationship with this eyelash glue. It works AMAZING but it smells AWFUL! I never have to worry about my false lashes coming undone with this lash glue. They will make the lashes stay in place all day long with no worries about the corners coming off. But the smell of the glue is atrocious! It legit smells like manure mixed in chemicals. I know, I'm sorry that's disgusting. But it is so bad! I tried finding another glue but it did not work whatsoever. I have decided to just bear the smell when it comes out of the tube and once it dries you can't even smell it. If you can handle a couple of minutes of a very unpleasant smell, the result of not having to worry about lashes falling off is well worth it :o) 

Lash Grip by Ardell
Sweet Romance lashes by House of Lashes

BROWS:

• Brow Wiz by Anastasia Beverly Hills - I LOVE BROWS! This is the one and only brow product I use. And in my humble opinion, nothing out there is better than the Brow Wiz! There are so many color/shade choices offered for the Brow Wiz (I use "Taupe/formerly Ash Blonde") and the extra fine tip is perfect for filling in every sparse spot in your brows. Having shaped, filled in brows is SO important! It really defines your face and brings everything together when doing your makeup. If you don't fill in your brows, I suggest just giving it a try! What is awesome about the Brow Wiz is that it gives you perfect brows, yet it is so natural looking! I never filled in my brows before using this product and once I tried it out, I was hooked! It is amazing what having great brows can do for you!

Brow Wiz by Anastasia Beverly Hills

OK... That was a long post! :o)  Hope you got some good ideas and recommendations if you are in the market for some new eye products!

Have a wonderful weekend, loves!

xoxo Kayla