Love it or Leave it: Too Faced Shadow Insurance Glitter Glue

Hello there peeps!

For todays Love it or Leave it we are talking about the Too Faced Shadow Insurance Glitter Glue.

According to the Too Faced website, this is what it claims:

"Wandering glitters and shimmers are for amateurs. This featherweight primer is specially formulated to keep glitters, shimmers and powders in place. The hard-working formula also evens skin tone and softens fine lines. Shadows, powders and glitters glide on effortlessly, stay in place and stay intensified for 24+ hours." 

Love it or Leave it?

Definitely love it!

I used it on myself for my brother's wedding a few months ago and this was a total winner!

It works great not only for glitters but also for pigments or shimmery/glittery eye shadows. I especially love this for glitter as it is so easy to use as it has a creamy consistency, minimizes fall out during application and holds the glitter in place for as long as I need it to! A total must have for glitter lovers or anyone who loves using intense pigments or glittery/sparkly eye shadows.

How I use it:

I just use a small flat shader brush to first apply this primer to my eyelids and then use the same brush to pick up my loose glitter and apply it using patting motions.

Where to get it:

Available at all Sephora stores.


If you have any questions leave them in the comment section below or reach me at my Facebook or Twitter :)

theBalm Instain Blushes Review & Swatches

Hey there peeps!

After what feels like FOREVER, I'm back and blogging! And today I'm reviewing for you theBalm Instain Blushes :)

Packaging:
The blushes are in a cardboard compact that comes with a pretty decent sized mirror and a magnetic closure so its all pretty secure and excellent for travel! The best part is the fact that they look like little magazines! How adorable is that?!

Pigmentation and blendability:
All of these blushes are highly pigmented so a little goes a long way.  However, they can get a little tricky to blend sometimes so using the right brush is essential. I like to use a fluffy brush thats not too dense so I don't put too much on and they blend easily.

Texture and Longevity:
These blushes are smooth, non-powdery and super long lasting! I recommend you use these when you have a long lasting foundation on to avoid the clown-like appearance at the end of the day when all your face makeup has faded off but the blush is still holding on!

Houndstooth: is a mauve  with a satin finish. Perfect for fall.

Toile: is a coral  with a satin finish. Its both peachy and pink which gives a beautiful color to the cheeks.

Lace: is a bright pink with a matte finish. Gives a nice "flushed" effect to your cheeks

Photos and Swatches:

theBalm Instain Blush: Houndstooth

theBalm Instain Blush: Houndstooth 

theBalm Instain Blush: Houndstooth

theBalm Instain Blush: Toile

theBalm Instain Blush: Toile

theBalm Instain Blush: Toile

theBalm Instain Blush: Lace

theBalm Instain Blush: Lace

theBalm Instain Blush: Lace

Swatches (from left to right): theBalm Instain Blush in Houndstooth, Toile, Lace [taken outdoor in daylight]

Swatches (from left to right): theBalm Instain Blush in Houndstooth, Toile, Lace [taken indoor with flash]

Disclaimer: I swatched the blushes heavily so you can see the color of these clearly. However, this is not what will look like on your cheeks so don't be afraid, lol.

Who I would recommend these to:

I would recommend these to anyone looking for super pigmented, long lasting blushes! So that makes it especially perfect for weddings and parties, which is what I use these for. However, I wouldn't recommend these to anyone who is just starting out with makeup as using these blushes does require a bit of technique.

My favorite:

Definitely Toile! Its such a unique color and looks beautiful on :)

Where I shop theBalm:
My brother actually bought me these from www.amazon.co.uk when he was in the UK over a year ago. However you can order from their official website too: www.thebalm.com


If you have any questions leave them in the comment section below or reach me at my Facebook or Twitter :)

Whites Haul + Exciting Discovery

Hey guys!

I have another haul for you guys! It was my first time shopping at Whites Pharmacy and I totally flipped when I saw the brands there. I had never before heard about this pharmacy so I figured I should let ya'll know. Scroll down for more pictures and brands info.


1. Essence Sun Club Bronzer #01

I haven't tried this bronzer on yet, but let me tell you something. It smells like COCONUT! You can totally smell it the moment you open it. I'm so glad about this because I love coconut. I will buy everything coconut if I could.
Price: 21 sr

Essence Sun Club Bronzer #01

Essence Sun Club Bronzer #01

2. Essence Lash and Brow Gel

This is a clear gel I have used and loved and I ran out of it about a year back. I use it to set my brows when I'm not filling them in and often use it on my lashes when I'm going for a total natural look. The best part is the price. Totally recommend.
Price: 11 sr

Essence Lash and Brow Gel Mascara

3. Essie nail polish in:

Mint Candy Apple
This is like the most hyped about color from Essie. Its a beautiful mint color which goes on super opaque, and dries fairly quickly. Favorite.color.ever.
Price: 40 sr

Marshmallow
Its a beautiful subtle white. Its a little sheer and you'd probably need a good two coats at least to get it to be opaque. White nail polish is all the hype right now in the fashion world and I totally get it because it gives such a clean, modern and sophisticated look. Totally in love!
Price: 40 sr

On the top: Essie Nail Polish in Marshmallow
On the bottom: Essie Nail Polish in Mint Candy Apple

5. EOS lip balm in sweet mint

It feels like a regular lip balm with super cute packaging. It has a strong mint smell and flavor and feels cooling on the lips. The thing I find special about this is that unlike most lip balms that can give a greasy feel, this isn't greasy at all. I think its pretty ideal for using before applying your lipstick as it gets soaked in pretty fast.
Price: 35 sr

EOS Sweet Mint Lip Balm

EOS Sweet Mint Lip Balm

Where can I find Whites Pharmacy in Jeddah?

In Salaam Mall, opposite to Danube.

Makeup brands Available in Whites:

Okay, so by now you probably already know that Whites carry Essie nail polishes. I believe this is the full range and I'm so absolutely stoked about it! They also carry Essence, Incoco, Real Techniques, Ardell Lashes, Kiss Lashes, EOS lip balms- all of which I have never before seen anywhere in Jeddah. They also carry some awesome skincare brands which I'm excited to try out next time.

Other than these, they also carry Loreal, Revlon and Maybelline, which you also get in tons of other places too.

                                                 

Essie Nail Polishes at Whites

Essie Nail Polishes at Whites

Incoco Nail Strips at Whites

Real Techniques at Whites

Real Techniques at Whites

Ardell Lashes at Whites

Different lash brands available at Whites

Greenland skincare products

So thats it for my haul. 

If you have any questions leave them in the comment section below or reach me at my Facebook or Twitter :)

MAC Pro Longwear Concealer Review & Swatches

Hey guys!
Today I will be reviewing the MAC pro longwear concealer for ya'll. I hope you find it helpful :)

Packaging:
Its sort of a glass bottle with a pump. Although, I'd say one pump gives a LOT of product, and its kinda hard to do a half pump, so I usually end up wasting a little bit of the product every time cos I don't really need it. I think MAC can definitely work on that pump a bit more.

Application:
Its a liquid concealer so its very smooth to apply. It dries nicely after applying so you know its really set in place, although if you are someone with more wrinkles or crease lines or someone with oilier skin, I do recommend you set it with a good undereye powder. 

Coverage:
Coverage wise I'd say its almost full coverage. Although you can easily sheer it out a little if you apply using a damp beauty blender. You can see in the pictures below how pigmented this concealer is!

Longevity:
This is the best part. It is so long wearing its crazy, at least for me. Once I went out to a party and after coming home I slept with my makeup on. When I woke up in the morning my concealer still looked so fresh! It holds extremely well under moisture too!

Final thoughts:
I have loved this concealer since the first time I bought it last August! I finished one bottle and a month back bought another one so I'd say one bottle would last you a long time since a little goes a LONG way! This works excellently on blemishes, and even better under your eyes as it does not crease or settle in lines. It doesn't matter what you apply it with, I've used it with a brush, beauty blender and even my fingers and it does the magic each time! Excellent for parties, brides and even in the summers.

Who might not like it:
People with extremely dry under eyes or anyone who doesn't have any under eye bags to begin with can find it unnecessarily heavy.

Quick tips:
Apply with
*a damp beauty blender for lighter/thinner coverage.
*brush for heavier coverage/ on blemishes etc.
*fingers for a more natural and blended finish.

Price:
Around 100-120 sr (I believe it was 105 sr)

Where I shop MAC at:
Red Sea Mall

Pictures and swatches:

MAC Pro Longwear Concealer

MAC Pro Longwear Concealer

I use the shade NC20

MAC Pro Longwear Concealer Swatches

If you have any questions leave them in the comment section below or reach me at my Facebook or Twitter:)

Sephora Lipstick Haul: First Impressions & Swatches

Heyy there :)

I've been to sephora twice this past month and picked up three lip products. Two of them I picked up at a 20% off (exclusive for VIB members) which was suuchh a steal!

There'll be swatches at the end so stick around :)

1. Sephora Glossy Lip Pencil - #05 Glossy Pale Pink

Its a warm glossy pink perfect for everyday! Also the fact that its crayon style makes it so easy to use. However, its a bit on the sheer side and so the lasting power isn't that great.

2. Sephora Lipstick #08

This is actually a repurchase since I gave the last one to my sister several months ago. I have loved this for long and let me just start off by telling that this is one of the most long wearing formulas I've ever tried. Even soap and water has nothing on this! Its a beautiful muted pink with slightly mauve undertones and a completely matte finish. I love wearing this with grey smokey eyes.

3. Sephora Cream Lip Stain #01

This is also one of the most long lasting lipsticks I have! Its a warm tone, almost like a chilly red which you can't go wrong with. Its goes on like a cream/liquid at first and dries completely matte, and will not budge unless you have ridiculously oily food. One of my faves!

Here are swatches. 

From top to bottom- Sephora cream lip stain #01, Sephora matte lipstick #08, Sephora glossy lip pencil #05

On the 25th of June Sephora held this Beauty Invite thing for which VIB's got an invitation beforehand, although it was open to all. It was a really fun event with snacks like mini sandwiches, macarons, drinks and even a mascot which was the most funniest thing to me (imagine a huge mascot in a makeup store, that too with a ghutra haha. Ghutra is a scarf like thing arab men wear on their heads, I'm sorry I'm just awful at explaining.)

Also, they had free gifts for VIB's which was so awesome and I thought I'd share this with you guys.

If you shop and sephora often and don't have a VIB card yet then I'd definitely recommend you apply for it! Definitely worth it because you get to know about the latest brand releases, exclusive discounts, free gifts, beauty events and pretty cool stuff like that.

Click the link below to learn how you can get the VIB card:

http://www.sephora-me.com/card-program/pid32.html

Goodie bag I got at the beauty invite

So thats it for my haul and first impressions! Don't forget to leave me your feedback :)

Where I shop Sephora at:

Andalus Mall

Salaam Mall

Red Sea Mall

Mall of Arabia

If you have any questions leave them in the comment section below or reach me at my Facebook or Twitter :)

Marc Jacobs Beauty Has Arrived!

Helloo errbody!

I just got this email from Sephora yesterday and really wanted to share this exciting news with ya'll!

Marc Jacobs is now in KSA!

I can't wait to check it out :D

What brand to you wanna see here next? I really want to see Laura Mercier, NARS, Stila here.

Updates like these will be up much quicker on my Facebook and Twitter Page so don't forget to check them out!

My Current Favorite Nude Lipstick (Givenchy Beige Mousseline Le Rouge Lipstick Review)

Hey loves!

I was in the makeup section in Harrods (London) strolling around when I came across the Givenchy counter. Naturally, I wouldn't buy anything from there because you get Givenchy in Jeddah too, and its probably a better idea to spend on something I would have trouble getting elsewhere. But I knew I had this one lipstick on my wishlist from the time I laid my eyes upon it on Temptalia, and I couldn't resist. It was-

The Givenchy Beige Mousseline Le Rouge Lipstick. 

So starting off, the packaging is just beautiful! It feels very luxurious and is a little bit heavier than most of my lipsticks, which is exactly what I expect from a lipstick I'm paying 22 pounds for! Oh, and the guy at the counter told me that the packaging has real leather, so cool right?

The color is a beautiful light-beige with warm undertones- which is a perfect nude for my skin tone (I'm an NC20 in MAC, and I think it'd definitely work well for someone who is NC25ish too).

The lipstick gives a satin finish, wears well for 3-4 hours and almost feels hydrating!

Here are photos and swatch of the lipstick in day light:

How I feel about this lipstick:

Well honestly I've fallen completely in love. For long I was on a hunt for a more beige toned nude that'd be perfect for my skin tone and now I really feel like this is it. What I love even more about it more than the color is the texture. The finish it gives makes my lips look more fuller, smoother and just everything good. I'm definitely looking forward to buying more from their line :)

Where can I shop Givenchy in Jeddah?

Paris Gallery in Andalus Mall, Red Sea Mall
Sephora in Andalus Mall, Salam Mall, Red Sea Mall, Mall of Arabia
VaVaVoom in Andalus Mall
Faces in Al-Salam Mall, Red Sea Mall

Disclaimer:
When it comes to finding the perfect nude, what works for me may or may not work for you. I will really recommend you swatch and check this color out for yourself at the store if you are interested, just to be sure that it complements your skin tone and is the finish you like. I would hate to spend money on something I end up not liking. Especially if its a higher-end product.

Comment down below if you have ever tried any of the lipsticks from Givenchy, or if you are planning to :)

Feel free to ask any questions, just comment down below. Or you can always find me on Facebook or Twitter or email me :)

I'm on Bloglovin'!

I finally signed up on Bloglovin' and thought I'd let ya'll know :D

Are you on Bloglovin'?
If so,
Click here to be re-directed to my page :)

Oh, and I have a new post coming up so stay tuned

Until then don't forget to follow me on my Facebook page or my personal Twitter account to be updated when the post is up!

Urban Decay Naked 3 Palette Review & Swatches

Hey there :)

If you read my last post- the UK Makeup Haul, you probably saw this coming!

I still remember when I first heard about the release of the Naked 3 palette how excited I got. Later, when I saw its pictures I was kinda bummed. To me it looked like pretty much the same thing as the Naked 2 palette. But, when I saw in depth swatches on Temptalia's website I realized this IS very different from both the previous editions. So I decided to get it and here's my review!

Urban Decay Naked 3 palette

Urban Decay Naked 3 palette

This palette consist of 12 eyeshadows and they have a beautiful rosey-tone to them. This is what sets them apart from the previous two editions of the Naked palette. It also comes with an awesome dual ended brush with a flat shader on one end for packing on eyeshadow and a fluffier one on the other end to help with blending.

Packaging:

The packaging feels just like the Naked 2. And even though it feels so sturdy and luxurious I really dislike that. Quick sad story: I used, abused and dropped my original Naked palette several times and it still held up so well. But all my Naked 2 needed was one drop, and BAM! It shattered :( Thankfully I didn't lose any of the shadows completely.
So all I can say is, all is good with the packaging just do not drop it, I repeat, do NOT drop it.

Pigmentation:

I'd say that all of the eyeshadows are beautifully pigmented (urban decay eyeshadows almost never disappoint).
Except trick.
Trick was indeed a tricky eyeshadow. When I first got the palette I was disappointed with its intensity but after using it a couple times, that is after a little bit of the top layer of the eyeshadow got used up I could really start to see more intensity in the color. I guess its one of those eyeshadows who take a little longer to bloom into their color than the rest :P

Texture:

Texture wise, I was put off by some shades particularly with Dust and Trick as they do tend to give a lot of fall out on application so you have to make sure you do your eye makeup before your face makeup to avoid having eyeshadow all over your face makeup. This was very sad for me because these were the shades I was most excited about and it let me down in this category.
However all the other eyeshadows in the palette are beautifully smooth and don't cause much trouble.

My favorites:

So far I'm loving Dust (when I use it wet or with Fix+ from MAC), Nooner, Liar and Blackheart.

ROUND UP:

I really like this palette because of its rosey-tones. The only trouble-some eyeshadows were Dust and Trick but they go on absolutely beautiful if you spray some Fix+ from Mac on the brush and then apply the eyeshadow to the lid. These are nicely pigmented and last very long especially with a good base underneath (you can use a concealer that doesn't crease, or I recommend you use them with the 

Urban Decay Primer Potion).

SWATCHES:

CLOSE UP: Strange, Dust, Burnout, Limit, Buzz, Trick

SWATCHES: Strange, Dust, Burnout, Limit, Buzz, Trick

CLOSE UP: Nooner, Liar, Factory, Mugshot, Darkside, Blackheart

SWATCHES: Nooner, Liar, Factory, Mugshot, Darkside, Blackheart

Which Naked Palette is for you?
If you are someone who likes rosey-tone eyeshadows this palette is for you. However, if you are someone who leans more towards warmer, bronzey- tones then I recommend you check out the original Naked palette. And if you like taupey, cooler- tones then I recommend you the Naked 2 palette.

Do I have a favorite?
Yes I totally do! Nothing can beat the original Naked palette!
I wore it SO often throughout 2012 and 2013 that now I put it away so I can use my other palettes :)


So that's it for my review. I hope you found this helpful. If you've any questions feel free to post on my Facebook or in the comments section below.

Where can I shop urban decay?
Sadly it is not available in jeddah but you can easily shop for it online :) I recommend Debenhams: http://www.debenhams.com/beauty/urban-decay

Comment down and let me know below which naked palette is your favorite if you have any, or which one is in your wish list :)