Product Review -- Too Faced Just Peachy Mattes Velvet Matte Eyeshadow Palette

I've been a big fan of Too Faced's matte eyeshadow formula for years -- all the way back to their original matte shadow palette in the little square box that I believe has long since been discontinued.

The Natural Matte Eye Shadow Collection, which is still available, is another favorite of mine, though, so I'm pretty much always willing to give a Too Faced matte palette a try.

Especially when it's part of the Sweet Peach collection.

I am such as sucker for peach makeup products.

So I knew that I had to have the Too Faced Just Peachy Mattes Velvet Matte Eyeshadow Palette from the first moment I saw a photo of it on Instagram.

Product Review -- NYX Lid Lingerie Shadow Palette

I am a pretty big fan of the NYX Lip Lingerie Liquid Lipsticks.

They're one of the more comfortable liquid lipstick formulas that I've tried, and I like the shade range features a bunch of nudes that suit pretty much every skin tone.

So when I saw that NYX had come out with a powder eyeshadow palette inspired by the Lip Lingerie Lipsticks, Lid Lingerie, I had to give it a try.

Product 411 -- Juvia's Place Nubian 2 and Masquerade Eye Shadow Palettes

Several months back, I reviewed the Nubian Eye Shadow Palette from Juvia's Place.

I absolutely love that palette, which contains richly pigmented, creamy shadows in warm, natural tones like copper, rust, and bronze, and I've been meaning to pick up some of the brand's other palettes for a while.

When Juvia's Place was on Haute Look recently, I couldn't resist picking up the Nubian 2 and Masquerade Palettes.

I'm not going to do full-fledged review of these palettes because the shadow formula is exactly the same in these as the shadows in the original Nubian Palette -- which is to say, absolutely, completely amazing -- but I thought it might be helpful to show some swatches of the shadows in case you've been thinking about picking up either or both of the palettes.

Product 411: Maybelline Color Sensational Inti-Matte Nudes Lipsticks

I am a big fan of the Maybelline Color Sensational Creamy Matte Lipsticks.

Hands down, they are one of the most comfortable matte lipsticks I've ever worn and they're pretty budget-friendly so it's a win across the board.

I am also a pretty big fan of nude lipsticks, particularly since the term "nude" has gotten much broader over the past few years.

It used to be that nude lipstick meant ultra pale, concealer-like shades that definitely don't work for all skin tones. Fortunately, makeup brands have come to realize that "nude" doesn't mean the same thing for every person so it's a good idea to have a wider range of shades.

Personally, I don't stick to shades that are just "nude" for my particular skin tone -- I like wearing the different tones, even if they're a little dark, because they all tend to be fairly natural looking.

All that said, I was really excited to hear that Maybelline was coming out with a line of nude matte lipsticks, appropriately named the Inti-Matte Nudes, and couldn't resist picking up a few shades.

Product Review -- The Balm Meet Matt(e) Ador Matte Eyeshadow Palette

I think I've made it pretty clear what a big fan I am of The Balm.

I have pretty much every eye shadow palette that they've ever put out (and most of their others, though I haven't picked up their contour palette yet. The shades just looked too dark for my skin tone, so I don't see myself getting much use out of it ... ) and I pick them up pretty much the second that they come out because I know that I'm always going to enjoy them.

Which is exactly what happened with the Meet Matt(e) Ador Matte Eyeshadow Palette -- I bought it as soon as it was available.

I have all of the other Meet Matt(e) Palettes that The Balm has put out and the matte shadow formula is one of my favorites, so I figured it was a safe bet that I'd like this one too.

Product Review -- Stila Matte 'N Metal Eye Shadow Palette

The last thing I probably need in my makeup collection is an eye shadow palette with soft, natural colors in an even mix of matte and metallic finishes.

Because let's face it -- I have more than enough of those to last the rest of my life.

But as soon as I saw the shades in the Stila Matte 'N Metal Eye Shadow Palette, I was kind of obsessed.

I have been a big fan of pinky or rosy brown and copper shades over the past few months, and the Matte 'N Metal Palette has plenty of those.

I also appreciate having an even amount of both matte and metallic shadows because that means I don't have to go pulling out another palette or single shadow to do a complete eye look.

So even though the palette is on the pricier side -- $49 -- I decide to pick it up.

Product Review -- Wet n Wild Megalast Liquid Catsuit Matte Lipstick

Liquid lipsticks have grown on me over the past year or so.

I used to swear them off completely because I thought they were all too drying and uncomfortable.

I've realized, though, that it comes down to the formula. There are plenty of liquid lipsticks that, while not hydrating in the least, are comfortable to wear. 

And you really can't beat the longevity of a liquid lipstick.

So I was excited to try the Wet n Wild Megalast Liquid Catsuit Matte Lipstick.

Because let's face it -- it's tough to find a liquid lipstick that costs just $4.99.

Product Review -- bareMinerals Gen Nude Matte Liquid Lipsticks

Every makeup brand seems determined to throw their hat in the matte liquid lipstick ring, and bareMinerals is no exception.

As part of the Gen Nude line, which is compromised of a wide range of nude shades to fit virtually any skin tone, bareMinerals released their Matte Liquid Lipsticks several months back.

I've been curious about the entire Gen Nude lineup, which also includes the Buttercream Lipglosses, Radiant Lipsticks, and Under Over Lipliners, so I decided to give the Matte Liquid Lipsticks a try when I saw a set of 4 full size shades on QVC.

Product Review -- Tarteist Pro Amazonian Clay Palette

It seems like Tarte has really been on a new product kick lately.

Every time I turn around, they've come out with something new, and it's starting to feel really difficult to keep up.

Still, from the moment I first laid eyes on the Tarteist Pro Amazonian Clay Palette, I knew it was going to be mine.

I'm a sucker for shadow palettes in general, I'm a sucker for warm shadows in particular, and I'm seriously in love with Tarte's metallic shadow formula, which I thought the shimmery shades in the palette might be -- so it was kind of a no-brainer.

Product Review -- Kat Von D MetalMatte Eyeshadow Palette

Over the past few years, I've tried plenty of eyeshadow palettes (and single shadows too) from Kat Von D, and much to my surprise, I've yet to be really disappointed.

In fact, in most cases, I've been seriously impressed.

If pressed to pick a favorite, I would probably say the Monarch Eyeshadow Palette from a couple of years back, though I really love my Shade + Light Eye Contour Palette too.

I really didn't think anything could top those two.

But the MetalMatte Eyeshadow Palette that's come out recently as part of the Kat Von D holiday collection may actually outclass them (even if only by a hair...).

Product Review -- Urban Decay Naked Ultimate Basics Palette

Usually at the holidays, Urban Decay puts out a new Vice Palette.

This year, they decided to do a variation on their matte Naked Basics Palettes with the Naked Ultimate Basics.

At this point, I'm nearly drowning in matte shadow palettes, but I still couldn't resist picking this one up too because the original Naked Basics Palette and the Naked Basics 2 Palette are some of my favorites.

Unlike those palettes, which contain six shadows each, the Naked Ultimate Basics features 12 shadows so if you don't own any matte shadow palettes, it's got all of your basics covered for sure.

Product Review -- Maybelline Color Sensational Loaded Bolds Lipsticks and Color Jolt Intense Lip Paint

Maybelline's Color Sensational Creamy Matte Lipsticks are some of my favorite matte lipsticks.

They're creamy and non-drying, and come in a bunch of great shades.

And they've relatively inexpensive too, so they're pretty perfect.

That's why I was really excited to try the Maybelline Color Sensational Loaded Bolds Lipsticks. 

They're a creamy matte formula too, but they're supposed to deliver high impact color in one swipe.

They come in a variety of bold colors, such as black, white, and even a gorgeous sapphire blue.

Product Review -- The Balm Meet Matt(e) Trimony Matte Eyeshadow Palette

If you've been reading this blog for a while, you probably know that I'm a big fan of The Balm.

Well, it's probably more accurate to say that I'm obsessed with the brand, actually.

It's the one company that I feel a real compulsion to collect all of their palettes.

Partly because their products almost always wow me, but also because I'm a sucker for their adorable packaging.

So when I heard that they were coming out with another Meet Matt(e) Palette, I knew I was going to buy it -- it was just a matter of time.

I held out for about a month, which, for me, is pretty amazing.

Product Review -- NYX Lip Lingerie Liquid Lipsticks

I'm always saying that I'm not a fan of matte liquid lipsticks, and yet, every time a new one comes out on the market, I find myself wanting to try it.

I'm not sure what that says about me, really.

Maybe I have a kind of love/hate relationship with liquid lipsticks.

Whatever my feelings about them may be, though, I was especially curious to try the NYX Lip Lingerie Liquid Lipsticks because I was intrigued by the idea of the line having a nude shade for everyone.

In fact, the range has 12 shades -- from super pale beige to richer brown tones -- so there probably is an option that would appeal to everyone and work with most skin tones.

Product Review -- Maybelline Color Sensational Vivid Matte Liquids

Maybelline Vivid Matte Liquids in Nude Thrill, Nude Flush, Possessed Plum (l. to r.)

You'd have to be living under a rock to not know that liquid lipsticks are just about the hottest trend in makeup these days.

More specifically, every brand and their mother seems to be coming out with matte liquid lipsticks. As I've mentioned before, this isn't really my favorite type of lip product because they tend to be so drying and uncomfortable to wear.

But that doesn't mean that I don't see the value in having some liquid lipsticks in my collection -- they definitely have staying power that traditional lipsticks or glosses don't.

So I was excited to try Maybelline's version, the Color Sensational Vivid Matte Liquids.

Product Review -- ColourPop Ultra Matte Lip Liquid Lipsticks

Note: I have to offer my apologies for disappearing again for the past couple of weeks. All of the fault lies with the holidays and various kinds of insanity related to them. But now the new year has started, I am ready to get back on a track -- and I've got a bunch of exciting new products, including some great drugstore finds, that I can't wait to share!

I'm a huge fan of ColourPop products and usually buy their new products as soon as they're available.

In recent months, though, I've fallen a little behind on their new releases, so when they had some sales around Thanksgiving and the holidays, I decided to catch up on what I'd missed.

The first product that I decided to try were the Ultra Matte Lip Liquid Lipsticks.

These lip products have been out since the summer, but I wasn't as excited about them as other people, I think.

I've mentioned before that I'm not really a fan of these types of ultra matte liquid lipsticks because the formula is usually super dry and unforgiving when it comes to any cracks or dry patches on your lips.

Review -- Tarte Tartelette 2 In Bloom Palette

I absolutely love the original Tarte Tartelette Palette.

It's an all-matte collection that features a pretty outstanding formula, so it's extremely easy to use. The shade range is somewhat cool too, which makes for a nice change because I feel like many matte palettes veer toward the warmer end of the spectrum.

All in all, I think it's a great addition to anyone's collection.

So I was really excited to hear that Tarte was coming out with another palette in the Tarlette line.

The Tartelette 2 In Bloom Palette is probably even more versatile than the original, though, because in addition to its outstanding matte formula, it features three luster shades so you can add a touch of shimmer to your look.

Product Review -- It Cosmetics Naturally Pretty Matte Vol. 2 Romantics Luxe Transforming Eyeshadow Palette

Almost two years ago, I bought the It Cosmetics Naturally Pretty Matte Vol. 1 Luxe Transforming Eyeshadow Palette and instantly fell in love.

The palette contains 14 matte shadows that boast a fabulous creamy, smooth, blendable formula and one shimmery "transforming" shade that gives you the option of changing the finish of the matte shadows if the mood strikes.

It is a completely wearable, easy-to-use, fabulous palette.

So when I heard that It Cosmetics was coming out with another palette in the line, I was ready to hand over my money without a second thought.

The Naturally Pretty Matte Vol. 2 Romantics Luxe Transforming Eyeshadow Palette follows the same format at the Naturally Pretty Vol. 1 to a tee.

Review -- Rimmel Show Off Lip Velvet

Matte liquid lipsticks are all the rage these days, but I've been reluctant to jump on the trend.

That's because, as a general rule, I don't particularly like matte lipsticks -- they're just so drying and require too much work to make look good -- and I especially don't like liquid versions.

On my lips, they always seem to look dry and cracked, no matter how much I moisturize and exfoliate my lips.

But I'm weak when it comes to makeup and seeing all the new liquid lipstick products out there gets me a little intrigued.

I didn't want to spend a ton of money on a product that I wasn't sure I'd like, though, so when I was at Walgreen's recently, I decide to give Rimmel's Show Off Lip Velvets a try.

Review -- Too Faced Natural Matte Neutral Eye Shadow Collection

Once upon a time, I would have sworn that I hated matte shadow.

Too boring, I thought.

But any time an all matte palette comes out these days, I can't get my grubby little fingers on it fast enough.

I've totally fallen in love with (good) matte shadows.

That's why I knew I just had to have Too Faced's Natural Matte Neutral Eye Shadow Collection.

I have the original Too Faced Matte Eye Palette (it was actual one of the first all matte palettes I ever bought) and it is one of my all-time favorites. The shadows are smooth and creamy, not the least bit chalky, so they're extremely easy to work with and apply.

I was hoping that the new Natural Matte Palette would be more of the same -- but I actually think Too Faced may have improved the formula a bit.