Strawberry Letter 23- Moondust Eyes and Prada Lips

This post contains affiliate links, if you buy something based on my recommendation using the links below, I will receive a small commission but it won't cost you anything extra.

*PR Samples

This look is from February as I'm a bit behind with my blog posts. I've been trying to write a corresponding post for every makeup application video I film. I wanted to take close-up photos of the makeup so that you can see the end result as well as the application. I had just received this palette and lipstick in press drops and I was so excited to try both. 

I was taken with this lipstick as soon as I saw it at the Prada Beauty counter. It’s such a happy, strawberry, summer red. I wanted to base the whole look around the lipstick but I also wanted to try out the Moondust Eyeshadow Palette so I just decided to go for it. I loved how this look turned out, three of my favourite things combined, wet look eyeshadow, a little cat eye and red lips. 

The Urban Decay Moondust Eyeshadows have been around for years but in the past year or two, they have had a resurgence mainly due to the virality of the shade Space Cowboy. I don't own that particular shade but a couple of years ago when they were repackaged I was sent the shade Lithium which is a beautiful cool brown. It's not as versatile as Space Cowboy but it's a great one and done wet-look eyeshadow. I was never tempted by Space Cowboy mainly because I have my collection of Bodyography Glitter Pigments which I love and they have always scratched my wet-look eyeshadow itch. Coincidentally, a couple of weeks before I received the Moondust Palette, I bought my second Moondust single eyeshadow in the shade Solstice (which you can see here). Last Year Urban Decay released two Limited Edition Moondust Quads, Space Rider and Galactic Cowgirl. I was sent the latter and even though Space Cowboy is in the Space Rider palette, I prefer the shades in the one I was sent. For some reason these palettes are Limited Edition and I can only find Space Rider on Millies and Galactic Cowgirl on Boots. I think they should be permanent considering the popularity of the Moondust formula. It seems like a mistake for Urban Decay to not make them a part of the permanent collection. All that to say, if they interest you and you can find them somewhere that ships to you, be aware that they are limited edition and may be gone soon. Although there are similar shades to most of the ones in the palettes in the single Moondust range. 

I did a wash of the Moondust shade Cosmic Cowgirl and then a thin winged liner just on the outer corner. Even though I was pairing glitter eyeshadow, liner and red lipstick, I wanted it to not be too much. I hope you like the look! 

*Armani Beauty Luminous Silk Primer

*Prada Beauty Reveal Skin Foundation (LC5)

Smashbox Under Eye Brightening Corrector (Light/Medium)

Fenty Beauty Match Stix Matte Skinstick (Amber)

Makeup By Mario Softsculpt Transforming Skin Enhancer (Light)

NYX Professional Makeup Lift & Snatch! Brow Tint Pen (Ash Brown)

West Barn Co. Prep Mist

West Barn Co. Soap Brows Extra Strong Hold 

*Urban Decay Naked X Robin Eisenberg Palette (Moonsand, Solar Storm) 

*Urban Decay Moondust Palette (Cosmic Cowgirl) 

*Surratt Auto-Graphique Liner (Chat Noir) 

*Sweed Cloud Mascara 

Victoria Beckham Beauty Instant Brightening Waterline Pencil 

*Unleashia Glitterpedia Eye Palette (04 All of Lavender Fog) via Stylevana

Givenchy Beauty Prisme Libre Skin-Caring Concealer (N95) 

Finding Ferdinand X Kackie Reviews Beauty Summer Abroad Cream Blush (Latte, Au Lait)

NYX Professional Makeup Micro Brow Pencil (Ash Brown) 

*Laura Mercier Translucent Loose Setting Powder 

*Prada Beauty Monochrome Hyper Matte Lipstick (R26 Lava) 

*IT Cosmetics Heavenly Luxe #7 Brush 

MYKITCO 0.6 My Flawless Contour (blush)

MYKITCO 1.29 My Sheer Blender

Rebeluna R24 Small Pencil Brush (lower lash line)

Rebeluna R08 Domed Concealer Buffer Brush (concealer) 

Spectrum Collections X KJH 08 (powder) 

West Barn Co. The Brow Brush

Surratt Relevée Eyelash Curler 

Thank you for taking the time to read this post, I'd love to know what you think of this look, would you wear it or are there any elements of it you'd wear? If there are any specific product reviews you would like to see from me please let me know. If you'd like to support my work as a Content Creator, you can do so through Buy Me A Coffee. 

Emma x

Shopping My Stash- A Look Using The Nabla Cutie Palette Midnight

This post contains affiliate links, if you buy something based on my recommendation using the links below, I will receive a small commission but it won't cost you anything extra.

*PR Samples

The other night I started going through my makeup trolley (this IKEA one) to rearrange my eyeshadow palettes which were in a state of disarray. I ended up having an impromptu "declutter" of my entire makeup collection (not including lip products as they are stored elsewhere, although I do need to go through those too). I ended up trying to clear out anything that was bought pre-2020, especially creams and liquids. I got rid of all of my Glossier Cloud Paints as they were all at least 3 years old and they have an expiry recommendation of 6 months. I rarely strictly follow these recommendations but instead go by the smell, texture and performance of a product. However, I can't remember the last time I used them to be perfectly honest and as they are liquids I thought it would be better to make some space in my collection by clearing them out. I still think they are great products but I have other similar blushes in my collection and I prefer those shades as they are more nuanced and they are more suited to my complexion. I also went through my eyeshadow palettes and single eyeshadows. I archived (as in I'm keeping them for shade reference but I won't be using them) some that were bought in 2018/2019 and weren't performing as well like the Bodyography Glitter Pigments, some of which I'll definitely be repurchasing as they are such favourites of mine. If you want to see them in more detail I have plenty of posts featuring them in this blog. I've been trying to convince myself not to buy the new Natasha Denona Yucca Palette or the Isamaya Industrial 2.0 Palette so I went through my collection of palettes to find some things I haven't used in a while in order to attempt to satiate my lust for something new. One such palette was the Nabla Cutie Palette Midnight that my sister bought for me for my birthday in 2021 so it's almost 2 years old. I'm much more lenient with the expiry recommendations on powders so I'll be keeping this one for a while longer but I wanted to try it out again as it has been some time since I last used it. I haven't used this palette nearly as much as I'd have liked to and I wanted to play around with it some more. 

Despite its name, it brings to mind visions of the South of France. Of course, one of the shades is named Marseille which probably helps. The Côte d'Azur is one of my favourite places in the world (although I haven't got many places to choose from as my travels have been limited). I haven't been there in almost 4 years and I miss it so much. Over the past 8 years, I've been to Nice, Villefranche Sur Mer, Èze, Beaulieu Sur Mer, Juan Les Pins, Antibes, Monaco and Menton. I am hoping to finally go back next year with my daughter but until then, I'll have to make do with Azure coloured makeup. If you live in Europe you may also be experiencing quite a wet Summer and so the other day I wanted to brighten myself up with a colourful makeup look. It was the perfect opportunity to use this palette again and I'm always up for wearing blue on my eyelids. 

I started with some primer and then applied Quiet Storm across my lids from the lash line about halfway to my brows using my finger. I then blended that out using Air and applied Alma on my inner corner. I used Sapphire to deepen the outer corner of my eyelids and applied some of the Kosas Cloud Set Powder just under my brows to blend everything together. I took more of Quiet Storm on a flat brush and spritzed it with the Clarins Fix' Make-Up and added it to the centre of my eyelids for more intensity as it's such a beautiful shade. I decided to keep my lower lash line clean and added mascara to both my top and bottom lashes.

For my cheeks I used the Nabla Skin Glazing Powder which I'm quite certain is the only powder highlighter I own. I've also had that for almost 2 years too, I've used it so much and there is still a lot left. Another product I wanted to use again is the Patrick Ta Major Headlines Blush. I've had this for about 2.5 years and while I do love the formula I don't reach for it as often as I'd like because the shade is a touch too warm for me which you can see below. It's a cream and powder formula which you can use together or separately. I'd like to buy a different shade in this formula, She's Blushing and She's Flushed look like shades that would really work on my skin tone so they're firmly on my wishlist. I think this is another product that's going to be archived as there's no point in keeping something that doesn't work for my skin tone as well as I'd like it to even if I do like the formula. 

On my lips I've been playing with the new Lisa Eldridge Velveteen Liquid Lip Colours, I decided to mix Affair and Fawn on the back of my hand and buff it into my lips almost like a stain and then patted Gloss Embrace in Silent Sun on top as I felt this look needed something neutral but glossy. I've taken lots of detailed photographs of the Velveteens and I'll be writing a full review once I've tested them out for a while. 

A few things I've been loving that are more recent favourites and quite budget friendly are the e.l.f. Luminous Putty Bronzer in the shade Vacay Mood, the Rimmel Kind & Free Mascara and the NYX Micro Brow Pencil. I bought the Luminous Putty Bronzer after seeing Alexandra Anele using it and it looked and sounded like something that would work well on my skin type and tone. It's more of a cool toned bronzer which I find works really well on my skin as most fair bronzers are still too orange and warm for me and don't look natural. I've added a photo below comparing it to some other sculpting products I own. This is one of those products that adds some depth to my skin tone in such an easy way as it's quite sheer and blends easily so it doesn't interfere with the products underneath it. There are 8 shades which is more than some high-end brands. It also comes in the Putty Bronzer formula which is more of a semi-matte finish. It's only about €10 depending on where you buy it so it's definitely worth checking out if you're in the market for a new bronzer. The Rimmel mascara is one that I was very pleasantly surprised by as I wasn't expecting to like it. It gives my lashes length and definition and you can build it up for more volume too. It's not waterproof and the formula is more on the wet side so if you have straight lashes you may want to avoid this but if you're not concerned about your lashes holding a curl then this could be a good every day, inexpensive mascara. 

I decided to add some big yellow tassel earrings as this shade of yellow with the blue made me happy and it felt like a look I'd wear on holidays in the evening- slicked-back hair, blue eyeshadow and some bold earrings. 

Top row: eyeshadows alone. Bottom row: eyeshadows over primer

Nabla is an Italian brand and therefore the products are made in Italy. I tend to like cosmetics that are manufactured in Italy and many high-end brands are made there. This palette is also 100% vegan and cruelty-free and it's €25.50 for the 6 pans which I think is quite well-priced. As you can see from the photo above, primer really makes a difference in the performance of these shadows. I know not everyone likes to wear eye primer but I usually do as I find it both enhances the appearance and the longevity of eyeshadows. 

There was a difference in the performance of the formulas in this palette. The metallic and duochrome shades performed better than the pale ones which I found a bit dry and crumbly although once you blend them out they look beautiful, as you can see on my inner corner in the close-up shots. They're the kind of shades that are great for blending out the deeper blues. I've seen reviews where people have criticised the addition of the bronze shade Marseille, in a predominantly blue-toned palette but I love it and I know that bronze and blue work well together as they're such opposites. The photos don't capture the full effect of these shades on the eyes, especially Quiet Storm as it's a duochrome and looks far more impressive in person. There are five colour stories in the Cutie Palette range and at €25.50 I think they're a great option if you don't want to spend a lot of money. 

As much as I love the Skin Realist Tinted Balm, it only has seven shades and brands love to describe small shade ranges as being "flexible" so while I found a shade that works for me, I know there will be plenty of people who can't and therefore I can't really recommend it. They have a foundation which has 30 shades but it appears to be in the process of being discontinued. Nabla is one of those brands that I rarely see people talk about but I have enjoyed the products I've tried from them so far. Their new Beyond Jelly Lipsticks and single eyeshadows look beautiful and I've heard good things about their Brow Ambition pen. Apart from that there's nothing else that I'd go out of my way to try. In an oversaturated market it's hard to stand out but I wanted to demonstrate this palette as a means of "shopping my stash" and using the products in my collection that have been neglected. 

*Clarins Instant Smooth Perfecting Touch Primer

Auric Cosmetics Glow Lust Radiant Luminizer (Morganite)

Nabla Skin Realist Beautifying Tinted Balm (1 Fair)

Smashbox Under Eye Brightening Corrector (Light/Medium)

Danessa Myricks Vision Flush (Nutcracker)

e.l.f. Luminous Putty Bronzer (Vacay Mood)

Glossier Brow Flick (Brown)

Glossier Boy Brow (Brown)

Kosas Revealer Concealer (01N)

Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion 

Nabla Cutie Palette Midnight (Quiet Storm, Alma, Air, Sapphire)

Surratt Beauty Relevée Eyelash Curler 

*Rimmel Kind & Free Mascara

Kosas Cloud Set Powder (Airy)

Nabla Skin Glazing Powder (Ozone)

Patrick Ta Major Headlines- Double-Take Creme & Powder Blush (She's So L.A.)

Lisa Eldridge Enhance and Define Lip Pencil (Affair)

*Lisa Eldridge Velveteen Liquid Lip Colour (Affair and Fawn)

Lisa Eldridge Gloss Embrace Lip Gloss (Silent Sun)

NYX Professional Makeup Micro Brow Pencil (Ash Brown)

*Clarins Fix' Make-Up

I'd love to do another one of these posts shopping my stash and using products that I haven't in a while so I'll try to pick out some older products in my collection and do it again soon. As I mentioned above I'm working on a review of the Lisa Eldridge Velveteens and I'm also putting together a detailed review of her eyeshadow palettes as I know some of them are out of stock and people are still looking to buy them. I have a lot of photos of looks I've created using the three palettes she sent me and I want to consolidate everything and review them properly now that I've been trying them for about 8 months. If there are any other reviews you'd like to see from me please do let me know.

If you'd like to support my work as a content creator you can do so through the Buy Me A Coffee website. 

Thanks for taking the time to read this post, I hope it was helpful. I'd love to know if you've tried any of these products and what you think of them.

Emma x

 

Lisa Eldridge Summer 2022 Collection- Insanely Saturated and Luxuriously Lucent Lip Colours

This post contains some affiliate links, if you make a purchase based on my recommendation through some of the links below I will receive a small commission.

*PR Samples are noted with an asterisk

Today is International Lipstick Day and I can't think of a better day to celebrate the best lipsticks in the beauty industry. I'm sure I speak for every lipstick lover when I say I look forward to the Lisa Eldridge Summer collection every year. This time we were blessed with ten new shades as well as the return of two sold out shades from her Summer 2019 collection- the Insanely Saturated Rainbow Spill and Skyscraper Rose. You can read my review of those shades here. There are seven new shades in the Luxuriously Lucent formula- Le Mépris, Rosy Shell, Je Ne Sais Quoi, Wonder Wheel, Palazzo, Meet Me In Berlin and Night Thoughts. There are also three additions to the Insanely Saturated formula- Sunday Matinée, Strawberry Shock and New Wave. She has really outdone herself this time. Just when you think she has created every shade you could ever need, she drops these ten beauties that are better than anything I could have imagined.

I bought four shades Le Mépris, Meet Me In Berlin, Strawberry Shock and New Wave and I was also kindly sent some shades from Lisa Eldridge and her team- Je Ne Sais Quoi, Palazzo, Sunday Matinée and Strawberry Shock. This means I have two Strawberry Shock lipsticks and I'll be giving one away at the end of this post to celebrate International Lipstick Day and to say thank you.  

I knew I already loved both of these formulas so it was a no-brainer that I would want to buy some of the new shades. They all looked beautiful so I just had to narrow it down to the ones I felt were unique to my collection or shades I knew I couldn't be without. I always love to see Lisa's video that accompanies each launch as it's a great way to decide what you want to buy. 

Of course, I would have loved every shade but I had to try to be selective. I went with Le Mépris because I am always on the lookout for that perfect pale neutral. I actually did a look based on Brigitte Bardot as Camille Javal from Le Mépris about ten years ago which you can see here. It's one of the most iconic makeup looks in film history and in my experience, it's difficult to get this shade right. I knew if anyone could do it, it would be Lisa Eldridge. As far as I know, it's the shade that sold out the fastest too which I think shows where people's preferences lie at the moment. It's a balanced beige, ideal for that sixties pout.

 

Meet Me In Berlin had my heart for the name alone. Berlin will always be a special place to me as Simon took me there for my birthday three years ago. It was our last holiday as a couple before I became pregnant. We had the best time there and I left completely enamoured with the city. This shade is described as a rich tan and the story behind it is truly inspired. It's a stunning, lively neutral on deeper skin tones and a unique sheer brown on lighter skin tones. It's a sophisticated and ultramodern grungey shade.

I audibly gasped when I saw the next two shades in Lisa's video and again when I applied them.  Strawberry Shock is exactly my kind of shade. As much as I love neutrals, red lipstick will always have my heart. This is a rare red in that it's somewhere in between a classic blue-based red and an orange-red but with some pink to it. To me, it's Summer in a lipstick. I can see myself sitting on the beach wearing it with white sunglasses and a piña colada in my hand. The dream! 

The final one I purchased is New Wave. This one was an absolute must for me. I was beside myself when I first saw it. I can't think of any shade like this one. It is described as a bold magenta with cool blue undertones, "shot through with edgy glamour and electronica chic". The name is perfect because it really reminds me of the pink and purple lighting of eighties New Wave music videos. In particular the video for 'Say Hello, Wave Goodbye' by Soft Cell. I knew I would love this one. It was the first of the new shades that I tried because I was so excited by it. It's not going to be for everyone as it is quite a statement shade, but to me, it's perfect.

I can imagine Je Ne Sais Quoi being one of the most popular shades as coral tends to work on so many skin tones. It is described as a warm, creamy coral with vibrancy and subtlety.  As the website says, "it manages to brighten the face without being an overtly 'bright' shade". It's the kind of colour that you could wear with a minimal amount of makeup and perhaps a matching blush, or even pat some of the lipstick onto your cheeks. 

Palazzo is that classic neutral red that works on so many people as it's neither too cool nor too warm. Inspired by the interiors of the palaces of Italy, it is the ideal lipstick to emulate Hollywood royalty like Audrey Hepburn, Elizabeth Taylor and Marilyn Monroe. The Luxuriously Lucent formula gives it radiance and a more casual feel as it's not a full-on opaque red. 

Sunday Matinée is the perfect name for this shade as it's easy like Sunday Morning. It is described as a medium pink with a hint of warmth. It's deeper and more vibrant than Velvet Intrigue and it's warmer than Velvet Beauty. You can see how they compare in the swatches below. This one surprised me in how much I loved how it looked on. It's another one I can see being popular as it's such an effortless shade to wear. 

Wonder Wheel and Night Thoughts are still on my wishlist as I know I would love both. I might have to pick up Night Thoughts when it's back in stock as it looks like the perfect Autumnal shade. 

If anyone hasn't tried them yet, the Luxuriously Lucent Lip Colour is described as a creamy, balmy texture and a sheer to semi-sheer buildable coverage with a satin finish. The Insanely Saturated formula is creamy and pigmented with a demi-matte finish and a lightweight texture. It can also be worn as a stain if you apply and blot to really press it into your lips for long-lasting colour. You can see more of the Luxuriously Lucent Lip Colours in this post. I have tried to include as many detailed photographs as I could so that you can see exactly how all the products look. I also included close-ups of some of the lipsticks on my lips in a couple of different lighting situations. I used natural light and minimal editing to make sure everything is as true to life as possible.

 

 

*Delilah, not Charm

 

Glow Recipe Watermelon Glow Niacinamide Dew Drops 

*Lisa Eldridge Elevated Glow Highlighter (Crystal Nebula, Cosmic Nebula)

*Lisa Eldridge The Foundation (No. 5)

Fenty Beauty Match Stix (Amber)

Glossier Solar Paint Luminous Bronzer Creme (Flare)

*Maybelline Instant Anti Age Eraser Concealer (06 Neutralizer)

*bareMinerals Original Liquid Mineral Concealer (Fair 1N, Fair 1W)

West Barn Co. Soap Brows and Prep Mist

West Barn Co. The Brow Pen (Brew) 

Hindash Beautopsy Gradient Palette 

*Hindash Eye Tone (Intra)

Hindash Heroline Liquid Eyeliner

Lisa Eldridge Liquid Lurex Eyeshadow (Liza)

Surratt Beauty Relevée Eyelash Curler

Isamaya Beauty Rubberlash Mascara

*Lisa Eldridge Enlivening Blush (Dante's Dream, Pink Soap and Pink Poetry) Restock in 2023

*Urban Decay All Nighter Vitamin C Setting Spray

Now for the fun part, the giveaway! I bought Strawberry Shock myself and then I was generously sent one by Lisa Eldridge. I wanted to send the extra one to someone as a way of saying thank you for all of the support with my content. It's been so lovely chatting with everyone each time there is a Lisa Eldridge launch. It is such a positive community to be part of. If you'd like a chance to win Strawberry Shock, all you have to do is go to my Instagram page and leave a comment on the photo of me wearing Strawberry Shock telling me your favourite Lisa Eldridge products and make sure you're following my account too. I'll leave it open until Midnight on Monday, August 1st and I will select a winner at random on Tuesday. 

I'd love to know if you picked up any of the new shades and which ones are your favourites. I hope these swatches were helpful for anyone who hasn't decided what to buy yet. If there are any other shade comparisons you'd like to see, do let me know. Thanks for taking the time to read this post, I loved putting it together.

Emma x