Urban Decay Naked Basics Review and Swatches

Lets get Naked again! I love picking up a new lipstick or blush to try out, even if I think it might be outside of my comfort zone. Palettes, on the other hand, I'm incredibly picky about. I don't have a huge collection of palettes. I find that, when I'm looking at them in the store, I can always pick out a handful of shadows in them that ill never use. Most times, even though its more expensive in the end, I'd rather buy single eyeshadows and make my own palette.
Urban Decay is genius when it comes to putting together palettes. My original Naked palette is the most perfect collection of shades. I use it nearly every day. I didn't pick up the Naked 2 palette because the shades seem a little cool toned for me and sometimes that can make me look washed out.
I had heard quite a bit about the Naked Basics before I bought it. I loved the fact that most of the shadows were matte and I was looking to get more of these. My eyes are slightly hooded so matte shadows in my crease are best.
The packaging is really great. It's a hard rubbery case that closes tight. It's also a pretty compact size. It is honestly the most perfect travel palette. The possibilities of eye looks are endless because of the range of shades. From barely-there to smokey and sultry, it's really the only palette you would need on a trip. The price is right too. If you were just starting out with makeup I would definitely suggest this bad boy. The only complaint I have is that the shadows seem really powdery. My original Naked palette's shadows are very smooth. It doesn't seem to affect its blendability so it's not really too big of a complaint.
Shade #1: Venus
This is the only shadow that isn't matte. It has a satin finish so it still goes together with the other shades perfectly. It's a nice light highlight for your inner corners or brow bone or even for an all over wash over your lid.
Shade #2 Foxy
This one is a light shade with yellow tone to it. Kind of like a bone colour. Works well as a lid colour.
Shade #3 W.O.S.
This is a nude-y flesh colour. It's got a pinkish tone to it. Also a perfect lid colour.
Shade #4 Naked 2
This is very similar to Naked in the Naked 1 palette. It's a light-mid toned brown. It seems a bit cooler than the original naked. It works perfectly as a crease colour, transition colour or even an over lid colour for a darker look.
Shade #5 Faint
This one is similar to Buck in the original Naked palette but again it's more cool toned. It's a mid toned brown and kind of reminds me of hot chocolate mix. This is a great crease colour for an every day neutral look.
Shade #6 Crave
The last shade in the palette is a super dark almost-black-brown. It's such a great alternative for black for a smokey eye. It's such a versatile shade. You can use it to define your crease and blend it out to a nice warm brown or pack it on for a super smokey look. You can use it as a liner or pack it on your lid and blend it up into your crease for a super easy, super dark smokey eye for a night out.

Overall it's another home run for Urban Decay. I would recommend this to anyone looking for a new neutral palette. It's versatility and compact size size make it perfect for so many different kinds of people and I'm very glad to add it to my collection.

Oh, hey! Feel like dropping me line?
sarahlouisenickelboard@gmail.com
or
Follow me on Twitter! @Jimirayy

My long list of moisturizer fails :(

People often say to be thankful for your mistakes because its the only way you learn and grow. Sometimes wisdom in hindsight isn't so phenomenal. I know, speaking for myself, even a few years ago I wasn't worried about moisturizers or SPF. When it comes to your skin; what you have is what you get. I don't have the money or the desire for plastic surgery so I want what I got to stay looking youthful. Having a baby sure has a way of making you feel old. I know that 25 is by no means ancient but if I can take a few preventative measures on aging then I may as well take advantage. Over the past year I've been changing and tweaking my skin care routine. One thing I have a HUGE problem finding: moisturizer. I've explained by skin type and issues before. Oily/combination and then in the winter it's oily/combination/super dehydrated. I've been lucky enough to never have had a problem with acne or pimples but my nose is like a Crisco factory. My forehead and cheeks are normal to dry. I also struggle with rosacea-like redness.
I realize its too much to ask for one product to address ALL of these issues. I'm just looking for something that is going to leave my skin hydrated without just turning my nose into a deep fryer. I really didn't think that this would be such a feat to accomplish but my medicine cabinet is full of useless-to-me products and my skin is still missing something.
First one I bought was Garnier Moisture Rescue Gel-creme. I bought this in the end of summer when my skin was in the more oily end of combination. This has been described as a dupe for Clinique's Even Better moisturizing gel. Gel moisturizers are supposed to be good for oily skin. I used this for a few weeks and it helped keep the oil at bay on my nose but I started getting dry patches on my cheeks. This led me to pick up my next candidate. (I still use this on my nose on my night time skin care routine to keep the oil at bay because my night cream really gives me the "Crisco effect")
I got another Garnier Moisture Rescue, this time for dry skin. I didn't use this for long at all because it wasn't hydrating enough to fix the dryness and it seemed to irritate my dry skin a bit.
I decided to try something geared towards combo skin so I picked up Neutrogena Moisture for combination skin. It basically claims to be everything I need in a moisturizer. I used this for a few weeks and I really wanted it to be the one but I just didn't notice any change for the better in my skin. It didn't affect it negatively which was good and I do want to try this again now that I'm using a serum that I love.
A couple months ago my skin got really, really dry so I got L'oreal Hydrafresh gel-creme. It's supposed to be really hydrating and it's a gel so I thought I'd try it out. It feels nice and fresh in your skin and it was really hydrating but again I couldn't use it on my nose. When my skin is feeling very dry I will occasionally use it on my cheeks alone.
I got a bottle of Aveeno Ultra-Calming daily moisturizer in a GlossyBox and I was really excited to try this out. It's oil-free, fragrance-free and non-comedogenic and is supposed to calm redness on your face. Sounded like EXACTLY what I needed. I used it for a few days and loved it but then I started getting this evil under-the-skin zitties. Another one bites the dust. *sigh*
After knocking down 5 in a matter of a few months (thank god they were all drugstore) I decided to get serious about this. I literally spent 25 minutes in the skin care aisle. I read the back if every package and searched online on my iPhone. In the end I chose a brand I couldn't find much info on (smart, right?) I decided on the Formula 10.0.6 Seriously Shine Free Mattifying Oil-Free Moisturizer. Wow, that's a mouthful. It has soothing Aloe Vera and bamboo extract that is supposed to help absorb excess oil. It did exactly what it said. It seriously was a fantastic moisturizer for skin like mine. My skin was matte all day. It moisturized my skin enough. I really tried for this one but there was a deal breaker. The smell. Most smells don't irritate me too badly but I couldn't get over this one. It reminds me of how a witch doctors house would smell. Like if you had a crazy old granny that makes her own salve. I dunno, it's hard to explain but it gave me headaches. I couldn't do it. That one broke my heart.
I am currently testing out a new one (high-end) and I'm hoping it works out. I really need something I can live with for more than a few weeks. Cross your fingers for me!

What is your holy grail moisturizer?

Oh, hey! Feel like dropping me line?

sarahlouisenickelboard@gmail.com

or

Follow me on Twitter! @Jimirayy

My flawless face routine :)

I was just reading over some of my previous posts and I couldn't believe how much some of my views have changed over the past few months. I've switched my foundations to higher end and I really can't believe the difference. I'm not sure if it's because there has been a change in my skin or if I was just blind before but I couldn't be happier that I tried out these new-to-me products.
For the longest time I was using Revlon ColorStay for my foundation and I was happy with it but I really wanted to test out a high-end brand to see how they compare. I went to Sephora and picked up a sample of Laura Mercier Silk Creme foundation because I had heard many, MANY good things about it. The girl at the store matched me to beige ivory which was WAYYYYY too dark but I absolutely loved the finish. I went back and was rematched to rose ivory which was perfect. This has been the foundation I started using on a daily basis. The coverage is on the more full side of medium and definitely buildable. I know for some this may be too much for a daily basis but personally I feel like if I'm going to take the time to put on makeup, I like my skin to look flawless yet natural.
In the last while my skin had gone a little wonky. My t-zone is still oily but the rest of my face is incredibly dry. The Laura Mercier foundation doesn't work as well for my skin when its like this. On my dry skin it looked too matte, almost powdery.
I decided to give my Revlon ColorStay another shot. Right after I apply it, I love the way it looks but after a few hours my skin looks patchy and really accentuates my oily and dry spots. I decided to try out the whipped version of the ColorStay. All of the colours seem too neutral or something on my skin. i looked really sick whenever I wore this one. Plus I had the same issues with it as the original ColorStay. I decided to check out another high end brand.
I've heard nothing but good things about NARS Sheer Glow foundation. I went and picked up a sample and, again, too dark. (the girls at this store must love tan skin or something) I got my correct shade and this stuff is brilliant! Just a beautiful glowing finish. The coverage I think is comparable to the Laura Mercier. I've heard people say this is a more sheer coverage foundation (the name also suggest that) but I feel it's more medium/buildable. Although I don't love the price of either of these, I do think they are worth the cost. Also, you really only need a small amount of each one to get a flawless complexion so they last a very long time.
Verdict: Laura Mercier Silk Creme is my summer HOLY GRAIL foundation. NARS Sheer Glow is my winter HOLY GRAIL! I think the Sheer Glow may also be the foundation I use for my wedding depending upon how it fares on my skin in the summer months.
Well, now that my usual pre-making-my-point rant is finished I'll get onto the actual routine. ;)
I always start off my moisturizing and priming my face. I've been switching my moisturizers a LOT lately so I wont include a specific product. After moisturizing I spray Urban Decay De-slick all over my face and then apply some Bioderma Sebium pore refining serum on my t-zone (works great to keep me matte) and then Benefit's PoreFessional all over for a primer. Lately I've been obsessed with my Real Techniques buffing brush for applying foundation. So, then depending on my skin's state on that particular day I'll choose between the Silk Creme or Sheer Glow and apply it using circular motions and "buffing" it into my skin, giving it an airbrushed look. I try not to concentrate too much product right under my eyes because I find that this stops my concealer from creasing. I make sure to blend down my neck as well. Once the base is laid down, I fill in my eyebrows. As you can see, I wasn't born with bangin' eyebrows. They were thin to begin with but then I butchered them pretty badly when I was about 15 and my friends all started tweezing theirs. Seriously, people, the need to fit in should just be ignored. (lol) I always take the lighter shade in my Laura Mercier Secret Camo concealer palette on a concealer brush to sort of outline my brows to make the lines look precise and to fix up any mistakes I made. Next, I take my Bobbi Brown creamy corrector in light bisque and pat that down right under my eyes. It has a pink undertone that neutralizes blue under eye circles. It is seriously THE best product I've ever used for under my eyes. It has definitely reached holy grail status for me. It doesn't crease or dry out and look cakey. Make sure to blend that out a bit so it isn't obvious. Then I take a teeny tiny bit of Benefit's Lemon aid and pat that right over top of the corrector. You should always set your under eye concealer with a powder to ensure that it doesn't budge or crease. I've been using Make Up Forever's HD setting powder. I was using this all over my face but it was looking a little too powdery. It seems to work well to set my concealer. I do really want to try Laura Mercier Secret Brightening powder, though but I need to use up some of my current stuff before I can justify that purchase. Lastly, I set the rest of my face with Rimmel Stay Matte powder. I've mentioned before that I don't love this powder. It will do for now but I won't be repurchasing this one.
On a side note I'll add that these two foundations (especially the Laura Mercier one) are more of a full coverage, so if you do wear these you will need to contour and highlight your face as they can tend to make your face look a little one dimensional. Personally, I dont mind though because, as of late, I have become obsessed with blush.

Absolutely no makeup!

Face makeup done!

My full face of makeup!

So, there you have it. My flawless face every day routine with a whopping 3 holy grail products that I've found in the past while. I hope this can be of help for some of you looking to try out some new products!

Feel free to comment below or drop me a line at 

SarahLouiseNickelboard@gmail.com!

or

Follow me on Twitter! @Jimirayy

Review: Dermaglow Hydration Fix Serum

Here in Canada we're right smack-dab in the middle of our winter. December/January is the time of year that really takes a toll on my skin. The air is just so dry. My normally oily/combination skin goes right wonky. My nose is still oily as ever but the rest of my face is super dehydrated and I get dry patches on my cheeks. Not pretty. My makeup doesn't go on as smooth and foundation tends to cling to those little spots. I needed a solution.
I headed to Shoppers Drug Mart to check out the skin care aisle. I'm always more and more impressed with this store. They're branching out into higher end products now and it's so nice to be able to compare drug store with more high end stuff in one stop. I came across Dermaglow and attempted to do some research on the brand. I couldn't find many reviews on it. There were a few consumer reviews on a couple of the products and I found out that it was a Canadian brand. Hmmm, they say curiosity killed the cat but I was pretty interested to try something out. The Hydration Fix Serum caught my eye so I decided to check out the ingredients. Pomegranate extract: fantastic antioxidant. Hyaluronic acid...ok, what? Of course, I did a little research. Turns out, its something naturally found in the body. It promotes hydration of your skin because it bonds itself with water. It's supposed to be brilliant for any skin type from dry to oily and everything in between. Sold! Plus, it was 25% off (which I didn't actually discover until I checked my receipt when I got home) bonus!
I use it all over my face after cleansing at night, before I apply my moisturizer. Then in the morning I apply it to my cheeks and forehead before moisturizing.
Ummm, can you say wow?? This is really a miracle product. Dry patches: gone. It sinks in super fast and my skin feels incredibly soft all day. It seems like it makes my moisturizer actually do its job. It's light, doesn't feel greasy at all and doesn't break me out. My nose is actually less oily after using this. Seriously, if you see this somewhere, pick it up. You will not regret it. Well, that is, unless you have perfectly even, baby-soft, luminous skin naturally. Then I'm sure you won't have to worry about it ;)
I am planning on doing a full skin care routine post but I'm not 100% happy with all of my products. I have a medicine cabinet full of partially used containers of moisturizer, none of which I'm totally in love with. The serum boosts each of them but I'm still just not confident in promoting any of them. *sigh* The search continues.

Any recommendations for a holy grail moisturizer?

Oh, hey! Feel like dropping me line?

sarahlouisenickelboard@gmail.com

or

Follow me on Twitter! @Jimirayy

Stretchmarks!

Me and my baby Buddha belly!

Whoever said we've earned every stretch mark and wrinkle we acquire in our lives deserves a punch in the face. I say, us mommas, with all of our hours put in stressing out over our babies, losing sleep when they're young or sick and watching our bellies bulge over the months that we carry them, deserve to NOT have the scars to prove it.
Pregnancy, although it does have MANY, MANY beneficial effects on our bodies and lives, does take a toll on us. Oh, yes. Stretch marks. Now, if you're carrying triplets, you may not be able to prevent them entirely but I want to share with you the two products that I swear by to reduce or completely rid yourself of these stripes.
First off, and I cannot stress this enough, bio oil! This sh*t is amazing. I've heard people go on about cocoa butter or specialty lotions, no. It's this. Holy freakin' grail.
For the first few months of my pregnancy I neglected using this. Then, one day when I really started to notice my belly growing, I had some sort of hormone induced anxiety attack about getting fat and feeling ugly (you know exactly the freak out I'm talking about) and I started using it religiously. Every morning. Every night. Do this. Make it a part of your daily routine. Make a point to have a 10 minute bonding/relaxing time with your parter and have them put it on you. Whatever you feel you need to do to get it done every day. I just rubbed it all over my mid section and chest. Get your lower back too. I swear this stuff saved me. I did not get one single new stretch mark in this pregnancy literally until 3 days before I went into labour. I got 3 teeny tiny little purple marks on my right hip. That's all.
Another very, very important thing is to make sure you are applying it to your breasts as well, especially during the last few months of pregnancy. If you're not a first time momma then I don't have to tell you how insanely quick those bad boys fill up. This will help soften the blow, so to speak, when it does happen.

Now, just because my tummy didn't look like a preschool finger painting post-pregnancy doesn't mean I don't know a thing or two about getting rid of them. When I was young I was a little bean pole. Straight up and down. Then I hit puberty and it felt like I just woke up with Jessica Rabbit hips. Seriously, it was like *BAM!* you're now a woman. I got really big purple stretch marks all over my hips and love handles. So those being 12 or 13 years old now I figured they were pretty well set in stone. Old, scarred and now white, I basically accepted them as my own. Wrong! During the few months of me using the bio oil, I noticed them gradually, though not completely, disappear. So, keep using this even after having your baby if you do happen to gain a few scars. It's just so good!
For Christmas, I made my sister a personalized basket of skin care goodies. As always, I did quite a bit if research on each product that I purchased. Lately, I've been hearing lots about the brand Soap & Glory. Particularly, the breakfast scrub. You can get your hands on some things from their line of goods but this one didn't seem like it was available anywhere but in the UK. I ended up ordering it from Amazon.com (of course paying way more than if I could find it in a store *sad face*) and since I'm paying for shipping anyway, I got one for myself as well. As soon as it came in I tore open the package to get at this "insanely great smell" it supposedly had. Ummmm, can you say freakin' amazing?! Seriously, like damn fresh pancakes. Sooooooooo goooooood. I went and had a shower almost immediately to test it out. I swear, ONE use and I was born again. I don't think my skin has ever felt this soft. It's unreal. I feel like it actually helps my moisturizer do what it's supposed to. I've used a loofah for over 10 years and I really thought that would be enough exfoliation for my body. Well, my orange puff has been very neglected for the past month.
I've been back in my dry skin city home for almost a week now and you wouldn't be able to tell by my skin. It's so smooth and hydrated. This morning, while applying body butter after my shower I noticed that I can barely even notice any of my old stretch marks. The bio oil had erased them quite a bit but there hasn't been any change in them for probably over 5 months. I never would have thought that a body scrub could help with that.
Ill also add that I have chicken skin on my arms. You know, those little red bumps that some people get on their arms or face sometimes? The breakfast scrub has nearly rid me of that too. And I have tried everything for it. Let me tell you, as soon as I notice I'm getting close to the bottom of this fantastic little jar, I'm gonna be stock piling 5 more from Amazon. Amazing.

Oh, hey! Feel like dropping me line?

sarahlouisenickelboard@gmail.com

or

Follow me on Twitter! @Jimirayy

The flu and little-you :(

My little stinker has been pretty healthy all of her 9 and a half months but, in the past two-ish months, she's been pretty sick twice. For the past few days I've had a bit less sleep and an upset little monkey on my hands.
Yesterday, Emily wasn't even interested in eating at all. (Normally, she's a ravenous little monster) I tried warming up her bottle, holding her in my arms to feed her, putting her in her highchair to feed herself, just really anything I could think of. Nothing worked.
I had taken her to the doctor but all he said was to make sure she's drinking plenty of fluids. Well.... Yeah I'd love that too but how?
When they're this little and especially when they're sick I think it's okay to let them call the shots a bit. She seemed really interested in the water bottle I was drinking from so I took one and poured some pedialyte in it. I held it for her and tipped it back so she could "drink" from it. Little tiny bits at a time (and mostly spilling all over her clothes) she would actually drink it! It took awhile, and a lot of mess, but I was happy to see that she was getting something in her tummy. Another thing that seemed to help was applesauce. I felt like if she would eat solid food then if I opted for something a little more watery it would give sustenance while still helping with her fluid intake.
The doctor also gave me Tylenol. This is more of my last resort. I have nothing against it whatsoever I just don't want to give it to her just because she's coughing or crying. It isn't a cough suppressant or decongestant it's basically a very mild pain reliever. If she's crying because her nose is plugged or that she just wants to be snuggled then there's really no use for the Tylenol. She can't tell me why she's crying. I only give it to her if I know she's very tired and uncomfortable and she won't stop crying even when I hold her or feed her.
Lastly, humidity seems to help the most of all. She seems to feel the best after a nice warm bath. I have a humidifier for her room at night and I usually bring her in her excersaucer in the bathroom with me while I shower. The steam seems to be helping a bit.
Today she seemed quite a bit happier. She's still coughing a lot with a runny nose so cross your fingers for us that it only lasts a day or so more!

What are your tips for a sick baby?