Urban Decay Naked Skin Foundation, First Impressions

Yay!  It's finally here!!!  I've been waiting on this foundation to come out for months and now I finally have it.  Urban Decay's Naked Skin Foundation.  Now that I have it, I'll tell you this:  it was WELL worth the wait.  I LOVE this foundation, so let's get right into it.

The packaging is nice.  Very sleek and shiny.  The 1 fl oz bottle is tall and slim and has a pump for dispensing, which I love.  I hate when they don't have a pump!  Too messy!  The consistency is pretty thin.  It's thinner than my MUFE HD, more watery feeling.  But that doesn't take away from the coverage or finish AT ALL.  It's described as having a "demi-matte" finish, which is my favorite kind of finish.  It's not too matte and not too dewy.  To me, it's perfectly in between.  It's matte enough to make you look finished and dewy enough to look natural.  I would describe the finish as what natural skin should look like.

The application is great.  It goes on silky smooth and blends easily.  The coverage is medium in my opinion.  It could probably be layered to add more coverage though.  I got it in shade 4.0 (light/medium with a slight golden undertone) and it matches perfectly.  Urban Decay's website has a shade matching feature to help you find your shade based on the makeup you currently use.  I was using MUFE HD in 128 or Revlon Colorstay in Natural Tan.  Swatch time!!

As you can see in the first picture, the Naked Foundation (left dot) is thinner.  I used the shade matching thing on the website and it seems a little off based on the dots and swatched but as you can see in the third picture, they blend out into the same color.  Wanna see it on my face?  Okay, but first I have to show you my bare face.  EEEEKKKK!!!!

Okay!!  Scary, I know, but hey, it's me.  So the pic on the left is no makeup at all.  The one on the right is with only a thin layer of the Naked foundation.  As you can see, it looks natural but covered MOST of my blemishes and redness, especially the redness around my mouth and nose.  Woohoo!  Here's a pic of me with some concealer here and there and my makeup of the day.  Thank goodness for makeup! :)  Not sure what's up with that awkward face though! ;)

So far, I really love this foundation.  I love how nice it goes on, I'm really happy with the finish, the coverage is pretty dang good, and it feels weightless on my face.  My kind of stuff.  I should mention that I have really dry skin on my chin and around my nose but reallllly oily skin on my forehead.  This did well with both.  I blotted my forehead once and this foundation doesn't emphasize flakiness.  It even held up through my Zumba class!  One last thing I want to mention is that it doesn't have any SPF in it.  But I prefer it that way.  I hate the white cast you get in pictures from SPF in foundation.  So I wear Shiseido sunscreen under my foundation during the day and just the foundation at night.  How many more times can I say "foundation"!?

Anyway there you have it... my first impressions/initial review!  Great job, Urban Decay!  I hope you guys enjoyed this post.  Check back often for more!

Love,

Aylissa

P.S.  What would you like my next post to be about: my foundation routine and an application demo or on my 2 favorite skincare products that have helped with my acne?

I'm back... :)

Hey guys,

If you're still subscribed to this blog after so long of not having any posts (I hope you are!), then I want to say thanks for hanging in there.   I also want/need to explain my absence.  I haven't done a post since OCTOBER of LAST YEAR!!!  Cray cray!  I had all these big plans of doing video tutorials and at least one post per week for you guys butttt.... this unexpected thing happened.  Acne.  Boom.  There, I said it.  That dreadful dirty word.  I am 22 years old and have never had acne until now.  It has been horrible.  I don't mean the occasional pimple here or there, I mean full on, my-face-looks-like-the-Appalachian-Mountains acne.  It's been painful, embarrassing, and to say the least, frustrating!!  So, out of embarrassment over my face, I haven't been posting or wanting to be seen.  At all.  *puts bag over head*

However!!!  One day I thought to myself, "Why am I letting this keep me from doing something I love and sharing information with people?"  Oh, maybe for fear of being made fun of?  Vanity?  I don't know, but no more!  I have decided to pick back up on this blog and move forward with my plans for it.  I have also decided to share my acne story in hopes that maybe I can help someone that has gone through or is going through a problem similar to mine. 

So now I have a question... I have plenty of ideas for posts but what I'd like to know from you is: what would you like to see more, videos or written posts?  Both?  What kinds?  Makeup tutorials, outfit posts, product reviews, hair tutorials, all of the above?  Let me know!

Love,
Aylissa

Purple and Grey Smokes

Hi Ladies!

Here is a make up look that I have been LOVING lately.  I was inspired to do this look because everyone is getting excited for fall and using deeper colors but I still wanted to hold on to that last little bit of summer with a pop of a bright color.  I hope you like it! :)  So without further adieu...

What I used:

Make Up Forever HD Foundation, shade #123, applied with a stippling brush.

Sephora Concealer quad under eyes.

Bareminerals Warmth as a contour on my hair line and in the hollows of my cheeks.

Maybelline Fit Me Blush in Light Nude.

Laura Gellar Blush-n-Brighten on cheek bones and bridge of nose as a highlight.

MAC Studio Fix Pressed Powder to set my T-Zone.
ybf beauty Automatic Brow Pencil in Taupe to fill in brows.

Eyes:

Apply Urban Decay Primer Potion all over lid and lower lash line.  Put a matte white shadow all over lid up to brow bone and in the inner corner.  Light pewter shimmer shadow on lid to just above crease.  (I used the "crease" color in the Velvet Crush Maybelline Shadow Quad.)  Then apply a medium purple shade into your crease. (I used a shade from my bh cosmetics 120 palette)  Again from the Velvet Crush Quad, use the "liner" (a dark charcoal grey) shade in your outer "V".  Lastly, apply your favorite black eyeliner and mascara.  I used Maybelline Stiletto liquid liner and then Lorac Mascara.

Lips:


Buxom Big and Healthy Lipstick in Amsterdam (rosy nude) and Revlon Super Lustrous Lipgloss in Nude Lustre (peachy nude).

I hope you all love this look as much as I do!  It can easily translate from day to night and would be gorgeous on most skin tones!  Let me know if there is a certain look you would like to see featured in this blog, be it inspired by a photo, celebrity, theme, whatever!  Also let me know if you would like a video tutorial!

Thank you for reading! :)

Aylissa

Summer Favorites

Hey Guys,

I know I haven't posted anything in awhile... so sorry about that!  But here is a quick post about products that I am loving this summer.

Summer Favorites by restartmyheart on Polyvore.com

One - MAC Studio Fix Powder Foundation - $26.50 - I used to think that powder foundations were horrible, had no lasting power or good coverage.  This foundation has changed my mind!  I use it over a tinted moisturizer on my t-zone to set it and on areas that need more coverage like under my eyes or around my nose.  It covers beautifully without looking cakey, leaves a nice finish and stays put.  I can Zumba for an hour and my makeup still looks good afterward when I wear this.  Love it!

Two - LUSH Figs and Leaves Soap - $7.60/3.5 oz. - BEST.  SOAP.  EVER.  I love it SO MUCH.  You guys know I love Lush products.  This is no exception!  It's all natural (of course) and has figs, glycerin, aloe extract and coconut oil, all of which are very moisturizing.  It also has little seeds in it so it's a gentle exfoliant at each use.  It smells absolutely AMAZING and makes my skin so soft!

Three - OPI in Do You Think I'm Tex-y? - $6-$10 - OPI makes great polishes that are easy to apply and last longer than some other polishes.  This particular one is a gorgeous raspberry pink and is a jelly finish so it goes on sheer at first and then finishes with a yummy jelly like gloss, not super opaque like a cream finish.  It's so pretty and I've been wearing it with everything!

Four - Nexxus Humectress Hydrating Treatment Deep Hair Conditioner (what a mouthful!) - $14 - During the summer our hair gets damaged takes a beating from the sun, the ocean, chlorine in the pools and heat styling.  This stuff makes me say, "What damage?"  You use it like a mask (or just like your regular conditioner once a week) and it makes my hair so soft and shiny.  I have had less split ends (I am NOT as gentle on my hair as I should be) so if you have dry, brittle hair, this stuff is amazing and I highly recommend it.

So those are my summer favorites that I've been using like crazy.  Sorry it took me so long to get another post up.  I just haven't been sure where I wanted this blog to go or how I wanted to go about getting there!  But now I am sure and there will be new content on here way more often so keep a lookout!  Thanks for reading. :)  Hope you enjoyed!

Love,
Aylissa

Lush Buffy Body Butter

Hellooo Gorgeous!

It has been a long time since I have posted anything.  It's horrible, I know!  I have wanted to but haven't had the chance.  I wanted my next couple of posts to go in a certain order since I've had some requests, starting with a foundation routine video/application tutorial, but my camera isn't great with video and I've been thinking about getting a new one... anyway, I'm back now with a review. :)

Presenting my newest love:

*LUSH BUFFY BODY BUTTER*

Three words:  It.  Is.  AMAZING.  As you all know, I am a huge fan of Lush cosmetics.  They're products are luxurious, effective, natural and fun.   This product is no exception!  So what is Buffy Body Butter?  Well, it is a body bar packed full of moisturizing shea butter and cocoa butter and also has ground rice, almonds and aduki beans to exfoliate leaving skin smooth and soft.

Why do I love it so much?  In the summer months, we all go swimming and hang out at the beach or the pool and inevitably get fried at some point, no matter how much sunscreen we put on.  You know that horrible itchy, flaky stage where your sunburn starts to peel, leaving you looking like you have some skin fungus?  This completely eliminates that whole stage!  I have really dry skin anyway and I always pile on the lotion after every shower and, depending on what I'm doing, a couple of times throughout the day.  When I use this in the shower, the exfoliants scrub my skin and get rid of all the dead skin cells.  You then rinse off the grit and the shea and cocoa butters stay behind.  Using this bar should be the last step of your bath or shower.  When you get out, you pat yourself dry (so that you don't rub the butter off) and then massage your skin to help it absorb the butters.  After using this several times, I have a visible improvement in my skin.  Also, my skin FEELS amazing.  I don't have to use lotion anymore.  My skin is soft & hydrated.

The only negative thing that I can think of is that if your skin is sensitive and you're not used to exfoliating, it can hurt a little if you aren't careful.  It is gritty when you rub it on.   I personally like that, though.  I cannot say enough good stuff about this body butter bar, however.  I love it so much and it's one of my staples now.  Lush continues to surprise me by how innovative and wonderfully pampering their products are.  I am going to be a lifelong customer.  :)

Anyway, I just had to review this product.  I hope you enjoyed it and I hope you get a chance to try this product!  Or any Lush product!  If you do, please comment and tell me about your experience.  For those of you that have tried Lush, what is your favorite product?  Comment below!

Thanks for reading..  missed you guys! :)

Love,

Aylissa