Naked Skin {Review}

It wasn't very long ago that Urban Decay expanded their "Naked Makeup" line to include various face and lip products.  They introduced powders, foundation, concealer, BB creams, lip glosses, lip liners, etc.  

I was interested in the "Naked Skin Weightless Ultra Definition Liquid Makeup" in particular, because of it's claims to be a natural medium coverage foundation, which is my style. They offer 18 different shades ranging from .5 all the way to 12; those ending in ".0" have warm undertones (yellow, golden, and olive) and those ending in ".5" have pink and rose undertones for cooler completions.  I'm somewhere in the light/ medium range with warm undertones.  I first bought 3.0 "light shade with golden undertones" and although the undertones were right, it was too fair for my completion and I found it washed me out too much.  I then exchanged it for 4.0 "medium-light, with golden olive undertones"  the shade is perfect, but I find the undertones are a little too "green" or "olive."  So for that reason I wish there was just a 4.0 "golden," something in between the two shades I tried.           

Claims:

"This formula helps skin achieve a natural, illuminated and bright finish— like the beautiful skin you were born with. Naked Skin is formulated with light-diffusing spheres, transforming you to look professionally retouched. Buildable coverage allows women to customize their look" 

Finish/Texture:  "Matte, never flat, and luminous, but not shiny."  

The best way to describe the finish of this foundation is natural.  I have "normal" dry/ combination skin, where I get shiny only in my t-zone as the day goes on.  Although the product has a liquid consistency, it is not runny or watery.  It's easy to apply evenly and blend out quickly.

Lasting Power:

Without a primer I find it wears throughout the day ( and only fades in the areas where I have the habit to touch my face alot (around my nose, and chin),  I can get a good 7-8 hour of good wear before I find that I want to touch up my t-zone with some sort of powder or skin finish.  With a primer, it lasts a lot longer and I've worn it for up to 10 and 12 hours.  I still use a powder to touch up the areas where I tend to get some shine.   

Packaging:

Beautiful.  The foundation is packaged in a clear sleek pump bottle with dark silver cap and silver lettering up the side. 

Price/Availability:     

$45- for 1 oz of product. 

I purchased mine in my local Sephora, but it is also available at Sephora online and the Urban Decay website

How I Use It:

I dispense 1.5 pumps onto the back of my hand and then buff it into my skin using the Sigma F80 flat top kabuki brush (read my recent Sigma brush review here)  I then apply a thin layer of MAC Mineralize Skin Finish Natural in Medium Plus only to my t-zone before continuing with the rest of my routine; blush, bronzer, etc.  

Likes:

• Buildable coverage
• Easy application
• A little goes a long way.  Like I mentioned in my last Sigma review, I used to apply it with a Beauty Blender which took 3 pumps to achieve my desired coverage.  Not with my F80 I only use 1.5
• Beautiful packaging 

Dislikes:

• The vast difference between 3.0 and 4.0, like I said I felt the undertones of 3.0 was perfect and the 4.0 was the correct depth, I feel like if I could mix the two I would have the perfect color match.  The olive isn't terrible but it isn't quite right for me.  
• Price, I would have been happier spending $25-35 on this foundation.  It won't be a re-purchase for me.

(L) one pump of naked skin foundation (R) blended

Overall: ★★★½

Like I said, I can happily get a full day of comfortable wear from foundation but I find the range of shades is too limiting.  I sometimes mix it with a more neutral toned drugstore foundation to make it a better match.  The finish is beautiful and it despite it's liquid texture it dries quickly and stays put.  Will I spend another $45 to repurchase this when I finish it? No.  But will I enjoy it while it lasts? Absolutely.  

Happy Thursday!

xoxo

#BLOGGERSDOITBETTER: Going Nude This Spring

You may have heard about (or seen) the "Bloggers Do it Better Challenge" recently that Gemma from Touch of Belle has so wonderfully orchestrated.  When I heard about it over Twitter I thought it was a great opportunity for a newbie like me to not only continue to be inspired and have motivation for my posts but also connect with like-minded bloggers.  

What's unique about this challenge is that Gemma provides us with very broad topics- for example, the first one (this one!) is "Bloggers Do Spring Better" which allows each participant to have a creative license and write about absolutely anything and everything.  As a result a network of  connected blog posts with the same theme is established. I love it!

I've been thinking about this post for a long time and I'm almost embarrassed about how late it is- considering it was supposed to be posted this past Monday.  However, since I've been so incredibly busy with a full time practicum and am just now finding the time to sit down and focus on myself for a second I figured it was better to be late than never! *drumroll*

Blogger Do Spring Better: Going Nude

A trend that I've noticed and loved this spring is nude which actually something that is a little new to me.  Is it not the constant struggle to find the perfect nude?  

Maybelline's Dare to Go Nude Limited Edition Spring Collection

Sephora's nude picks for Spring as seen on Instragram

This being said I think when the weather warms up everybody needs some color! Thus for my first even Bloggers Do it Better post I have decided to marry the nude Spring trend with beautiful shades of rose-y pink, and gold with my top Spring picks!

Lips:

A little while ago I was doing a "Lip Duo" tag on Instagram, in which I featured everyone of these little beauties while talking about Nudes.  I can't help it. I love them.  I think the one thing they share universally is how comfortable they are- which is really important to me!  

From left to right:

NYX Butter Gloss in Tiramisu: This gloss is perfection.  It's just light enough to wash over a dark color to lighten it up for day time and just dark enough to deepen a lighter color.  Plus, just as the name indicates the texture is butter.

Revlon ColorBurst Matte Balm in Sultry:  I found that this color is very similar to Mac Twig Satin lipstick (I have a comparison post in the mix) but much more of a rosey shade.  The earthy/brown undertones make it easy to wear day- to- day.  This is the closest I've come to a "my lips but better" color.

MAC Lustre lipstick in Naked Bud: This lipstick is limited edition from the Fantasy of Flowers collection released recently.  It's described as a "neutral sheer nude" on the Mac website.  Personally, I find it has just a hint peach undertones which is perfect and what I think makes it the only true nude lipstick I've ever purchased.  The lustre finish is so comfortable and honestly I have nothing negative to say. Well, actually, It wouldd be nice if it wore a little longer but I take beautiful color over longevity any day.  I like to pair it with either my NYX Tiramisu gloss or Mac Nymphette for more of a golden-peach color.

Tiramise, Sultry, Naked Bud

Cheeks:

From left to right:

MAC Warm Soul: This is the definition of the perfect blush.  It's universal.  I can reach for this color no matter what my lip/ eye color is and it never fails me.  It's a beige toned blush with the smallest flecks of gold shimmer.  In the winter I sometimes skip bronzer and just dust this along my cheeks for a healthy glow.  

MAC Superb:  Another limited edition MAC product from the Magnetic Nude collection and also the first ever Extra-Dimension Skin Finish I tried.  What I love about this is it's almost impossible to overdo when you apply it with a brush or like below you can apply it with your finger for a much more concentrated pigment-  both on the cheekbones or directly over blush you just glow. Its beige-y, it's peach-y, its even purple-y in some lights.  Whatever it is it I can't get enough.

Too Faced Chocolate Soleil:  Not the first time I've mentioned this bronzer! (Read more about it here)  Well suited to the name it is a milk chocolate-y shade, soft, natural, blendable. Did I miss anything??  What I have been doing lately when I'm in a rush is taking my Real Techniques blush brush (any tulip shaped blush would work) and mixing both Warm Soul and Chocolate Soleil on my brush applying it in a tapered shape to my cheek bones.  Boom.  Instant fool-proof cheeks.

Warm Soul, Superb, Chocolate Soleil

Eyes:

From left to right:

Naked 3: The infamous naked palettes.  How can you talk about nudes without mentioning them?  I got my Naked 3 palette from my loving boyfriend at Christmas this year. I chose not to swatch it because you can find thousands and thousands of similar photos with a quick Google search.  The versatility of this palette is unreal.  The rose- gold theme makes it unique enough to be able to create a look exclusively with its colors or complement any other shadows in your collection. 

Urban Decay in Sin: When I think Spring and Summer I think cream products.  So I decided to chose two cream shadows and bases to include in my Spring picks.  This primer potion is actually the sample I received within my Naked palette but I've been keeping it in a sample pot to get the most use of it.  The color is so beautiful that I will sometimes just wear it alone with some mascara, but pair it under any of the Naked 3 shades and you've struck gold.     

Maybelline 24H Color Tattoo in Pure Nude: I heard alot about these color tattoos before I decided to finally go out and actually try one.  I picked the lightest color "Pure Nude" which may or may not be limited edition with their Dare to Go Nude collection I pictured above.  I think this shade is comparable but just a touch lighter to Mac's Paint Pot in Bare Study which my mum has used for years under her shadows.  The formula is super blendable so the only issue I took with this is I found if I wore it alone with no shadow on top it creases after a few hours.  What I love about any light cream shade like this is it is not only beautiful by itself but will also intensify the colors of any pigments you place on top.

Sin, Pure Nude

Nails:

Finally, my favorite manicure lately is Essie Eternal Optimist which is an oldie but a goodie.  I think of it as kind of a dusty rose shade. Which sound un-appealing but is actually really flattering on your nails (especially if you have more of a tan/olive undertone in your skin like moi) and since I'm a sucker for an accent nail Nicole OPI The Next CEO gives a pop of sparkle. 

Oh Spring, love love love.  Writing this has me so excited for the change of seasons.  Thank you again Gemma for organizing such a great project.  I look forward to the next one and I promise to be on time! If you are interested in seeing any of the other Spring interpretations (they range from cooking, to personal memories, to beauty, etc.) search #BloggersDoItBetter on Twitter and maybe even get involved yourself or if you have already published one send me your link below!

xoxo