I'M BACK! Naked2 Giveaway. :)

I'M BAAAAAAAACK!!

Ohmigosh, I know I haven't posted regularly in MONTHS and again I'm sorry, but finally I'm back! I have been mega mega busy but the awesome news is I finally have a full time permanent teaching job starting in August and I'm off on my summer holidays now so life is GOOD!

My cheesorama face to show you my joy.

Thank you so much if you are reading this, I know I lost a few followers through my absence and I totally understand that, but if you're checking this out now it might mean you're giving me a second chance so THANK YOU.

I will have a proper post up in a few days giving you a quick catch up of some things I've been up to, and then I'll be back to OOTDs, nail art and reviews like normal! I have lots of posts to write, eeEeeeEE! I'm excited. :)

Buuuut giveaway time! In order to celebrate my return (and to encourage people to visit my blog again haha) I'm giving away an Urban Decay Naked 2 Palette. I know loads of people already have this, but it's awesome and everyone needs a back up. =p

You can read my review of Naked 2 here (don't worry, this one is brand new obv).

Enter below, UK only please. Comment below if you have entered. :)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Also, since it's been so long, I have tons of blogs to catch up on - please leave me a link if you'd like me to catch up on yours! Have you posted something I have to read??

Let me know!

~ Lauren ♥

My Current Face Favourites :)

Today I'm going to show you my current daily face! I love to know what make up people use regularly, because although a lot of us buy the new or highly rated products, sometimes we just have our favourites we go back to again and again.

All pictures are taken of the products in their current, loved, state! =p

Currently, for my base I'm using either Kiko BB Cream (which I purchased in the Kiko store in Westfields, London) or Jemma Kidd Light as Air. I use the BB when I have fake tan on as it blends better.

I have reviewed JK Light as Air here.

I'm not 100% sold on either base, still looking for my favourite!

My current concealer is Collection (previously Collection 2000)'s Lasting Perfection. It is SUCH a bargain and does match coverage to high end concealers I've tried. I'm still looking for my HG under-eye concealer though!

I use Nars Orgasm for my blush for day to day wear, blusher is the make up product I like the least - I never seem to apply it perfectly and it annoys me cause I know Orgasm is so good!

I swatched Orgasm here.

On my eyes, I am currently using ELF Prime & Seal Primer, which I love, and then a combination of colours from my Urban Decay Naked and Naked2 Palettes.

I reviewed the ELF Primer here and have compared Naked and Naked2 here.

I'm enjoying ELF's primer, it's super cheap and is like a crayon so it's so easy to use. You can buy it here, but it's quite often out of stock! I also love love LOVE my Naked Palettes, I never use anything else (I know, how exciting).

I also use Urban Decay 24/7 liquid eyeliner - although I am desperately looking for alternative (animal friendly obv)!! And my new AMAZING mascara is 17 Cosmetics Peep Show. Seriously, I usually use high end mascara but was sent this and now it's my daily go-to!

I ranted about my UD eyeliner here and raved about my 17 mascara here.

I apply all my make up with Sigma brushes:

I have reviewed them here, here and here.

They need a wash hahaha.

And that's my face!

You can see that the products I use I have genuinely reviewed positively and keep using over and over.

Do you use any of these products? Do you have any base or eyeliner recommendations for me? What do you think of my daily favourites?

Let me know!

~ Lauren ♥

Naked2 EOTD Ideas!!

On my recent OOTD post (click here) some people asked about my eye makeup. I used the Urban Decay Naked2 Palette to create the look, and right now it's pretty much all I use. I thought I'd post up a few quick, easy looks I came up with, all using Naked2.

Top without flash, bottom with flash for all photos.
Look1: Silvery

Shades used: Foxy (highlight), Verve (all over), Pistol (outer V and crease).

Look2: Goldy

Shades used: Foxy (highlight), Bootycall (inner corner), Half Baked (centre of lid), Snakebite (outer V and crease).

Look4: Mixed Metals

Shades used: Foxy (highlight), YDK (all over top lid), Verve (bottom lid), Half Baked (outer corner).


I know I'm no MUA, but the Naked and Naked2 Palettes make it so easy to come up with wearable looks that these only took me about five minutes each of experimentation. The lighting in my room is soooo poor when I come home from work a lot of the photos I took didn't turn out well, I'll try show more when I have better lighting!

What do you think? What is your favourite? Have you tried another combo that you love?

Let me know!

~ Lauren ♥

Naked2 and Naked Comparison Review

I think I have a problem.

Oops.

So yes, I bought Urban Decay Naked2 after I already had two of the original Urban Decay Naked palettes. However, my kind sister is going to buy one of them off me so thank you Alie!! =p

As you can see, I caved. I bought the Naked2 online pretty much as soon as I could. I loved Naked so much, and I'd seen swatches on American blogs, that I knew I HAD to have it. And, don't get me wrong, I love it. I looove the shimmery eyeshadows (I know people wanted more mattes but I'm a sucker for shimmer) and the way they feel, blend and last. But I couldn't help feeling like a LOT of the colours are super similar to Naked.

I know you guys have probably read a hundred of these reviews already, so I'm not going to go into depth. You know it comes with a decent eye brush (shading and blending) and the most pathetic size of lipgloss ever.

The colours are as follows:

And yes, I did cut out the last shade (a matte black called Blackout). Don't ask me why.

And here's the customary swatches:

click to enlarge

In natural light (i.e. outside)

Inside, no flash

Inside with flash

So it's all very beautiful, especially Verve (a lilacy shimmer) and YDK (a delicious bronze). As you can see, Foxy barely shows up on my skin at all, no matter how hard I tried. However, I was glancing at my orginial Naked Palette and noticed some distinct similaries.

Naked top, Naked2 bottom.

Here is my opinion of which colours are similiar. Now bare in mind the only duplicated shade is Half Baked, but I do feel the following shades are very close in colour.

The top row is the swatches of Naked2 I had already done, underneath are the shades from the original palette which I feel are closest in colour to them (some have no comparison).

Here's more specific pictures:

No flash

Flash

Again, the top row is Naked2 and bottom row is original Naked.

a) Bootycall (N2) and Virgin (N)
b) Tease (N2) and Naked (N)
c) Snakebite (N2) and Smog (N)
d) YDK (N2) and Toasted (N)
e) Busted (N2) and Hustle (N)
f) Blackout (N2) and Creep (N)

As mentioned, none of the shades are identical, but as six of the shades are quite comprable, and one is a duplicate, it means only 5 of the 12 shades are completely unique to Naked2.

My conclusion is that if you didn't buy the original Naked and want to try out the gorgeous (and they ARE gorgeous) shades in Naked2, go for it! If you already have Naked and like it but wouldn't repurchase it, don't bother with Naked2. However if, like me, you LOVED Naked and more of the same is not a bad thing, then invest!!

What do you think guys? Are the shades too similar? Will you be buying it? Are you fed up of Naked2 posts already?!

Let me know!

~ Lauren ♥