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Urban Decay XX Vice Reloaded*

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Whenever Urban Decay release a new palette, it’s almost as if you can hear the world’s intake of breath. There have been a couple lately, and I got my hands on the brand new XX Vice Reloaded Palette, and spoiler alert – it’s a good one!

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Packaged in a slick black compact, complete with jewelled logo, XX Vice Reloaded is something special to behold. It’s big, weighty thing, with a push button which releases the spring-loaded lid. I just love it, and it looks incredible. There’s no doubt about it, this palette is all about celebrating the best of Urban Decay!

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Inside there are 20 shades (to celebrate 20 years of the brand), some new, some classic, and some re-releases, as well as a double ended brush, and a huge mirror. At first I was a little daunted by the shades selection – there are some true jewel colours in there – particularly ones like Acid Rain and Asphyxia which are just breathtaking. But there is also a great selection of neutrals in there too! Perfect for using on a more regular basis.

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The beauty of XX Vice Reloaded is in it’s adaptability. Day looks revolve around the colours Suspend, Shallow and Midnight Cowboy. They’re a mix of matte and satin finish shades, which provide a subtle wash of definition without looking too dramatic.

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In the evenings, I’ve been smoking everything out with shades like Oil Slick, Smog, and Twice Baked. As we’ve come to expect from the brand, Urban Decay’s XX Vice Reloaded’s shadows are buttery smooth and apply like a dream. I’ve noticed that the matte shades do seem to have the very best colour payoff, whilst the shimmers and glitters are a touch sheerer, so when I want a really vivid look, I apply using a dampened brush.

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Like most of the brand’s palette, this one comes with a double-ended brush which is surprisingly useful. I just love that Urban Decay include real tools in their kits, rather than the usual sponge applicators which I throw out immediately!

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Since both ends have quite long and fluffy bristles, it’s a good tool for creating subtle blended looks – and what more can I ask for in the mornings?!

Urban Decay XX Vice Reloaded is priced at £43 and is available here (UK) and here (US)

Real Techniques Ultimate Base Set*

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I’m a big believer in getting your base right, and then everything else will follow. It’s true in most things, but especially in makeup. Start off with a streaky or blotchy base, and there’s no way your makeup is going to look right! So, with that in mind, Real Techniques have released a limited edition Ultimate Base Set.

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The set contains the trio of tools necessary for perfecting your base – the much loved miracle complexion sponge, expert face brush and a deluxe concealer brush.

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I’ve never tried a Real Techniques sponge before, and I’m not really too sure why. It feels soft and firm to the touch, and it expands when damp, feeling a little springier than when dry. It applies foundation smoothly, leaving me with a medium coverage, and it doesn’t soak up too much product either!

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To be honest, I was a little apprehensive before using the Expert Face Brush. It’s described as extra firm, and I’m never really a foundation-brush fan. Usually it takes me an age to buff foundations in using the regular ones, but this one has completely changed my mind! Super soft acrylic bristles don’t soak up my foundations, and I only need a pump or two each morning. The brush doesn’t leave any sort of brush marks in my makeup, and leaves me with the perfect level of natural-looking coverage.

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Last up is the Deluxe Concealer Brush – another tool I had no idea I needed! At the moment, I’m pretty lucky in the fact I’m only wearing Diorskin Star concealer under my eyes (review here) I’ve upped my green tea consumption, and I’m sure it’s made a difference to my skin! So, after applying a light base, I paint on the concealer-triangle under my eyes, then use the Deluxe Concealer Brush to buff everything in. It feels so soft, and doesn’t pull or tug on my delicate eye area. Instead, it just erases dark circles, leaving me ready for a dusting of bronzer and a slick of liner and mascara and I’m good to go!

Real Techniques Ultimate Base Set is priced at £20.99 and is available here (UK) and similar here (US)

Urban Decay Alice Through the Looking Glass Eyeshadow Palette*

Urban Decay Alice in Wonderland Palette

So yesterday I shared the rather stunning collection of lipsticks that Urban Decay had released to celebrate the new Alice Through the Looking Glass movie, but I think that the piece-de-resistance has to be the rather stunning eyeshadow palette.

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I kind of feel like calling this an eyeshadow palette is kind of like calling a Rolls Royce a run-around. There’s just something so special about this, and it’s the perfect mix of whimsy and much loved colours, and the packaging really is jus to die for!

Urban Decay Alice in Wonderland Butterfly

Absolutely every inch has been covered in triply, kaleidoscope-esque images and quotes from the book. It does feel a touch magical! Also, the absolute clincher for me was the rather magical 3-D butterfly which pops up under the mirror. I don’t think I’ve seen anything quite like it in a makeup product before.

Urban Decay Alice in Wonderland Palette Detail

It seems to right that Urban Decay have aligned themselves with a film all about the odd, and not-quite-right. They are such an inclusive and forward-thinking brand, it seems like a wonderfully natural fit!

Urban Decay Alice in Wonderland Eyeshadow Palette

When I realised how in love I was with the packaging, I was skeptical about how much I would like the palette. By nature, I’m rather boring when it comes to makeup. I can’t tell you how many brown and beige shadows I have, so I was so happy to see a great balance of neutrals alongside some really rather stunning colours.

Urban Decay Alice in Wonderland Palette review

Each column is designed to represent a character from the book, from left to right, they’re Alice, The Mad Hatter, Mirana, Iracebeth, and Time. It’s just such a novel little palette, I’m completely smitten! For daily use, I’ve been sweeping a light dusting of Reflection (a warm apricot) over my lids for a touch of definition, smudging Chronosphere (a warm, very metallic chestnut) into my lash line, and dotting Royal Flush (perhaps the most beautiful champagne shimmer highlight) into my inner eyes.

Urban Decay Alice in Wonderland shadow palette

As we’ve all come to expect from Urban Decay, the formulation of the shadows is pretty wonderful. They’re super smooth and creamy, with the most wonderful colour payoff. Shades like Dormouse and Chessboard are the perfect daily browns for me, and I wish I could buy a backup Royal Flush as it’s jus the most divine silky-smooth highlight. There are some surprises too! Lily looks like it should be a basic slightly yellow toned beige, but it’s shot through with pink micro-shimmer which gives the shade a beautiful fairy-dust quality. Dream On is another surprise – in the pan it looks like a deep cool toned shimmer mauve, but on the eyes it’s a wash of sheer sparkle. It’s stunning! The brighter colours are just dreamy too! I’m waiting for colder weather to rock the ultra pigmented and shimmering  Salanzan Grum, whilst I’m currently working up enough courage to wear the inky Time as an alternative to black liner.

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The palette also comes with a double ended brush tucked in amongst the shadows. It’s decorated with the same colourful patterning as the palette. I’ve not really tried it out too heavily yet, but it’s lovely and soft and is a great little blender!

Urban Decay’s Alice Through the Looking Glass Palette is priced at £43 and is available here (UK) and here (US)

The Original Beauty Blender

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It’s not often that a product completely sweeps the market and pretty much revolutionises   the beauty world. But I have to say, I think the Beauty Blender has done it! Before the neon pink sponge same onto the scene, most beauty blenders and sponges were big wedges of latex which pretty much smeared formula around. But now, beauty aisles are filled with egg-shaped sponges of varying colours promising flawless applications.

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Despite dabbling in a number of rather expensive copy-cats, when I popped into Boots the other day, I couldn’t resist buying a second one. I did grab one a couple of years ago in East Hampton (review here) but I’m not too sure where that one ended up!

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I’m happy to say, I think I love it even more than I did then! To use, I run the sponge under some lukewarm water to dampen it, and loosen it up a little. When the Beauty Blender soaks up water, it grows by about half its size, meaning it’s one of the largest sponges in my collection. It’s a complete dream to use. I’ve been using it with YSL’s new Touche Eclat Teint foundation (review to come) and I’m in love with the sheer, yet buildable coverage it gives. It gives skin a wonderful, perfected look, that feels incredibly natural and wears well all day. To be honest, I’m not sure why I got separated from my first Beauty Blender, but I do know that I’m a bit of a re-convert, and am going to pick up a spare the next time I see them! I’ve also seen that the Beauty Blender range has grown considerably, and I’m really quite keen to try the baby versions too!

The Original Beauty Blender is priced at £16.00 and is available here (UK) and here (US)

Real Techniques Cheek & Lip Set*

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Real Techniques is one of those brands that I hadn’t really tried out until relatively recently, but I’m now somewhat obsessed by! If you’ve not come across them yet, head over to your nearest Boots or Superdrug, who will undoubtably have some and you can start your collection too! They’re the brainchild of top beauty bloggers Pixiwoo (otherwise known as Samantha and Nicole Chapman) and it’s not an understatement to say that over the past few years, they’ve really taken the world by storm!

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Slowly but surely I’ve been creating something of a collection, so when I saw the Cheek & Lip kit I couldn’t resist. Consisting of a big fluffy powder brush, a contour brush and dinky lip brush, the trio is a real workhorse which you can reach for every morning.

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The Cheek Brush is an exclusive addition to the set, and it’s the thing that your brush-dreams are made of! First off, the size is absolutely perfect if you like to sweep your bronzer or blush on. The bristles feel super soft, and fan out to effortlessly apply bronzers and blushes in a believable wash of colour. I’ve been using the brush for bronzer application (so not just on my cheeks) and I’ve really fallen in love. It doesn’t shed bristles and it’s so comfortable to use. The kit is worth it’s weight in gold for this brush alone!

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The contour brush is probably the one I was most excited to try from the kit. I’ve not had a dedicated contour brush before, so the idea itself feels novel, and Real Techniques makes my most-used highlight brush, so I had super high expectations. The contour brush is a duo-fibre one, so the base of the brush is made from shorter, more densely packed bristles, whilst it ends in longer, super soft fibres. The brush makes contouring ridiculously easy, I swirl the brush in my contouring shade, apply a little under my cheekbones, around my chin and a little to my temples and around my hairline and I’m good to go. The brush leaves a soft, almost airbrushed effect which looks super natural. You’re not left with a dirty looking smudge, instead, it’s just a pretty and believable amount of definition.

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Last up is the lip brush, which, if you’re loving a defined, matte lip this season, it’s your must-have tool. The fibres of the brush are pleasingly firm, allowing you to easily control your lip colour, it’s absolutely invaluable for creating a perfect statement lip.

The Real Technique Cheek & Lip Set is priced at £19.99 and is available here.

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