Beauty Review - LORAC Unzipped Eyeshadow Palette

I never thought it was possible to use up an eye shadow tin, but it seems that I was wrong. I've depleted most of my favorite eye shadows, so I finally set some time aside to go to Sephora to find new ones. LORAC is a brand that I really enjoy. I've owned an amazing eyeshadow palette by them for three years, so I definitely went back for more. The color pigmentation is very strong and comparable to MAC. When I saw the UNZIPPED palette filled with all sorts of beautiful, neutral colors that I needed replaced I couldn't pass it up.

Valued at $200.00, this palette is being sold for only $40. I got an additional discount with a coupon from their VIB program, which made it a total steal. Not to mention, the palette comes with a sample of their eyeshadow primer. I had yet to try theirs, and as you may have read in my past posts, I'm a huge fan of MAC's paint pots as an inexpensive primer. I was pleasantly surprised how much I liked it. The primer goes on clear, which is nice because it doesn't interfere with the eyeshadow color.

All in all, I'm SUPER happy with my purchase, and I'm looking forward to using the palette over the next three years until it's time for more!

What's in My Makeup Bag?

I'm sure many of us gals have a couple free-bee Clinique bags filled with products we think we may some day use, but we never do. And, for some reason, we hold onto these makeup products that are probably expired because we feel wasteful just throwing them away.

Well, I have finally consolidated to one makeup bag that I can grab and know that I have what I need for any occasion. So, what's inside? Here are the main ingredients...

What is all this? Well, it's the basics: foundation, concealer, mascara, lipstick, powder, eye shadow, eye liner, blush and some bronzer. Granted, I don't always use everything all of the time, but when I do have my "full face" on, I use these.

Probably the most significant product in here is Lorac's Eye Shadow Palette. Unfortunately the palette that is shown here is no longer available, but there is one that is similar at Sephora. I can create a day look with the lighter shades and an evening look with the darker shades. I don't really use the blush too much because it's pretty dark.  Instead, I use NARS blush in "orgasm."

NARS blushes are known as being the best of the best, and the color "orgasm," though risque, has been voted the best color for ALL skin types. It goes on skin best with a liquid foundation. If you use mineral foundation, try using their cream blush.

Which brings me to my favorite liquid foundation, Lorac's Natural Performance Foundation. If you have acne prone or sensitive skin, this is a great product. It's water based and is long lasting. Apply this with a foundation brush.

Along with my foundation, I use Benefit's Boi-ing concealer. I have talked about this product in the past because it's the best concealer I have EVER used. It's highly pigmented so it covers scars and red marks well. It's also very creamy, which makes application easy with your finger.

Another Benefit product I enjoy is their bronzer in the color "Hoola." I just lightly dust it all over my face to give my skin a bit of a tan since I haven't been outside much this winter.

To eliminate any shine, I stick with Almay's Nearly Naked Loose Powder. Almay products are hypoallergenic. There's no need to spend a ton of money on powder. I've never experienced a major difference between high end makeup lines and those that you find in drugstores when it comes to powder.

MAC's Technakohl Eye Liner in "Brown Border" rocks! You can apply this liner on the inner part of your lid without irritating your eye AND it stays! This liner is retractable and doesn't need to be sharpened. Plus, it's very creamy and goes on smoothly.

MAC's Zoom Lash mascara is alright. I wrote a review about this product awhile ago. I will say that this mascara washes off easily with soap and water. That's a huge plus for me.

BUT, MAC's Paint Pots are AMAZING! I have also written a post about these little wonders in a pot. I highly recommend that everyone purchase these. They are a great base for eye shadows because they keep your shadow looking fantastic ALL day long.

Lastly, I have been using Lancome's lipsticks lately because my awesome sister-in-law, Nicky, gave me her freebies. I'm really enjoying the shade, "Trendy Mauve." It give my lips a very natural look. I definitely recommend it for olive skin tones. In general, I find their lipsticks very creamy and long-lasting.

If I put all this makeup on, it usually takes me 15 minutes.

Product Reviews

johnsonandjohnsonEver have one of those shopping trips where you feel like you're stocking up on face wash, body lotion, tooth paste, etc. all at once? I had one of those weekends awhile ago, and I decided to try some new products. I've definitely found some new favorites!... Johnson and Johnson Deep Hydrating Body Lotion - I'm not a fancy shmancy lotion person. Scent is a factor, but I'm definitely about results. This body lotion really does keep my skin moisturized all day long! It does have that baby smell, which you may or may not like, but I definitely recommend checking it out.

Aveeno Positively Radiant Moisturizer - I've tried Aveeno's products before, and nothing ever wowed me, but this daily moisturizer with SPF 15 is definitely working for my sensitive, combination skin. This product is oil-free, hypoallergenic and noncomedogenic.

Aveeno Clear Complexion Foaming Cleanser - I've always been a fan of Johnson & Johnson's PURPOSE Facial cleanser because my dermatolgist recommended that product, but I decided to take a risk with this one. I'm loving it! It's super gentle on my face. Suds usually dry out my face too much, but because it's such a light cleanser I haven't had any problems. Not to mention, it takes my eye makeup off with a breeze.

Benefit Boi-ing - Now this is a product that I did not find in Target, but rather at blissful Sephora. Best concealer on the market times ten! This concealer is creamy, stays on and covers anything up. I highly recommend it! I've tried a lot of concealers in the past with LORAC, MAC, etc., this is the best. I'll keep coming back for this one and I don't mind paying the bigger bucks because it works!

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