Valentine's Look Using Urban Decay's Naked3 Palette

I'll be honest...I hate Valentine's Day. It has nothing to do with a bitter breakup or a bad experience. I simply believe this "holiday" puts a lot of unnecessary pressure on guys to find a perfect gift or special reservations and gives girls unrealistic expectations of a magical, romantic evening on Valentine's Day. I also hate boxes of chocolate. They are nasty! I'm one of the only people in the world who loves the coconut chocolates. Growing up, my mom and sisters saved their coconut chocolates for me, and even though they had been squished to reveal the inside, I happily traded my unwanted chocolates for these delicious creations. Flowers can be nice. The thing is...these are things that should happen throughout the year or the relationship. Not just because it's a holiday marked in the calendar.
**Note to guys: It's much better to handwrite a note or letter to your special girl than pick up a cheesy Hallmark card last minute and a stuffed animal. Definitely no stuffed animals!!! Unless your date is five. Then that would be acceptable and most likely preferred.

However, being a makeup junkie, this holiday gives me inspiration to create new looks. I came up with this tonight, and loved the finished look. I used only shades from the Urban Decay Naked3 palette. You can read my full review here.

What you need:

• Naked3 palette (or similar colors...the idea here is the placement of the shadows and the warm, rosy tones in the shades)-I used Buzz, Nooner, and Blackheart
• Shadow primer-I used Urban Decay's Primer Potion
• Liquid or gel liner in black-I used the L'Oreal felt tip Slim Liner
• Pencil liner in black-I used Nars Via Veneto
• Mascara-I used L'Oreal Voluminous Million Lashes Excess
• Pink blush- I used Nars Deep Throat
• Pale pink lipstick- I used MAC Angel
• Highlighter- I used Benefit's Watts Up

What you do:
Start by sweeping Buzz all over the lid.

 

 

Use Nooner in the crease. Focus the color on the outer half of the lid and blend along the entire crease. Using the color left on the brush or with a pencil brush, sweep this color along the bottom lash line.

 



 

 

Pick up a tiny bit of Blackheart on your brush. A little of this color goes a long way!! Place this color ONLY on the very outer corner of the lid. Do not bring the color into the crease. Blend out. Using a liner brush, line just the outer third of the lower lash line with Blackheart.

 

 

Line the upper lash line with the liquid or gel liner. I chose to wing it out, but you don't have to do this if you prefer a straight line.

 

 

Using the pencil liner, line your water line on the bottom only. You can line all the way around if you like.

 



 

Add loads of mascara. Focus on the outer and middle lashes. Next time I will probably add single false lashes to make them look fuller.





 

 

 

Here is the full finished look. I kept blush neutral with Nars Deep Throat and added a highlight along my cheekbones with Benefit's Watts Up. For lips, I chose a neutral pale pink with MAC's lipstick in Angel.

 

 

 

I hope you like this look! Let me know if you try it for yourself :)

Revlon Colorburst Matte and Lacquer Balms

Revlon has been releasing hit after hit this past year, and the Colorburst Matte and Lacquer Balms are no exception. Each range of matte and glossy colors includes ten shades. I own three in each collection, and I am beyond obsessed with these lip crayons!
 

From left to right: the Mattes: Unapologetic, Audacious, and Showy and the Lacquers: Coquette, Vivacious, and Provocateur

 



 

First of all, the color payoff is amazing for the formula of the product. These contain a triple butter formula including shea, coconut, and mango butters that are incredibly moisturizing, and I didn't find the matte shades drying in the least. The lacquers feel especially conditioning on the lips! There is a faint peppermint smell and a slight tingle that lasts a few seconds after application. I wouldn't say the staying power is anything impressive. You will have to reapply a few times during the day and especially after eating or drinking. I don't mind reapplying during the day if it means my lips don't dry out! 

 

 

Top to bottom: Provocateur, Vivacious, and Coquette 

 

 

Top to bottom: Showy, Audacious, and Unapologetic

 

 

 

 The Mattes

 

 

 

The Lacquers

 

 

 

Unapologetic (matte): bright pink with a hint of red. Beautiful color.

Audacious (matte): a stunning bright coral, perfect for spring and summer!

Showy (matte): a purple toned pink, one of my favorites.
Coquette (lacquer): medium pink, nice for every day.
Vivacious (lacquer): deep pink with red tones...love love this shade.
Provocateur (lacquer): cherry red, a gorgeous, juicy shade of red.

I'm not sure I can even choose my favorite shades! I love all of the matte shades, and Vivacious would be my pick of the lacquers. I will definitely be adding more to my collection. I love to play with lip colors but don't like to pay a fortune for a lipstick I won't use on an every day basis. These Colorburst Balms deliver the best of both worlds: high-impact color in a super moisturizing formula and a drugstore price. I highly recommend giving these a shot!

Have you tried these lip colors yet? What are your favorite shades?