Feb 13, 2012

LORAC Unzipped Palette Swatches, Photos, Review

February 13, 2012 By Carleenp 7 Comments

I can’t rave enough about the new LORAC Unzipped Pallet, exclusive to Sephora. If you like nude and neutral shades, forget Urban Decay Naked 2, and look to this instead! Unlike the Naked 2 Palette, which was a bit too shimmery for my tastes and for most daily makeup looks for anyone over 25-30 or so, LORAC Unzipped, has a nice mix of shimmer and matte shades that I find also apply and blend better than the Urban Decay shades. Now don’t take that as a dig at Urban Decay, it isn’t, I really love their products, but I think LORAC has really outdone them here. Below are photos and swatches of the LORAC Unzipped Palette.

The Unzipped Palette contains ten neutral/nude shades that tend to not be overly warm or cool, making the palette pretty universal for most skin tones. Also included is a sample size of Behind the Scenes Eye Primer, which is a quality eye shadow primer.

Packaging is a sturdy magnetic enclosure case.

Here are LORAC Unzipped swatches. From the top row of the palette are the shades Undercover (matte nude), Unbelievable (copper shimmer), Unattainable (bronze shimmer), Unconditional (matte fawn), Unbridled (matte merlot).

And here are swatches of the bottom row of the Unzipped Palette with the shades Undiscovered (gold shimmer), Unreal (champagne shimmer), Uncensored (chocolate shimmer), Unspoken (matte sable), and Untamed (bordeaux shimmer).

The shadows in the LORAC Unzipped Palette have wonderful pigment density and are just the perfect texture to blend well without being so soft and messy that the shades get muddy. I already know that I will be wearing this palette out!

LORAC Unzipped is limited edition, so get it while you can!

Buy it at Sephora

Disclosures: Beauty and Fashion Tech at times reviews products provided by a representative of the company. When we do so, we specifically state so. We also use affiliate links. For more, please see the disclosure page

Filed Under: Eyeshadow, Makeup, Makeup Primer, Palettes and Collections Tagged With: Lorac, Swatches

Aug 30, 2011

Murad Hybrids Skin Perfecting Primer Review

August 30, 2011 By Carleenp Leave a Comment

Murad Hybrids are makeup oriented products that do more than cover. So they basically aim for double duty. The entire line is full of quality products, but there are a couple of the Murad Hybrids that particularly stand out for me. The first of those is Murad Skin Perfecting Primer Matte Finish.

Murad’s Matte finish Primer is a good oil free tinted primer that leaves a slight powder-like finish to the skin. It works well either alone or under makeup and I personally tend to use it under a light powder foundation. The primer controls oil pretty well. I got well through an average day with it. I did get a bit oily again toward the end of my day, but that happens to me with pretty much every mattifier that I use. Coverage from the tint is light. If you like a sheer look, use it alone. If you want more cover, add makeup over it.

Murad Matte Finish reviews have generally been pretty good and you can see consumer reviews by clicking the link to go to the product page on the Murad website. If you are looking for a decent oil control tinted primer, Murad may be of interest to you!

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Disclosure: This post is based on a product provided by a representative of the company. For more, please see our disclosure page

Filed Under: Makeup Primer, Mattifiers, Skin Care Tagged With: Murad

Jun 2, 2011

Top Summer Makeup Tips

June 2, 2011 By Carleenp 1 Comment

Avoid Makeup Melt With These Top Summer Makeup Tips

From melting and dripping to sticky messes, the summer months can really take a toll on your makeup. As the temperatures rise and summer creeps in, it is important to remember some important summer makeup tips to keep you looking your best, even in the heat. Different makeup products perform differently in the heat, so it pays to know how your makeup will deal with the summer months. By following some simple and easy summer makeup tips, you can still look your best, even in the heat.

Summer Makeup Tip 1: Less is More

One of the easiest things that you can do to avoid melty messes in the heat is to go easy on your makeup. Think about how much time you will be spending outdoors and consider the amount of makeup you usually apply. Apply less makeup for each hour spent outside in the heat. You may want to use a tinted moisturizer instead of your usual foundation. LORAC protecTINT comes in 4 different shades and includes SPF 30 sunscreen. This is not to say that you can't use foundation, but a small amount of powder foundation can be placed where you don't feel like using the moisturizer. You may also want to consider a light primer to go on after the moisturizer. A light primer is a perfect summer makeup product in that it helps to keep your makeup in place all day, even in the heat. You can use a primer for eye shadow, as well as blush. Photo Finish Foundation Primer SPF 15 with Dermaxyl Complex is a great way to get the benefits of primer and sunscreen.

Summer Makeup Tip 2: Use Bronzer

In order to keep your eyes bright, you may want to consider applying some powder bronzer to your cheek bones, forehead, nose, and your chin. Apply lightly with a loose brush, so as not to have a dense pattern on your face. Make sure to lightly dust your neck and ears in order to have a uniform look. For a great waterproof, matte bronzer, check out Tarte’s Waterproof Matte Bronzer. It has been getting rave reviews!

Summer Beauty Tip 3: Consider Eyelash Extensions and Waterproof Eye Liner

When it comes to mascara, a great alternative is to have eyelash extensions applied. Done properly, eyelash extensions can last for weeks and you can swim and sweat all day with no worries of gunky messes.

Waterproof makeup has also made great strides in recent years. Gone are the days of flaky, crumbling messes.

If you are applying eyeliner, you may want to try Make Up Forever Aqua Eyes eyeliners (also see our previous review: Make Up Forever Aqua Eyes Swatches). This award winning line of eyeliners keeps you from turning into a raccoon, in the water or out. Whether you are performing a water ballet or just hanging out at the park, Make Up Forever Aqua Eyes eyeliners are a great choice to keep you looking beautiful all day. Make Up Forever Aqua Eyes eyeliners are completely waterproof, they glide on easily, and come in 25 shades.

Summer Beauty Tip 4: Avoid Heavy Lipstick

Instead of using lipstick, consider using a lipliner topped with some gloss. Find a shade that matches your natural lip color the closest, then apply and use a sheer gloss on top. This will keep your lips looking fresh all day while avoiding the sticky mess that can happen with heavy lipsticks in the Summer.

Summer Makeup Tip 5: Beat the Heat with Blotting Papers and Hydration

For your skin, carry around some blotting papers. From oily skin to light sweat, blotting papers can be a life saver in keeping your skin glowing without being shiny. Remember to keep yourself hydrated in order to keep your skin from drying and getting oily. Hydration will also help keep your makeup fresh and glowing. Also, when packing your makeup, keep in mind that even if your makeup bag won't be in direct sunlight, the heat can still melt it. Consider using a an insulated carrying case to avoid sticky messes.