Anastasia Beverly Hills

Shadow Couture Palette Review

Hello, there! It's been a bit since we've spoken! We (the boyfriend and I) had a few personal things going on, and I needed to direct my attention to that. However, I'm certainly back, as I've been buying makeup like a madwoman.

I recently, on my lunch break, picked up this gorgeous palette. Ulta is literally too close for my wallet's safety. I was really close to becoming a platinum member, so clearly, I needed to get something. Right?! Isn't that how that works?

So, I picked up this palette, and I love it. It has some great shades, and a combination of matte and shimmer shades. Some of the shimmers are actually more like glittery, but I'm ok with it. When you spray your brush with a finishing spray, it looks so so pretty!

Swatches

 Here are some swatches of the palette. The shades match up with the palette. These are so pigmented. I do have a primer on my arm, but that's really just because I'm so pale, and I wanted the lighter shades to actually show up. Besides being extremely pigmented, they also have amazing stay power. My shadow didn't crease at all, not one bit. Let's be gross for a minute, I didn't take my eye makeup off before I went to bed, and guess what? I woke up with perfect makeup. The shadows had faded a bit, but they were still clearly there.

Let's be real here, Anastasia never disappoints.

In the picture below, I'm using Morocco and Fudge in the crease, Bellini and Chic on the lid.

I haven't been bold enough to use Azul yet, but I'm really excited to get into it and get out of my comfort zone. Definitely recommend this palette if you're looking for something new with fun colors! For $30, it is certainly worth it.

I'm debating on whether or not I want to start a YouTube channel. Would anyone even care if I did?! I don't think I have much of a "following."

Let me know in the comments below. (:

Tarte Energy Noir Palette

True Life: I'm Obsessed with Fall Makeup

Seriously, though, I'm obsessed with fall everything. 

Oxblood, flannels, vampy lips, vampy eyes, porcelain skin, combat boots, black skinny jeans, crunchy leaves, cool breeze... Need I continue? Have I gotten it across that I live for fall?

Tarte's new fall palette is this gorgeous Energy Noir clay palette. Take a deep breath, because I'm about to gush about how perfect it is. Preface: I love Tarte.

Let's get some swatches in here.

Look. At. Those. They're so pretty. Look how well that highlighter goes with the blush! *sigh*

Ok, so let's break this palette down. The top left six shades are all eye shadows. 4 matte shades and 2 shimmer shades. The bottom 2 left rectangles are shadow liners. Obviously, the large one is the blush, and the rectangle under that is the highlight.

Shadows

The shadows are really pretty. In the matte shades, there's a white, a nice grayish shade, a deep brown, and a lilac mauve. All these shades are highly pigmented and really true to color. I think I've used 3 of these shadows in a look already, and they are so easy to blend. If you've used the Tartelette matte palette, these mattes are to par with those. They're wonderful.

The two shimmers are in the center, and I'm in love with them. Charged Up has different hints when you're in different lighting. It looks like a nice gray shimmer, but in the swatch it almost looks like a taupe-y nude. Up to Slate does the same thing. It's a silvery purple shimmer. Both of these are so creamy and so easy to blend into the mattes.

I personally don't feel like they have any more fall out than other shadows.  They just go so well together, and I can't handle it.

Liners

These are also matte, clearly. I actually haven't used them as liners. I've blended that Power Plum into my outer corner, though, and it's wonderful. They do feel a little drier than the shadows, so I think if you wet an angled brush, they'd make a perfect subtle or deeper liner. Definitely something you could build on. 

Blush

This blush is gorgeous. Gorgeous. It's so, so highly pigmented. You only need a tiny bit to get it done. I feel like it has a hint of mauve in it, which is perfect for fall.

Highlighter

I've only recently become a highlighter fan. Like, really recent. Maybe 2 months ago. This one is more on the champagne side, and it just compliments the blush perfectly. I currently have a tan (ugh!), but once I get back to my lighter tone, I think it'll look perfect. As I'm just starting to like highlighting my face, I'm not on board with "strobing." BUT I bet this shade would be great for it this summer, because it's really pigmented, creamy, and just really bright when applied.

Unfiltered photos of me using the palette.

All over the lid and up to the brow bone: Stone Unturned

Transition shade: Misty Mauve

Inner and outer corner: Dark Drive & Power Plum

Center of the lid: Charged Up

Blush on the cheeks.

The palette is currently for sale online, at Ulta, Sephora, and Tarte (obviously). It's supposed to be hitting shelves on the 23rd, this Thursday.

What are you ladies thinking? Anyone going to pick it up?!

Introduction

Hello!

I'm Tori. I'm a Job Coach for adults with Autism. Where I work, we try to help people with disabilities find a job they can keep, teaching them life skills and job skills along the way. It's a very rewarding job and the people I work with are wonderful, but the job is stressful. I've had to find many outlets for my stress and anxiety. These came in the form of working out, cooking/baking, and doing DIYs around the house. So I thought...

Why not make a blog like all those I visit?! (:

That's where this will come in. I'll be posting motivation for fitness, my cooking adventures (did I mention boyfriend and I are vegetarians?), and the DIYs I have planned. I'll probably throw in some random things that I do, too! I live in Ohio, so it won't be too entertaining!

By the way, this is me:

Please let me know if there's anything you'd like to see or if I'm being ridiculous! 😜

Tori