Urban Decay Naked Ultimate Basics Palette

November 3, 2016January 28, 2018 - Vicki 1 Comment

Urban Decay have already released some incredible products during 2016, including their Moondust Palette, All Nighter Foundation and a whopping 100 Vice Lipsticks and they show no signs of slowing down. September saw them release the follow up to their hugely successful Naked Basics & Naked Basics 2 which both had six gorgeous neutral matte eyeshadows. The Naked Ultimate Basics Palette is the latest in the Naked line up and has taken the matte palette to a whole new level. The Naked Ultimate Basics Palette is BEAUTIFUL and it includes 12 all matte must have neutral shadows. This really it the ultimate matte palette and you need it in your life.

Urban Decay Naked Ultimate Basics Palette*

From the get-go, this palette gets my seal of approval because of its rose gold, very sturdy and for a 12 pan palette its sleek and slim. There is also a very decent sized mirror in the lid which always comes in handy. This also includes a mini double ended brush which is great quality and is actually a brush that you can use and I have been using it to apply these shadows.

This palette has 12 wearable, pigmented, neutral shadows

Blow (Light Nude Demi-Matte)
Nude (Soft Pink Nude Matte)
Commando (Light Taupe Brown Matte)
Tempted (Pale Brown Matte)
Instinct (Medium Pink Taupe Matte)
Lethal (Reddish Brown Matte)
Pre-Game (Pale Yellow Matte)
Extra Bitter (Burnt Orange Matte)
Faith (Medium Warm Brown Matte)
Lockout (Rich Neutral Brown Matte)
Magnet (Smoky Gray Matte)
Blackjack (Warm Black Matte)

The two lightest shades Pre Game & Blow are quite pale and although not very pigmented they work well applied all over the lid & up to your brow to neutralise redness, add a little brightness and as a base for the darker shades.

The other 10 shades are very pigmented, long wearing & easy to blend. They never apply patchy and have minimal to no fallout. You can achieve so many looks using this palette so if like me you tend to wear a neutral eye most days then you have so much choice in this palette. It’s handy having 12 matte shadows in one place and the colours are so versatile, I like that you can achieve a subtle look or go all out with a smokey eye using those beautiful rich darker shades.

The quality of this palette is fantastic, as you’d expect from Urban Decay, I mean this is a brand that knows how to do fantastic, pigmented and very long-wearing eyeshadow. I am not surprised that It lives up to the hype and I would say its a palette well worth investing in, I’ve been reaching for it almost daily.

What I also like is that the 12 shadows in this palette are all new colours and exclusive to this palette, which is exciting. I’m in love with everything about this latest Urban Decay release and I know it will be a firm favourite for a very long time.

Bottom Row: Pre -Game / Extra Bitter / Faith / Lockout / Magnet / BlackJack

Top row: Blow / Nudie / Commando / Tempted / Instinct / Lethal

What is your favourite Naked Palette and are you tempted to add this new Naked Ultimate Basics Palette to your collection?

Naked Ultimate Basics £38.50 is available at UrbanDecay.com / Debenhams / Selfridges / John Lewis

*PR sample

Skin Chemist Advanced Snail Serum Skincare

November 2, 2016November 2, 2016 - Vicki 1 Comment

Snail Serum is another Asian influenced beauty trend that we are seeing becoming more popular in West. Snail Serum (snail mucin) is a common ingredient in many Korean and Japanese products, particularly sheet masks and moisturisers due to its heeling, hydrating and resurfacing abilities. I must admit at first I was a little grossed out but Asian’s know a thing or two about how to look after their skin and so I knew I had to try it out.

I have been trying two Snail Serum products from Skin Chemists and I have to say I have seen some very good results. Both products both use Snail Secretion derived from the natural defensive liquid secreted by snails which is 91-98% water but also includes a few more skin loving nutrients too, such as hyaluronic acid, glycoprotein, proteoglycans, and antimicrobial and copper peptides. These help hydrate your skin, give it a smoother, softer appearance as well as reducing acne scaring and age spots.

**Skin Chemist Advanced Snail Eye Serum* £72.00**

This is a clear very lightweight serum and it instantly visibly smooths the area around the eye, I have been using this for over 6 weeks now and I have really seen a difference in how my makeup sits under my eye and also just how bright this area looks. I use it at night and my eyes don’t look puffy or dehydrated in the morning. It sinks into the skin well, its a very fluid formula and it feels cooling and very gentle.

Snail Secretion, derived from the natural defensive liquid secreted by snails aims to delay premature ageing of the skin, whilst reducing visible age spots and providing protection from free radical damage
Osilift, a natural sugar from purified oat extracts, aims to instantly lift and tighten the skin to reduce the visibility of fine lines and wrinkles.
Hyaluronic Acid aims to rejuvenate the skin by boosting natural hyaluronic acid levels found within the layers of the skin, to plump and hydrate.
Starflower Oil, rich in essential fatty acids, provides lipid nutrients, which aim to effectively replenish skin tissues in order to slow the natural ageing process

**Skin Chemist Advanced Snail Duo Moisturiser* £72.00**

This has a light cream texture but feels luxurious and rich on the skin but still lightweight. Its has a fresh scent and is easily absorbed in to the skin without leaving it feeling greasy or heavy with product. I have used this morning and night and it makes my skin feels soft and looking healthy. I like how this has given my skin a plumpness over the past couple of months and also helped to reduce those pesky fine lines and dark spots.

Snail Secretion, derived from the natural defensive liquid secreted by snails aims to delay premature ageing of the skin, whilst reducing visible age spots and providing protection from free radical damage.
Tiare Flower Extract is combined with light and silky coconut oil, working to hydrate, repair, soothe and purify the skin.
Vitamin E Acetate aims to leave the skin moisturised, whilst providing further protection against skin damage from environmetal aggressors.
Creatine is formulate to immitate an amino acid found naturally within the skin, it aims to revitalise cell energy metabolism, whilst hydrating and protecting the skin.

Both products I have tried from this range have been a surprise to me because they promise a lot but they also deliver on them too. I am hooked but even though they work I am still not sure how I feel about smearing snail slime on my face. Have you tried any Snail Serum products, how do you feel about them?

I love the sleek airless pump bottles and think they look luxurious and are very hygienic (which is important to me) and it dispenses just the right amount of product so there is no waste. Both products also have a lovely sweet scent.

** If you use the code BLOGSNAILS to get each product for £24.99 each instead of £72 – that is almost halfprice. Code valid until the end of 2016 **

Just click through to see more of the Snail Serum range from Skin Chemists

*PR Sample

Michael Bublé By Invitation Perfume

October 31, 2016August 25, 2025 - Vicki Leave a comment

Michael Bublé By Invitation EDP*

As I get older celebrity endorsed fragrances seem less and less appealing to me, they’re something I associate with being a teenager, in fact, I’d almost written this one off before even trying it. I thought it was just going to be mediocre and not very me, but I have to say of all the products I have tried this year, makeup included this perfume from Michael Bublé has been the most surprising and has quickly become my go-to scent. Who would have thought it!?

From the get-go you just can’t fail to notice how beautiful and luxurious the bottle is, it feels very weighty and it’s HUGE. I love the way the bottle is suspended in the centre of a gold circle, and it looks sophisticated and very elegant and that feeling is definitely reflected in the scent too. I like that the bottle isn’t aimed at a teen / younger market but its more classy and the details are subtle but pretty, it looks so nice sat on my dressing table.

This is a very sexy scent and I think that is what most people would expect from Michael Bublé, but it has a real sophistication to the mix of notes and I like that it has a sweetness that once settled turns into a more musky scent. It has notes of,

Top notes of red fruits and bergamot
Middle notes of lily-of-the-valley, jasmine, peony and rose
Base notes of sandalwood, musk, vanilla and praline

I think you would be quite pleasantly surprised at how lovey and luxurious this perfume is. The scent is a result of Bublé’s collberation with leading French perfumer Karine Dubreuil-Sereni who is behind some gorgeous scents such as Yves Saint Laurent Vice Versa, Gucci Envy Me and is now in-house perfumer at L’Occitane.

What I like most about this perfume is that it feels quite classic but has a modern edge to it, the combination of notes mean that throughout the day it settles giving you a lovely warm, rich, musky very elegant scent. I love peony and sandalwood in fragrances, so actually, it’s no wonder that I have fallen in love with this scent after all.

I urge you to give this a test and I know you will fall in love with it, even if like me, you’ve not been a huge fan of Mr Bublé’s music.

Available from Boots.com / Debenhams / The Perfume Shop /

Prices start from £29.00 for 30ml, £39.00 for 50ml, £55.00 for 100ml

•PR Sample

Amsterdam Birthday Makeup Picks

October 24, 2016August 14, 2025 - Vicki Leave a comment

If you follow me over on Instagram then you will know my lovely husband took me to Amsterdam for my birthday, its our 6th time visiting and we just fall a little more in love with the city each time. I wanted to share with you a few of my favourite products that I took with me in my makeup bag, I knew we would be going out for my birthday so I took some of my favourite products.

Maybelline Dream Flawless Nude Foundation

I like the coverage this gives, its more medium than full but it covers redness and thats exactly what I need atm.. It gives a lovely soft focus finish to the skin and has a velvety smooth look to it. It is a very fluid foundation so it is easy to blend and a little product goes a long way, I do like to build up the coverage on more troublesome areas and you know this is never going to look caky or overdone. Although it has a very fluid texture it can often cling to dry patches so I always wear a primer with this and make sure I use a very hydrating moisturiser.

Marc Jacobs Velvet Noir Major Volume Mascara*

When I want Va Va Voom lashes there is only ever one mascara I reach for and it is the Marc Jacobs Velvet Noir. This is seriously black and a couple of coats of this makes your lashes look so full and full of volume. I think this is the mascara that gives my lashes the most dramatic finish, it never goes crispy and your lashes look amazing all night long. Even the packaging is luxurious.

Stila Perfect Me / Perfect Hue Palette

I hate travelling with too much makeup and this palette is perfect because it has a whole look in one palette. You get five eyeshadows and two blushes and I have the fair/light option.

Eye Shades: Alluring (soft pale pink), Breathtaking (soft neutral white), Passionate (champagne pearl), Dynamic (soft taupe), Glamorous (warm chocolate brown)
Blush Shades: Romantic (soft pale pink), Playful (soft rose pink)

It is a lovely palette for creating quite a neutral smoky eye and the cheek colours are gorgeous too. I also like that its quite compact and it has a huge mirror in and I use it to do my makeup with whist travelling.

Giorgio Armani Lip Magnet in Maharajah*

I love the shade Maharajah its a vibrant pink and the perfect colour to amp up any look. I always tend to go quite low key on my eye makeup and opt for more of a bold lip. These Lip Magnets from Armani have the most comfortable formula and the colours are bold, pigmented and have a matte finish so that means it has incredible staying power. Once applied these last all night with out fading, its also such a pretty pink shade and a nice birthday lip option.

Charlotte Tilbury The Feline Flick in Panther

I actually repurchased this in Amsterdam because the eyeliner I took with me just wasn’t cutting the mustard and I knew I could rely on Charlotte Tilbury not to let me down. This liner has a really fine nib allowing you to get a neat, precise line and achieve that classic winged liner look. I love this product it is easy to use, fuss free and it never smudges and the pigmentation is intense. So pleased to have a brand new one in my makeup bag.

Urban Decay Beached Bronzer in Bronze

On a day to day basis I use the Soap and Glory Solar Powder as my bronzer because its quite natural but I wanted a bronzer that was a little more intense for my birthday makeup & this Urban Decay one is gorgeous & if I use it with a light hand its good for contouring. It has a matte finish and it lasts really well on the skin. I also love the cute palm tree packaging.

Giorgio Armani Si Perfume

I recently posted about this perfume over on my Instagram saying how it is my signature scent and I feel more like me when I am wearing it. With that being said I knew I had to take this with me to Amsterdam & there was no way I was decanting it into a Travelo because I love the bottle and they do not hold enough perfume for me, not for a weeks holiday! So Armani Si is a perfume I discovered back in 2013 when it first launched and I have worn it ever since. I love how beautifully sophisticated it is, with a youthful fresh edge.

It has notes of Vanilla, Blackcurrant, Rose de Mai and Patchouli and base notes of blond amber which give it a sophisticated musky scent. When you initially spray this you can smell the Vanilla which gives it a sweet scent but it calms down to reveal a chic musky scent which lingers all day.

It is light enough to be worn through the day but is also sophisticated and sexy to be worn at night. This fragrance has a side that most people will love – the sweetness of the Vanilla and Blackcurrant, the beautiful floral notes of Freesia and Rose de Mai and the more sophisticated base notes of Patchouli and blond wood. It smells amazing. I’m so pleased I had a bottle to take with me to Amsterdam, what would be a birthday without your favourite fragrance.

Charlotte Tilbury Beach Stick in Formentera*

This is a gorgeous cream blush, It is a pretty sun kissed rose shade and I think its a great shade for my quite pale complexion. It blends so well and with it being in a handy stick form its simple and effortless to apply. It worked well for my night out as it stayed put all night and it. I think this is one of my favourite cream blush products & the colour is quite natural but pretty.

L’Oreal Paris Color Riche Mono Eyeshadow

I love this shade, its a gorgeous metallic taupe and once on the lid it looks rose gold, its a great shadow to put on top of other colours just to give a look a little more glamour. The colour is intense and I love the finish of it, especially for a night out as when the light catches the metallic finish it looks really pretty. These Mono Eyeshadow colours from L’Oreal are such good quality and they have a really nice selection of colours. Very handy to travel with as well.

PR Sample

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