Beauty's Pavilion

URBAN DECAY ELECTRIC PALETTE WITH THREE LOOKS

So I picked up the Urban Decay Electric palette last week as part of Sephora's VIB sale with the 15% discount and I have been playing with it since. Like most people, I was a bit hesitant to pick up this palette because bold colours are used so seldom personally as well as professionally in my everyday life. I knew I wanted to do the review for you guys but I believe makeup should be used and not 'collected.' Well, I was quite impressed when I got the palette and was able to swatch the colours and realized that they are quite wearable, even for the everyday woman. The pigmentation of most of the colours are quite intense but a light hand will solve that 'problem.'

Front of Package

Back of Package

The Case of the Package

The packaging of the Electric Palette is quite eye catching and one that will sucker a lot of people in purchasing, exactly what a package is suppose to do. The bold colours against the shiny black background and clean white writing will draw in even the most colour skeptics. It invites you to touch, see, while giving you the urge to dive in and experiment, even just a little.

Palette comes with a double-sided brush like most UD palettes

There are 10 eyeshadows in the palette, arranged in no particular order to give ease of use, but put together to give the user full creative power. As far as the colour selections for this palette, (and this is in my opinion) there are a few colours I could have done without and ones I would have changed just slightly. First off, I would have done without 'Revolt' which is the silver and 'Jilted', a burgundy, reddish, purple. I don't think it fits in with the bright, bold, intensity of the other colours. My favs in the palette are 'Urban', 'Freak' and 'Thrash' and 'Fringe', because I think they will be more wearable for most people. 'Savage' is gorgeous pink but is extremely powdery while 'Chaos' will probably be the most beautiful blue that you can get.

Without Flash

With Flash

I have done three looks with this palette ranging from a light pop of colour, to a more bold blue and silver and finally an all out, intense, multi-colour look. I believe that this will give you guys some ideas on how to use some of these colours and with summer just around the corner, now is the time to experiment with a bit of colour or a lot.

Light Pop of Colour
Brown is 'Backdoor' from the UD Smoked Palette, 'Thrash' on lid

Medium Intensity- Avante Garde
Chaos & Revolt

Bold, Intense, Dramatic
Chaos and Gonzo in crease
Urban, Savage, Slowburn on lid
Thrash in the tear duct
Gonzo and Freak on bottom lash line

BLACK OPAL STICK FOUNDATION REVIEW AND DEMO

Here is a review I did on the Black Opal Stick Foundations. Amazing! They are great for any skin types, for highlighting and contouring. I include a lot more info in the video as well as a demo on the foundations.

Heavenly Honey, Rich Caramel, Truly Topaz, Nutmeg, Beautiful Bronze, Carob

BRIGHT EYELINER AND BRIGHT LIPS MAKEUP LOOK

PRODUCTS USED:

Foundation: MUFE HD 170

Concealer: Kevyn Aucoin Skin Enhancer SX 10

Powder: NARS Light Reflecting Setting Powder

Eyeliner: MAC Fluidline in Sassy Moss

Eyeshadow: BH Cosmetics 88 Matte Eyeshadow Palette, Makeup Geek 'Creme Brulee', MAC 'All That Glitters'

Lipstick: Illamasqua Scandal

ANASTASIA BEVERLY HILLS CONCEALERS AND CONCEALER BRUSH

I've been using Anastasia Beverly Hills products now for quite some time so I was really curious to see how she would foray into the skin/non eyebrow cosmetic market. Mind you, I get that these concealers are more 'marketed' as a multi used product but because she is synonymous with brow products, I think most people will assume these are used to further define and lift the brows. I picked up three shades that I think would fit my skin tone best (4.0, 4.5 and 6.0) but was missing the 4.0 when the package came. The concealers promises to correct dark circles, discolouration and imperfections, stays put and does not settle into fine lines. I find them to be super creamy and super pigmented (a little goes a long way) but does settle into fine lines, even when set with a powder. I definitely think they are multi functional and can even be sheered out and used as a foundation.

Shade 6.0

Shade 4.5

4.5 & 6.0

Overall, I do like the concealers but I think the 4.0 would have been a more useful colour for me to give this product a fair rating. 4.5 has a peach undertone which I would classify as a corrector shade while 6.0 looks almost green on the skin (weird, I know). Stay tuned for an update on their performance once I sort out where that 4.0 shade is. I did try to get one of the lighter shades but every colour under 4.0 was sold out. Stay tuned!

ANASTASIA BEVERLY HILLS CONTOUR PALETTE ON DARKER SKIN

Top Row: Sand, Banana, Vanilla
Bottom Row: Java, Fawn, Havana

So this is one of the palettes I received weeks ago and didn't do a post on. Good thing with that is I've been using this palette nonstop so my demo and mini review should be more spot on. A lot of people have done a review on this on Youtube on Fairer/lighter skin tones so I think at this time showing how it applies to darker skin tone will be more beneficial, especially since this palette has been out for a few weeks now and it's the question that darker skin women are more asking. Well I hope this pictorial answers that question. I will say this palette is great for most skin tones but if you are running in the deep dark range, unfortunately this palette will not do much contouring but more shading. If you are in the richer deeper dark skin tones, then this palette will do more highlighting than contouring so beware.

As for the highlighting shades, there is the shade 'Banana' which is meant to be similar to the Ben Nye Luxury Powder in Banana but the shade in the Anastasia Contour Palette is a lot more opaque so a little goes a long way. The Ben Nye Banana powder is a lot more translucent so is more friendly to darker skin tones. As I've mentioned, I've had this palette for a few weeks now but have only swatched the highlighter shade when I was doing this review and was happily surprised at the glow. It is on the lighter side so a light hand is necessary to make this product work on darker skin tones. It blends extremely well and would also work on the brow bones, tip of the nose and on the cupid's bow.

BEFORE

WITH MIDDLE CONTOUR SHADE- FAWN

WITH DEEPEST CONTOUR SHADE- HAVANA

CONTOUR SHADES BLENDED

HIGHLIGHT SHADE IN BANANA ADDED

END HIGHLIGHTER SHADE ADDED- VANILLA

Concluding Thoughts

The Anastasia Beverly Hills Contour Palette was meant for the fair to tan skin tones with some darker skin tones benefitting as far as using the palette for contouring. If you are a makeup artist and is looking for a palette that can be used for most skin tones, this is great as a one stop shop, especially for getting six shades for $40 and get a deeper shade in another product for deeper skin tones. I am really surprised at Anastasia's neglect to include a shade for more deeper skin tones as her product range reaches such a broad spectrum. She promises more shades in the future so I hope deeper colours will be released. I fell in love with the highlighting shade but even this shade could be more on the golden side to cover more skin tones (it really didn't have to be this white!).

Final Verdict: As a Makeup Artist, great for kit, as a personal user, hope this review helps you to decide either way.