SWATCH FEST: Lime Crime Palette D'Antoinette

Hello,

It has been a while since I posted my last Lime Crime swatch fest on the Aquataenia Palette. I do also aim to blog about the Alchemy and China Doll in the near future (promise!). Palette D'Antoinette (note: you can't really say it without putting a french accent on lol) is a palette of five shadows - four pastel matte and a sparkly pale silver.

Royal Flush: A bright matte mid-pink. Would be great as a blush!

Absinthe-Minded: A bright lime green. This is a really is a nice green that doesn't lean too blue or yellow.

Macarooned: A bright orange. Like royal flush, this would also be a great blush. It does lean a bit yellow, so just be careful if yellow tones make you look like you have jaundice!

Ribbonesque: A bright lilac purple. Such a beautiful colour! It is a blue, based purple and choc full of win!

Mercurious: Metallic Silver. The only won with sparkle and also choc full of win! (You can see the silver in action on my inner corners here).

I haven't used all of these colours yet (ok, just Mercurious) but I am seriously in love! They are such good value too with a palette setting you back AUD$36 (for 5 x 1.5gms of eyeshadow you seriously can't argue with that!).

Have you tried any of the Lime Crime palettes? Got a favourite?

Love,

Your PM x

SWATCH FEST: Even More OCC Loose Colour Concentrates!

Well, 

I've been at it again... Buying more things I don't need! lol

Lipstick Republic had a 20% off sale, so my arm was easily twisted to buy a few new goodies! (I mean really, did you expect anything less? lol).

I picked up three more OCC Loose Colour concentrates and Lime Crime's China Doll palette (A swatch fest of China Doll will come at a later date!).

I have previously swatched the rest of my Loose Colour Concentrate collection and you can view them here (11) and here (3)! Including these latest few, my collection sits at 17/35... so about half way! (and geez I feel like I'm running out of options! lol)

My three latest choices: Foxfire, Brasstacks and Jubilee!

L: Foxfire, R: Brasstacks, B: Jubilee

L-R: Jubilee, Foxfire, Brasstacks

Jubilee: A pale blue with a turquoise duo-chrome type shimmer. It is great for layering! When this arrived, I went 'oh dear what have I done?!'... But swatched, it's actually quite pretty!

Foxfire: A bright grassy-type green with silver shimmer undertone. I am surprised that I didn't pick this one up sooner being that I have a big love of greens.

Brasstacks: Brasstacks is a great every-day dark chocolate brown with a gold shimmer. As the name implies, it does lean a touch brassy. This is another one I am surprised that I didn't end up with sooner.

As mentioned, I purchased my LCC's from Lipstick Republic (remember to use code 'RepublicVIBs' for 10% off!). The going rate is AUD$14 for 2.5gms (great value!)

Have you tried Loose Colour Concentrates? Got any favourite colours?

Love,

Your PM x

SWATCH FEST: Lime Crime 'Aquataenia' Palette

Good morning/afternoon/evening! (Please choose the applicable one for the time of day in your neck of the woods! lol)

As requested by some, I will be swatching my Lime Crime eyeshadow palettes (I now have them all which means yay for you and not yay for my hip pocket! lol). First cab of the rank is the Aquataenia palette!

I have only just recently started collecting the Lime Crime eyeshadow palettes (mostly because I have all their lipsticks and I am running out of products to buy!). I picked up the Aquataenia palette when I purchased Babette (because I'm not paying $12-odd dollars shipping for one lipstick... defeats the purpose!). I have always admired the palettes but thought that perhaps the colours were not entirely practical. Now that I am a bit more adventurous with colour (or that my inner collector has won... not sure), I think they are super cool! I will also post some looks that I've done using the palettes so that if they aren't something you'd normally go for you can see how they could be used!

Lime Crime's Aquataenia Palette

L-R: Nautilus Prime, Coral of the Story, Seahorse Discourse, Pearl-ple,  Atlanteal

Nautilus Prime: A deep (but vibrant) Royal Blue

Coral of the Story: A nice mid coral. This would also be a suitable blush.

Seahorse Discourse: A bright yellow based lime-green.

Pearl-ple: A mid lilac purple, it does not lean overly pink or blue based.

Atlanteal: A pale teal. Leans a bit more green in real life. 

I looooove the names. I am a sucker for a good pun! Nautilus Prime in particular gives me a good giggle! These are super pigmented and have a metallic shimmer/touch of sparkle. Though, do take care with the paler ones (i.e. Atlanteal) as they can kind of get lost against the darker colours (going back over it during application is key here - a primer also helps with this).

If you have read my Babette review, then you would have seen the look I did using Babette and the Aquataenia palette on my eyes (I will post it again for a bit of overkill  and because I was super happy with how it turned out! lol)

Aquataenia palette in action!

For this look I've used the blues and greens (Nautilus Prime, Atlanteal and Seahorse Discourse). I have also used Mercurious from the D'Antionette palette on the inner corner (swatches to come!).

The Aquataenia palette will set you back AUD$36 for 5 x 1.5gms pans of eyeshadow. (Pretty good value when you think that a MAC eyeshadow is AUD$33 for 1.5gms!)

This palette gets a big thumbs up from me!

Have you used the Aquataenia palette? Thoughts?

Love,

Your PM x

SWATCH FEST: More OCC Loose Colour Concentrates

Hi guys and girls!

A while ago, I posted swatches of my OCC Loose Colour Concentrates collection. Today, I have a few more swatches to add!

I love these Loose Colour Concentrates because they are super pigmented and at a really attractive price point given the quality!

The latest three I've picked up are: Smote, Technoir and Overlook!

L-R: Smote, Technoir, Overlook

L-R: Smote, Technoir, Overlook

Smote: A deep beige with prominent silver shimmer. It's a bit like a dark version of Clove.

Technoir: A deep blue with a duo-chrome shimmer. The OCC website says 'Dark Navy/Blue Duo Chrome', but I personally wouldn't call it navy (it does look Navy in the pot but doesn't swatch so dark!). The shimmer is like a purple shift and flecks of gold are also visible. It reminds me of Illamasqua's Alluvium but with finer shimmer.

Overlook: A deep purple with a golden shimmer. It's kind of like an eggplant/aubergine colour.

OCC Loose Colour Concentrates will set you back AUD$14 for 2.5gms (told you they were awesome value!). You can purchase them from Lipstick Republic (and remember code 'RepublicVIBs' for 10% off!).

These are great colours for winter! Smote is a great neutral, I love Technoir because I am absolutely in love with Alluvium and Overlook is such a pretty and dramatic colour for winter!

Have you tried any LCC's? Which ones are your faves?

Love,

Your PM x

SWATCH FEST: OCC Loose Colour Concentrates!

Hello,

Tonight I have swatched (and therefore am blogging about) my OCC Loose Colour Concentrates collection!

OCC are probably most well known for their super pigmented (and awesome) Lip Tars (which I will swatch eventually!), but their Loose Colour Concentrates do not disappoint!

There is a whopping 35 colours in the collection, of which I only have 11 - but hopefully this helps a bit if you have been trolling the Internet looking for some swatches! (I do eventually aim to get more but I am trying to resist buying every cosmetic item I lay my eyes on at the moment!). Be warned: These are crazily pigmented! (Now would be a good time to take your socks off so they don't get knocked off by the impending awesomeness!)

Top L-R: Tryptych, Flicker, Glisten, Clove, Platonic, Ironic
Bottom L-R:  Static, Cavu Blue, Wasabi, Chlorophyll, Nori

Packaging is a clear screw-top jar and it does have a three-hole sifter inside (this is good if you are clumsy and end up throwing it around - you won't lose it all over the floor!).

L-R: Tryptych, Flicker, Glisten, Clove, Platonic, Ironic, Static, Cavu Blue, Wasabi, Chlorophyll, Nori

L-R: Tryptych, Flicker, Glisten, Clove, Platonic, Ironic

L-R:  Static, Cavu Blue, Wasabi, Chlorophyll, Nori

Here is a little run-down on the colours:

Tryptych: A regal metallic gold. It is a yellow based gold. I purchased it with the intention of using it in ombre lips. This will probably never touch my eyelids due to the yellow content! lol

Flicker: A pinky tinged beige with gold shimmer.

Glisten: A pinky based coral with gold shimmer.

Clove: A neutral/champagne beige. It is more brown than Flicker. This would be a good neutral eye pick!

Platonic: A pale pink. Surprisingly pretty on! Along with Clove, these would be great colours for bridal and/or everyday makeup.

Ironic: A metallic silver with a gold and purple shimmer. This is actually a surprisingly interesting colour! I thought it was just a metallic silver but I was wrong!

Static: A blue based purple with a blue shimmer.

Cavu Blue: A bright cyan blue. This one has got some punch!

Wasabi: A yellow tinged bright green. It's described as Chartreuse (but I always imagined that was more yellow!).

Chlorophyll: A bright mint green. OCC describe it as turquoise, but I always imagine turquoise as slightly bluer. Either way, super pretty! 

Nori: A darkened teal/sea green. A great colour in the winter months!

I swatched these colours on my bare (pasty) arm - if you wear them over a primer (such as NYX Eyeshadow Base) then you will end up with a more intense colour! (But as you can tell they are pretty intense already!). I also recommend something 'sticky' (like an eyeshadow base) particularly if you are going to press them onto your lid. They will last much longer! They do blend out without a problem though. I have used Nori in my crease (my lids were prepped with foundation and powder) and it blended out without a problem and stayed put very well! Cavu Blue, Wasabi, Chlorophyll and Nori are a tad more matte than the other colours (they still shimmer, but as you can tell from the photos it is not as apparent!).

My picks: Wasabi, Chlorophyll, Nori (can you tell I like greens?)

OCC Loose Colour Concentrates will set you back a very reasonable AUD$14 for 2.5gms (very generous and super good value!). You can buy OCC from Lipstick Republic (great to deal with and you can use code 'RepublicVIBs' for 10% off! Woohoo!).

Have you tried any of the Loose Colour Concentrates? Which are your favourites?

Love,

Your PM x

p.s. Wasabi has been featured on my blog in my April Favourites and I have worn Flicker in a FOTD! x
p.p.s. if you want to see some more colours in action, find me on Instagram (@polishedmakeup)

UNDER THE MICROSCOPE: Sleek i-Divine "Original" Eyeshadow Palette

This edition of 'Under The Microscope' is on the Sleek i-Divine 'Original' Eyeshadow Palette.

Sleek is a UK brand and they have a good reputation for being cheap, but still decent quality! I have quite a respectable collection of their blushes (read: most - which I will slowly flood the blog with over the coming months!). I have also compared their Rose Gold blush in a dupe test!

The Original i-Divine was my first Sleek eyeshadow purchase, and I chose the Original because I thought it had a good variety of colours, all of which I am likely to wear. They are a mineral based eyeshadow (still not sure on the significance of that - a quick squiz of the ingredients list shows nothing special IMO). They are vegetarian friendly but not suitable for vegans. The packaging is a simple sleek (pardon the pun... wait who am I kidding I love a good pun!) black case and has a mirror inside. Each an has 12 shadows. There is also a long handled, double-ended sponge applicator (which when you do the maths, 4 sides doesn't cover the 12 shadows!).

i-Divine Original

i-Divine Original Swatches

All of these colours are swatched WITHOUT primer! As you can see, great colour and pigmentation! (Of course, if you wear with primer you will get even more intense pigmentation!). There aren't any names associated with these colours but they are as follows: (Left to Right, Top to Bottom)

- Matte Black
- Metallic Mid Purple
- Metallic Navy with Blue Shimmer
- Metallic Mid Blue
- Metallic Aqua
- Metallic Grass Green
(next row)
- Metallic Gold
- Metallic Pink with Gold Shimmer

- Metallic Rose
- Metallic Copper
- Metallic Bronze
- Metallic Olive

Fall out of these on the face is minimal, but they can get a bit crumbly in the pan so don't go smashing your brush in there! I have given this palette a work out and I was suitably impressed! It lasted very well and the colour went on intensely. I did not use a primer, but I did cover my eyelids with foundation and set it with powder first. I found that patting them on was more effective rather than brushing!

iDivine in action!

The Sleek i-Divine's come in a whole bunch of different colours (brights, neutrals, you name it!) and can be purchased from www.lipstickrepublic.com.au for AUD$14.95 or from www.sleekmakeup.com if you are OS.

Have you used any i-Divine's? Which is your favourite?
Love,

Your PM x

PM'S TOP FIVE: Napoleon Perdis Colour Discs Eyeshadows

This edition of PM's TOP FIVE covers Napoleon Perdis Colour Discs. I am a huge fan of these eyeshadows and have quite a large collection! (I will get around to swatching them eventually! lol). NP (Napoleon Perdis) eyeshadows are generally more consistent, with colours being highly pigmented, easily blendable, and nice to use. I generally find them better than a lot of MAC ones, which in my experience can be hit or miss (maybe that's mostly because I've used LE/Mineralize ones). The NP colour discs come in a clear plastic compact and have a little mirror under the lid. While the mirror adds glam, I do find it a bit pointless as you can't really see much with it - I have never used them (could be handy on the go I guess?).

Anyway, here are my top five eyeshadow picks!:



My Napoleon Perdis Top 5 Eye Shadows
Top (L-R): Amazon Jungle, All That Shiraz
Middle: Violet #14
Bottom (L-R): Queen of the Night, Green Living



(L-R): Amazon Jungle, All That Shiraz, Green Living, Queen of the Night, Violet #14



Amazon Jungle: A matte nudey-peach with a touch of sparkle (you can see glitter in the pan but luckily it doesn't really translate). A great colour for blending in the crease! It looks a bit unexciting in the pan, but goes on really nice! It was actually used on me by one of the NP makeup artists when I had my makeup done one day and I really liked it! It was used in conjunction with Premium Denim (Navy) and Jaded Genie (Green) and looked fantastic! I am glad it got used on me because it's not one I would have picked by choice. It would also double as a nice blush if need be!

All That Shiraz: This colour I only picked up a few weeks ago but it has already cemented its place as one of my favourites. It is a shimmering wine colour (hence the name I guess) with brown undertones. It leans more brown when blended out so it makes a nice everyday colour that is interesting and great with green eyes.

Green Living: A nice warm mid-brown with a gold shimmer. The shimmer isn't as strong out of the pan but it's still got a nice warmth about it! If you wear browns this is a good go-to! A good brown to add a touch of glam to your everyday look.

Queen of the Night: A really intense matte black that doesn’t give you the fallout that other blacks usually do! It doesn’t take a lot of effort to layer it up to a really nice black. It also makes for a fabulous smoky eye with MAC’s Blackground Paint Pot! It was actually a bit dry to swatch, and does look a little more patchy than I was expecting. However, credit to Napoleon, QOTN and Violet were the same consistency.

Violet #14: This is an old school colour disc from before NP changed all their eyeshadow packaging. I feel a bit bad for including it (because you can't get it anymore unless it pops up in a sale) but this is seriously one of my faves! It is a really nice, deep matte purple (when NP updated their range, they seemed to drop most of their mattes and there is only a handful available now). It doesn't look super purple when blended out, but it makes my green eyes pop too. If you have green eyes, I definitely recommend you try and find something similar (if I ever stumble across something I will be sure to put it in a dupe test!). I have worn it with black and nude shadows on my lid and it looks really good!!

NP Colour Discs retail for $29 for 2.5gms (not too bad value wise) and can be purchased from www.napoleonperdis.com, or from David Jones stores and selected chemists/salons.

Do you use Napoleon Perdis eye shadows? If so, what is your favourite colour?

Love,

Your PM x

FOTD: Fancy Function!

Hello,

Last week I went to a function and I thought I would share the makeup look that I did for the occasion! (Sorry they are dodgy phone photos but you'll still get the idea!)

My dress was orange lace over beige so I didn't want to go too gun-ho with colour! I chose a co-ordinating bright lip because I like to be matchy like that! haha. The end result made me feel very glam!

I used the following products:

FACE

• Illamasqua Matte Primer
• Kryolan TV Paint Stick in NB1
• Illamasqua Skinbase Foundation in #6
• Illamasqua Skinbase Foundation in #1 (used for blending #6 foundation into my neck... I have a very pale neck!)
• Napoleon Perdis Camera Finish Powder in N2

BLUSH

• NARS Blush in Deep Throat
• MAC Mineralize Skin Finish in Stereo Rose (on apples of cheeks only)
• Napoleon Perdis Contour Palette (brown contour only)

EYES

• Kryolan TV Paint Stick in NB1
• Kryolan Translucent Powder in TL1
• Bare Minerals Eyeshadow in Nude Beach (applied damp with MAC Fix+)
• Sleek i-Divine in Original (brown-y colours used)
• Napoleon Perdis Loose Eye Dust in Mosaic Gold
• Napoleon Perdis Mesmer-Eyes Mascara
• Napoleon Perdis China Doll Gel Liner in Equinox
• MAC Pearlglide Eyeliner in Black Swan
• Illamasqua Precision Ink in Abyss
• Eyebrows: Illamasqua Eyebrow Cake in Vehement
• Lashes: Lash Republic's 'The Hunter'

LIPS

• MAC Lipstick in Ablaze

There you have it! I hope this serves as inspiration next time you are having a night out!
Love,

Your PM x

FOTD: Glam With Red Lips

Hello,

Another FOTD from last weekend here! I felt like going glam last sunday and wore a pretty dress to match! Once again, it's dodgy picture quality (thanks to the phone!).

I used the following products:

FACE

• Illamasqua Matte Primer
• Kryolan TV Paint Stick in NB1
• Illamasqua Skinbase Foundation in #6
• Illamasqua Skinbase Foundation in #1 (for blending into neck)
• Napoleon Perdis Camera Finish Powder in N2

BLUSH

• MAC Mineralise Skinfinish in Stereo Rose
• MAC Marilyn Monroe Blush in The Perfect Cheek
• Napoleon Perdis Contour Palette (brown contour only)

EYES

• Kryolan TV Paint Stick in NB1
• Kryolan Translucent Powder in TL1
• Bare Minerals Eyeshadow in Drama
• Bare Minerals Eyeshadow in Celestine
• Napoleon Perdis Colour Disc in Queen of the Night
• Napoleon Perdis Loose Eye Dust in Mosaic Gold
• Napoleon Perdis Mesmer-Eyes Mascara
• Napoleon Perdis China Doll Gel Liner in Equinox
• Illamasqua Precision Ink in Abyss
• Eyebrows: Illamasqua Eyebrow Cake in Gaze used wet with Illamasqua Sealing Gel (I'm trying something new! lol)
• Lashes: Lash Republic's 'The Hunter'

LIPS

• MAC Lipstick in RiRi Woo 

The lippy is the LE Riri Hearts MAC Collaboration... I bought it because I got sucked in but I must say I was throughly impressed! The colour is really nice and it wore REALLY well and it didn't bleed! I am usually really clumsy with red lipstick but I didn't end up getting this one everywhere. It is a matte finish but it doesn't feel overly drying which is a huge plus! If you are Aussie, it's still available on the MAC website, otherwise, there is a second release in June (I think it is... actually that's quite soon!!).

Love,
Your PM x