Review! Lorac Mega PRO 2 Palette + Swatches!

Hello beautifuls! Happy October (I know.... I'm late on that one)

I have for you today an exciting post for you. It's a review and swatches of the newest palette from Lorac; Lorac Mega PRO 2 Palette!

I wasn't able to get my hands on the first edition of this palette (Lorac Mego PRO Palette, which has maroon colored packing) because it was available online at select websites and they had a limited amount. I was at Ulta sometime last week returning an item and saw these guys sitting on the back shelf. I was like "Are they for sale?!" When I found out they were, I was like MINE!

This palette is an Ulta exclusive and retails for $60

The palette is very slim and sleek making it perfect for storing. The packaging has a velvety feel to it and it a lovely shade of royal blue.

To the left of the photo, the palette includes a giant mirror!

There are 32 shadows. The first 16 shadows are all matte and the second 16 shadows are all shimmers, making this a great palette for endless looks.

I have below close ups of all shadows in the palette along with their names. 

Mattes

Shimmers

The colors are mostly cool toned so if you're a cool toned kinda person, this palette will work great for you. The matte shadows are very soft, highly pigmented, blend well but, are very powdery with small to moderate fallout. The shimmer shadows are buttery! They are highly pigmented and blend so well compared to the matte shadows.

NOW FOR SWATCHES!

From left to right: Porcelain, Custard, Tawny, Burlap

From left to right: Melon, Tangerine, Saddle, Forest

From left to right: Bisque, Lavender, Purple, Sorbet

From left to right: Goji, Carbenet, Ash, Black

From left to right: Sugar, Chiffon, Prosecco, Soft Plum

From left to right: Cinnamon, Sandstone, Gunmetal, Blue Quartz

From left to right: Moonlight, Seashell, Peony, Dark Sienna

From left to right: Penny, Olivine, Gold Leaf, Black Ivy

Overall, the shadows are gorgeous in color and can be worked into any look!

Pros:

Highly pigmented

High quality

Blendable

Great assortment of shades to work with

Slim packaging allows easy storage

Cons:

Expensive

Packaging gets dirty real fast which will transfer onto other surfaces and palettes when stored (fingerprints, smudges, etc)

Ulta exclusive

Matte shadows are powdery and have small fallout

Final Thoughts:

I wasn't able to get my hands on the original palette, so I can't make a good comparison of the two next to each other but, I do suggest going out, looking at the palette, swatching it in Ulta, and possibly getting it. 

I know right on point, the price will drive anyone away. $59 is quite expensive for an eyeshadow palette (compared to a lot of other palettes this price come with goodies in them, whereas this didn't).

It's a great palette overall, I just wish they threw in a few goodies to compensate for the high price on this palette. If you enjoy cool toned shadows and are fine with shadows that on the powdery side, and don't mind spending the dollars, I say get your hands on this before it leaves.

As always, my opinions are honest!

❤

Thank you! 

❤

Read More

How To: Maintain Fresh Looking Skin During the Winter!

Hello beautifuls! It seems we're coming up on the cooler days now and it's just around the corner. Some of you may be freezing already and some of you (such as myself) are still sweating in the summer heat. Whether the weather in your area has change to cooler temperatures or slowly changing, you should take the time now to prepare your skin for the cooler days ahead!

When it comes to the cooler temperatures, what you consume through eating and drinking and apply to directly to your skin contributes a lot to the health and condition of your skin. This is especially important for those who are sufferers from any skin disorders. 

I've had sensitive skin my entire life; my hands get cracked, dried, and bleed during the winter, my legs get itchy, flaky, and dry, I have terrible allergies to fragrances in many bath products, and it just snow balls during the winter time. Over the past few years, I've discovered a few tips that have helped me and my skin deal with the cooler temperatures!

1. Hydration, Hydration, Hydration!

I can't emphasize this enough! 

It doesn't matter if it's freezing out, you have to stay hydrated throughout the day during the cooler weather. Cooler weather has less than humidity and moisture in it, therefore, the cooler air dries out skin. You should at least be consuming eight 8 fl. oz. glasses of water a day to maintain hydration for not only your skin but, the rest of your body as well.

2. Avoid Harsh Fragrances & Detergents

This one took me forever to realize! Throughout the year, my skin gets irritated by strong fragrances and detergents from bath products, laundry detergents, and lotions. But, during the cooler days, it's amplified by dry skin. If you find yourself having irritated, itchy, dry skin, try switching out your great smelling products for some fragrance free products for a few months.

Look for products that are "Hypoallergenic", "Fragrance Free", and/or free of synthetic dyes or fragrances.

3. Maintaining Energy

I know, I know, it's a drag to even get up out of bed during cold mornings And then surviving the rest of the day?! Forget that, I'll just stay in bed! .... Unfortunately, we can't do that. Try avoiding large amounts of caffeine sources from coffee, soda, and energy drinks. It's fine to have your morning coffee and perhaps your afternoon pick up, but anymore than these two, and your asking for dehydration and dull looking skin. Caffeine draws hydration from the body and since your skin highly depends on water, overdosing on caffeine is a disaster for your skin.

Try protein or energy bars. Luna, KIND, and Cliff make amazing snack bars that are great for energy maintenance, snacking in between meals, hunger satisfaction, and they are low-glycemic, meaning they digest slower, giving you longer energy.

I saw a really delicious snack recipe on Aloha.com that is worth trying out! I plan to try it out myself. They are vegan, gluten free, a healthy alternative to snacking on candy bars, and I love having snack bars in my purse for work and on-the-go.

Photo from aloha.com

The more you're able to maintain your energy throughout the day, the better you'll feel and look!

❤

I hope after reading my few tips, that you'll be able to battle these cooler days that are upon us in the months ahead (or current for those of you who are already in cooler weather).

❤

Read More