Currently testing: Urban Decay's Electric Pressed Pigment Palette

Urban Decay's Electric Pressed Pigment Palette

Parental Advisory: Explicit Content

Swatches of all 10 shades from left to right: Revolt, Gonzo, Slowburn, Savage, Fringe, Chaos, Jilted, Urban, Freak and Thrash

Wearing Chaos, Jilted and Urban along with several paler shades from the Naked 3 palette

Here is a preview of the look I created with Urban Decay's newest release, The Electric Pressed Pigment Palette. Currently testing longevity and wearability. 

In the look above I was gunning for Jessica Alba's recent blue eyeliner look with a twist.

Illamasqua's Shattered Star Nail Varnish in Trilliant

Illamasqua's Nail Varnish in Trilliant (left) and Marquise (right)

What can I say, I'm a bit of princess when it comes to doing my nails. For two plus years I've been getting my nails done by the lovely ladies over at French Pink and also by Erin of Blonde Tiger. Once you find that cocktail (talent + communal banter) -- you keep asking for more.

With the long holiday weekend upon me, I was tasked with the challenge of doing my own nails and I was kind of looking forward to it. My skills might be rusty, but I had two shiny bottles brightly smiling at me on my desk.

Cue Illamasqua's Trilliant and Marquise, two of the three shades from the Glamore collection.

This week we'll take a closer look at Trilliant, a shimmering champagne featuring silver hexagons, half-sized bars and loads of sparkles.

Close up of Trilliant

Illamasqua isn't a brand I immediately think of when it comes to nail polish, but for me I can now see why it's a huge hit. The brush is easier to wield as the handle really lends itself to being closely hugged by my thumb, pointer and middle fingers. The polish flowed off the brush in a manageable fashion, spread evenly and dried fast.

I had serious misgivings about the three dimensional texture lifting off and peeling. Today marks day five of wearing Trilliant and there isn't one chip in sight. With that said, it could be a field day when it's finally time to remove this glitter bomb of a polish.

Wearing Trilliant on my nails

Visually I get Robin Sparkle's "Sandcastles in the Sand" or even a sparkling Madison from the film Splash.

Trilliant is a high-performing two coater and I can picture it looking cotton candy sweet on tanned tootsies.

The Bagful breakdown:

Total amount for Illamasqua's Shattered Star Nail Varnish in Trilliant:

• $22.50 AUS / $17.00 USD 

Value for money spent (performance and quality):

• 9 out of 10 bags — Pleasantly surprised.

Would another purchase be on the horizon?:

• I've been kindly invited back to my local Illamasqua counter for a healthy helping of Glamore. What sort of look would you like to see on me?

*PR sample provided  –  Thoughts and ramblings written here are completely my own.

Chanel's Perfection Lumiere Velvet - Smooth-Effect Makeup

Chanel's Perfection Lumiere Velvet in 30 Beige 

Chanel's Perfection Lumiere Velvet is a real minx and I'll tell you why. Intended for normal to oily skin, this foundation promises to smooth, mattify and essentially leave "a flawless finish." I, however, have dry skin with patches of oiliness across my T-zone -- Perfection Lumiere Velvet will not play nice if your skin is even the slightest bit dry and will also emphasize flaky bits.

Swatches of Beige 30 without flash unblended (left) and blended (right)

Swatches of Beige 30 with flash unblended (left) and blended (right)

Tried as I might, I used several different techniques in order to apply Perfection Lumiere Velvet.

With fingers and no primer - So you know how I mentioned having dry skin is not even an option? Well, imagine having dry hands as well. My digits turned into sponges and absorbed most, if not all of the foundation I was attempting to apply. The finish was patchy and my skin looked drier than usual -- I wanted to stick a fork in it, because I was done. Sorry, I don't have a picture, but trust me when I tell you the situation was dire.

Dry foundation brush and no primer - not as bad as my fingers, but I was sincerely hoping for a miracle. Layering several different kinds of facial moisturisers failed me, too.

Dry foundation brush and no primer 

A damp foundation brush and no primer - the results were marginally better as I had an easier time smoothing out the foundation. Notice the flakiness in the hollows of my cheeks?

Damp foundation brush and no primer

Damp foundation brush and primer - Magic! The primer helped to fill in my pores, smooth imperfections and reduce the amount of flakiness. The foundation could finally get on with things and do its job.

Damp foundation brush and primer

Using a primer was a last ditch effort and I'm so thankful it worked. Here I used Clarins* Beauty Flash Balm, yet another product I could't wrap my mind around and scared the bejesus out of me from the smell alone.

Did you learn a valuable lesson? I certainly did -- I won't be so quick to pull the trigger.

In other news... look who I found. It's Sebastian!! Scott and I randomly crossed paths with him in Sydney. And to think I almost didn't visit the Chanel counter in Myer.

Trying to contain my fan-girl giddiness

Despite Sebastians' warnings of needing properly hydrated skin, I still bought it anyways and I wasn't even in the market for a new foundation!

If your skin is unlike mine, please do check out Sabrina's review for her thoughts and swatch comparisons of Chanel's Perfection Lumiere Velvet.

The Bagful breakdown:

Total amount for Chanel's Perfection Lumiere Velvet:

• 78.00 AUS / $45.00 USD 

Value for money spent (performance and quality):

• 6 out of 10 bags — I might stow this bottle away for summer to see how it performs when my skin is a little less dry.

Would another purchase be on the horizon?:

• Sebastian sold me on this brow kit, now I need to justify the expense. Tho, the more I think about it, I'd rather save up for the Charlotte Olympia Kitty Flats.

*PR sample provided (Clarins Beauty Flash Balm) –  Thoughts and ramblings written here are completely my own.

Eyes to mesmerize: By Terry's Crayon Khol Terrybly Eye Pencil in Holy Black

By Terry's Holy Black

It was sheer coincidence when I decided to finally take By Terry's Waterproof Crayon Khol Terrybly in Holy Black out for a spin this weekend. Holy Black was a small treasure I picked up during the Christmas Holiday break in Singapore -- I fell in love with the colour immediately, but never registered the name.

Thar be glitter!

Swatches of Holy Black blended (left) and untouched (right) 

Immediately I had visions of smouldering eyes and sparkle tinged cat eye flicks, but truth be told I'm as skilled as a Kindergartener wielding plastic scissors and rainbow hued construction paper. My fine motor skills are lacking -- one would think I left the same imaginary Kindergartener to their own devices by letting them paint my face.

Recently I learned a valuable lesson from Karen, your liner doesn't have to be perfect, because you can blend the heck out of it. So, blend I did.

Wearing Holy Black on the outer corners of my eyes

To get this look, simply follow these steps:

1. Start with an eye primer.
2. Grab a matte taupe or tan eyeshadow and apply all over the eye lid and stop just at the crease. Be sure to blend out any harsh lines.
3. Next grab your liner and apply a fairly chunky line from the outer corner of your eye. The line only needs to cover a third of the lash line.
4. It's now time to smudge and blend your liner. If you don't have a smudge brush, your pinkie finger or even a puffed up Q-tip will do.
5. I then lightly patted and blended on Inglot's Pure Pigment Eyeshadow in shade 85, a cocoa brown with glints of teal. Clean up any fallout, because the teal flecks will emphasise blue under eye circles.
6. Blend again.
7. Highlight your brow area.
8. Finish with mascara.

While I don't know if I'll ever use By Terry's Holy Black in a traditional manner, I was pleased the tip of the liner wasn't nearly as malleable as Opaline Flash.

Fine lines (not the wrinkle kind) and smudginess await.

The Bagful breakdown:

Total amount for By Terry's Crayon Khol Terrybly Eye Pencil:

• $48.00 AUS / $34.00 USD 

Value for money spent (performance and quality):

• 7 out of 10 bags — Ermagherd! This pencil is wicked expensive!! Rimmel has a more than adequate dupe.

Would another purchase be on the horizon?:

• Kinda sorta of on a spending freeze. But I wouldn't mind getting another Ombre Blackstar Cream Eyeshadow :)