Lorac Pro Palette 2! Swatches and First Impressions

Hello Beautiful. 

Lorac has very quickly become on of my top brands to reach for on a daily. In fact, the original Lorac Pro Palette is currently in my eyeshadow drawer (yes, I have a drawer just for eyeshadow, contain your surprise) and on its last leg. 

Lorac is known for some incredibly smooth and silky eyeshadows, their first Pro Palette and the Pro To Go are huge sellers, and I expect this palette to be as well. 

A few points of about this Palette: 

- It is currently only available on Ulta Online, it will be in stores beginning on the 29th of June. 

- There are 16 colors in total, 8 matte and 8 shimmery. 

- Lorac Pro 2 comes with a mini Behind The Scenes Eye Primer (which I most definitely recommend to use with these and other eyeshadows). 

I stayed up and ordered it at midnight, the night it came out. Because I'm an adult and I can. :)

- The stand outs: shimmery Jade, a dark green that comes off much darker on skin than it does in the pan, also the matte Plum and Navy, highly pigmented and so so buttery!

- Swatches below are applied with no primer or base and only one swipe of each color to show just how pigmented these babies are, totally worth the price tag. (Excuse the translucent skin, but I couldn't wait to swatch this palette).

Matte Colors:  Black, Charcoal, Navy, Plum, Nectar, Cool Gray, Lt Brown, Buff

We all know that shimmery shades almost always come with a ton of fall out. Not so with Lorac, they go on smoothly, with minimal fall out and really strong pigmentation. (They were also extremely difficult to wipe off my arm with a face wipe)

Shimmery Colors: Cocoa, Jade, Silver, Chrome, Mocha, Rosé, Beige, Snow

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Product Rave: Maybelline Volum' Express Falsies Big Eyes Mascara

I don't repurchase Mascara. I just don't. With the amount of new and fantastic Mascaras coming out on a daily basis, from drug store to high end, why would I ever concentrate on just one? 

My extensive, and well documented, obsession. I will not apologize.

Well, this Mascara made me into a huge hypocrite.

As mentioned in a previous post (or two), there is a lot to look for in a Mascara. Is the formula wet or dry? Does it flake over time? What's the color pay off? How long will it last on my bottom lashes before I'm in the bathroom maneuvering a q-tip and trying not to look like a sad raccoon? 

This particular lash potion (it has earned that monicker) kind of blew me away. I saw it in commercials, as one does, and all over YouTube, but with the amount of sponsored videos, I was a bit skeptical. 

Also, doesn't every brand now have a version of the double ended mascara? "Two brushes for the price of one!" Given, the first brush is usually a primer mascara. 

So, let's discuss why this particular mascara forced me back into addiction. 

Brush: There are two brushes, one typical brush for the top lashes and the smaller/shorter brush to get the bottom lashes. The bottom brush is, in my opinion, what makes this product so special. Because when you're done using it on the bottom lashes, you can catch every tiny, impossible lash in the inner corners. 

Color Payoff: So it comes in 3 different colors; Very Black, Blackest Black and Brownish Black. I've used the Very Black and the Brownish Black, I can't honestly see a major difference, the Brownish shade is a bit softer and the Very Black is a very visibly black mascara. Now, it's no where near as striking as the Dior Show in Catwalk Black, but the color is definitely present. 

Chance of Raccoon Eyes: In all the time I've worn this mascara (read: every day) I haven't noticed it flaking at all. Sure, if it's the end of an 18 hour wear and you're rubbing at your dry contacts, it may flake or smear, but it is incredibly resistant. 

Price:  Maybelline is not exactly a very self aware company, and we should all be quiet and thank them for it. At times, they produce some seriously effective products at some of the cheapest prices in the drug store. Price ranges from $5-7, or cheaper if you find it on sale. 

This mascara (can we count how many times I've used that word?) is well worth double its selling price and perfect for both beginners and weathered pros. 

  

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Lorac Pro Palette 2, Out on June 15th!

Get your wallets ready, ladies! The Lorac Pro Pallete is coming out, exclusively to Ulta, on June 15th online and on the 29th in stores. Consider this a public service announcement ;).

Picture courtesy of Michelle Phan. 

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Worth Every Penny: Lorac Pro To Go

I bought the original Lorac Pro Palette on a whim, a few months back, and it started a very serious obsession with the brand. So I decided that I absolutely needed the Lorac Pro To Go, which turned out to be absolutely perfect for travel. Also, I highly, highly recommend this palette if you're just starting out with makeup, it has all of the basic colors you need for a really versatile eye and cheek/face contouring.


The colors are really pigmented and blend perfectly, with minimum fall out from the black shadows (which is always hard to come by).  Also, they really do have some serious staying power, the bronzer won't slide down your face or turn orange after a full day of wear.


Swatches and pics below!

The matte shades are amazing! Not chalky at all, really well pigmented and apply like a dream. 

 (Black, Cafe, Shell)

There is always worry about shimmery shades, but this particular palette just wipes those away. The colors are gorgeous, the fall out is minimal and the creasing is non existent. 

( Mink, Chai, Pearl)

As I've mentioned before, this is the perfect starter palette and, honestly, the bronzer/blushes are the main reason why. If you're not sure about contouring, bronzing or how to apply blush or, even what blush will match your skin, this is a fantastic place to start. The bronzer would work for most skin shades as it is very blend-able and build-able. The blushes come in matte and shimmery, both very pigmented but also pretty easy to blend. 

(Bronze, Pink, Coral) 

One other thing that I love about Lorac, the names of their shades! Very straight forward, actual color names you can recognize without trying to figure out what color "Orgasm" might be referring to. 

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Worth Every Penny: Make Up Forever Concealer

Even with the best foundation, there are always trouble spots, discoloration and annoying marks that need a little extra attention, that usually comes in the from of concealers. 

High End Version: 

Make Up Forever Full Coverage Concealer

Pros: This is a powerful concealer. There isn't a blemish, pimple or scar that will show through this product. If you're in need of FULL coverage, this is the concealer you need to invest in. 

Cons: It's very expensive. At $32.00 per tube, it's more expensive than some foundations. Apply too much and it will crease, so you definitely need a setting powder. I would not recommend it for under eye brightening or concealing as it will show every wrinkle and crease. 

Drug Store Dupe:  

Hard Candy Glamoflauge Concealer

Pros: This isn't so much a dupe, as it is basically an exact match.  Hard Candy hit it out of the park with this product. The coverage is amazing and, by many accounts, creases less than it's high-end counterpart. Also, at $6 a tube, it's a great option if you're looking to save some cash. 

Cons: The range of colors is much smaller than it's high end sibling. So if your skin shade doesn't fit into the few shades offered by Hard Candy, you'll have to go for the Makeup Forever version. 

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Product Tip: Pond's Evening Soothe Wet Cleansing Towelettes

I am sitting in bed, in the middle of the night (ok, like 11 pm) and I just HAD to write up this quick post to share.

I found the most amazing face wipes. Pond's Evening Soothe Wet Cleansing Towelettes are the most amazing make up remover wipes I have ever used. MAC wipes, which are some of the best I've ever used, hold no candle to this product. 

I originally got these as a sample, but after using it up, I've continued to repurchase them. They smell absolutely fantastic, have a cooling effect on the skin and are gentle enough to remove eye makeup, yet strong enough to get that stubborn, waterproof mascara. These are also perfect for those days you're not wearing make up but want to refresh anyway. 

Absolutely in love with these! 

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Product Tip: Skin MD Natural Shielding Lotion

Good face lotion is hard to come by, especially one that works for many variations of skin types. I found the Skin MD Natural Shielding Lotion this past summer, while searching for a light moisturizer that would help with whatever issues my skin has. This lotion is also perfect for winter months, reducing redness and flakiness.

Pros: 

- Comes in both SPF and non SPF versions. 

- Doesn't add oil or a sheen to the face.

- Incredibly moisturizing. 

- Fantastic for scar reduction. 

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Product Tip: TRESemmé Nourishing Rituals Liquid Gold Shine Therapy

I have been dying, curling, stripping and straightening my hair since Middle School. All of the heat and color has done a number on its health, so I'm always in search of a new product that will make it look and feel like something out of a Disney movie (aren't we all?). 

I bought the TRESemmé Nourishing Rituals Liquid Gold Shine Therapy, on a whim. It was on sale, it had the words "Gold" and "Therapy" in it, so of course I was intrigued. I have to say, I'm very happy that I went for it. 

The directions suggest using this after you've washed and conditioned your hair, but I've found that using it over your conditioner and combing through with a Detangling Comb works best. Also, avoid using too much of this product (or conditioner) in the roots of your hair, keep it mostly concentrated at the tips. 

This product is pretty awesome, it adds an intense shine to hair, makes it softer, more manageable and easy to comb through.   In fact, I love this product so much, that when I heard news of it being discontinued (no idea why), I bought out my local store. A girl needs backups! 

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Seriously Disappointing: Buxom Sculpted Lash Mascara

I love mascara. Adore it. Honestly, one could say I suffer from a small addiction. It was the first piece of makeup I ever owned and continues to be a major part of my makeup (and spending) habit. 

Mascara, to me, brings light and life to an eye look. It awakens the face, covers eyeliner errors and adds the perfect finishing touch. 

I am always on the look out for new Mascara, from the very expensive YSL Faux Cils to the ultra cheap (but amazing)  L'Oreal Voluminous. So when I come across something new (to me) and interesting, I go for it. In this case, I probably shouldn't have. 

BUXOM Sculpted Lash Mascara is probably one of the worst I've tried and at $19.00 a pop, that's just shameful. 

Mascara comes in a range of colors, wet or dry formulas (both of which have their pros and cons) and some intriguing wand shapes. This particular mascara dropped the ball on almost all of the above. 

Color : Not much to say, it's a black mascara and the color is evident.

Formula: This is so far on the "dry" side, it's basically "dried out." You know the Mascara you find hiding in the back of your drawer that's about 6 months old and as dry as the desert? Yeah, this is it.

Wand Shape: The wand is interesting, different and looks like it would give some serious definition to your eyelashes. Well, it doesn't. The wand is awkward, doesn't catch the small inner corner lashes and doesn't do well with the larger lashes either. 

Try this instead: 

XXL Curl Power Washable Mascara

It's about $7.00, has some serious curl, priming and staying power and will grab every lash in every corner of your eye! 

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Worth Every Penny: Foundation for Oily Skin

My mother always told me "Your skin reflects your personality." If that's true, I must be one hell of a rebel, because my skin has no interest in behaving. It's oily, combination and prone to acne (all levels of fun).

Because of my unruly skin; full coverage, long lasting and mattifying foundation is a must. So, after countless bottles and hundreds of dollars and hours spent, I found two that do my skin wonders. 

High End Version: 

Make Up Forever: Mat Velvet +

Makeup Forever is a brand well know for their full coverage foundations and concealers, and the hype is not without its merits. Mat Velvet + is amazing for oily skin, it will keep your T-Zone matte without sliding off your face before you even get to lunch.

Admittedly, this is not a perfect formula. It can crease with too much setting powder and tends to look a bit dry, so a highlighter to add some dewiness is recommended.

Drug Store Dupe: 

Covergirl Outlast Stay Fabulous 3-in-1

A high end foundation is all fine and good, but at $40+ a tube, it can get costly. So I decided to look for a foundation that I could wear on the days I don't feel like too many people will be staring at my skin (read: sitting behind my enormous computer screen at work usually does the trick). This Covergirl foundation is fairly new on the market, but it has, very quickly, become my go-to. I've gone through so many bottles of this foundation, Covergirl should consider sending me a plaque of some sort.

This is a perfect drug store dupe, it has great coverage, keeps the oils at bay and actually lasts throughout the day. Major kudos to Covergirl. And the best part? It costs less than $10. 

A few notes: 

- Oily skin is genetic, no amount of setting spray, powder, drying cream, etc, will ever fix it permanently. But a good foundation and skin care regiment will improve it ten-fold. 

- If you're like me and prone to oily skin, I suggest carrying two things religiously: Blotting papers and touch up powder. 

- Don't avoid trying new things. Things that don't work for others, may work perfectly for you. 

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