URBAN DECAY VICE 4 - REVIEW AND SWATCH

Having owned the majority of the Urban Decay palettes since the 2nd Book of Shadows, I have become increasingly obsessed with the packaging and the ever-changing shadow formula. The Vice palette always come around a few months before the Christmas season, so I always leave space for it on my Christmas list. I prefer Urban Decay shadows compared to any other brand, even the likes of Mac and Benefit. From everyday wear to the parties I always gravitate towards my Urban Decay palettes. This is potentially my favourite UD Palette to date, and definitely my most preferred Vice palette. I depotted my first and second Vice Palettes into a Z-Palette, but I can justify doing it to the Vice 3 or this beautiful new addition. You can see the Vice 3 review here, the Vice 1 review here (It is my first blog post, so bare that in mind!) and Vice 2 review here.

The packaging has outdone any other UD palette I've seen. I adore the rainbow shattered appearance with the raised mirrored layer. There's also a snug little bag with matches the palette which is a lovely touch. The Vice 3 was the first Vice Palette to come with a matching makeup bag so it was nice to see the trend carried through to another Vice. The inside is the same layout as all Vice palettes. 4 rows of 5 shadows in the usual layout and an added brush which I always enjoy. I have so many Vice/Naked brushes, it's getting ridiculous. That said, they're handy brushes to have and something I always keep in my kit no matter how much I dislike double ended brushes. I'd describe this palette as a easy everyday palette which sees you though to the evening and the experimental looks. There's soft neutrals, gorgeous grungy metallics and amazing, glittering brights. I am in love. You can get some gorgeous pretty looks with this palette, but I am all for grungy eyes at the moment.

L-R: Bones, Grip, Deadbeat, Beat Down and Pandemonium.

BONES - On my skin tone, you can't really make it out. That said, it's a really pretty delicate shade. It has a soft shimmery shift to it that's slightly pearly that looks really gorgeous. It doesn't look obviously shimmery in the pan and comes off more matte, but when applied you can see the slight sheen it has.

GRIP - Is another shade that comes across more soft when swatched. It's a grey/taupe shade with a slight sparkle in it. It blends well, but not a shade I tend to go for. You could throw this on all over for a darker everyday look that's not too dark for daily wear.

DEADBEAT - I hadn't thought about wearing this until I swatched it and saw how gorgeous this shade really is. It's a metallic black which some serious glitter. I wore this out to a party for a grungy twist on the smokey eye and I can't get enough. 

BEAT DOWN - Reminds me of Fortune from the Makeup Revolution Unicorn Unite palette which you can see here - But on closer inspection Beat Down is more shimmery and buttery in comparison. It's a lovely shimmery purple with a darker purple throughout. 

PANDEMONIUM - This shade is a grey/purple colour with a crazy metalic sheen. This is really pretty to add some delicate colour to a black smokey eye.

L-R: Framed, Fast Ball, 1985, Underhand and Harlot.

FRAMED - This is a pretty delicate peach shade. It's not quite matte, and has more of a satin finish. When I look at this shade it reminds me of gorgeous bridesmaid dresses! It's really easy to blend and perfect to use all over the lid for a quick look.

FAST BALL - I wasn't that bothered about this shade until I swatched it. Wowza. It has a lovely coral to hot pink shift which I really like. This is really nice paired with Bitter, and it blends like a dream. 

1985 - Not my most used shade, but that doesn't mean it's not beautiful. It's really soft to play with, but hot pink really isn't my colour. If you're into your pink shades, this one is lovely to use.

UNDERHAND - Is so so beautiful. It's a red brown which I'm really into at the moment. I love using reddish shades with my blue hair and I think it compliments me really well. 

HARLOT - I adore how delicate this shade is. It s a pretty silvery pinkish purple. I love this for evening meals out! It gives a hint of glitz and glamour without it being too much. Blends perfectly and is super buttery.

L-R: Discreet, Grasshopper, C-Note, Arctic and Robbery.

DISCREET - Is a barely-there matte violet grey shade. This is perfect for creating a subtle smokey eye partnered with a blended out grey liner.

GRASSHOPPER - Is a grassy green metallic shade with plenty of shimmer. The pigmentation of this is unbeatable! Like the others, it's super easy to blend and has a buttery texture.

C-NOTE - Instantly reminds me of money! This looks lovely with Robbery. Because of it being a green colour and a shade I tend to avoid, because it's more muted it works well with shimmery brown shades.

ARCTIC - Is a pretty metallic iced teal shade. I try to avoid many blue hues as my hair is blue/green, but because of the subtly yet boldness of this shade, it works really well.

ROBBERY - Is it gold? Is it bronze? I love how this is still a metal shade, yet seems to be unique and a shade I've not seen in the UD world before. It's easy to blend as always.

L-R: Bitter, Flame, Low, Crowbar and Delete.

BITTER - This is one of my favourite shades, and I always used it either all over or in the crease paired with Flame. It's so buttery, easy to blend and the pigmentation is flawless. Easily one of my to go to shades at the moment!

FLAME - This is super shimmery, and nothing like I've seen before! It's a gorgeous shimmery coral with amazing white gold shift. To keep my shadow as shimmery as possible, I pair it with a Mac Paint pot, usually Mooncake, as they cling to shimmery/glittery shades really well. This is one of my favourite shades! 

LOW - Is beautiful. It's a brown matte base with loads of silver glitter! It's not chunky at all so it glides on well, but it isn't without it's fall out! It's easily avoidable by doing your foundation after the eyes, but it can be a hassle.

CROWBAR - Is a browny dark green with gold shimmer and glitter. The glitter didn't transfer as well as I thought it would from pan to eyes which was a shame.

DELETE - Is a dark satin matte brown which is a dream to blend! I use it smudged around my eyes for a quick subtle grunge look! 

Overall this is my favourite Vice palette to date, and Urban Decay have outdone themselves once again. I've always been a huge fan of the Vice palettes and I cannot wait to see what the next one will look like - It'll be hard to top this! You can create bright and bold looks, soft and shimmery or dark and daring with this versatile palette. You can still get this online from Debenhams for £43 here.

Thanks for reading!

VICE 3 URBAN DECAY PALETTE SWATCH AND REVIEW

I took these photos before Christmas 2014 but never got around to doing the swatches because life has a habit of getting in the way. Before I post my Vice 4 review, I wanted to make sure I had done this, so I had an archive of all the Vice palettes and so I could make references when needed! It's no longer available to buy unfortunately, but the Urban Decay palettes have a habit of popping up on websites every now and then. I always reach for this palette when I'm doing my plum looks as the plums in this palette are to die for. There are some gorgeous shimmers as well, so let's just get started!

The Vice palettes always come with a double ended brush.

L-R - Truth, Dragon, Vanity, Alien and Last Sin.

TRUTH - I tend to use this light pink matte shade all over the lids to give my eyes a little bit of life. This shade is very powdery and has a tendency to puff everywhere, but it's still a great shade nevertheless. The shade is great or us pale princesses!

DRAGON - I'm not a huge fan of greens so I don't tend to use this. It's great for costume looks though as it's a really good metallic green.

VANITY - Is gorgeous! I adore applying this shade as it's a dream. It's a really pretty deep metallic plum that's great as an alternative to a black smokey eye if you want to dabble in a bit of colour.

ALIEN - I want this as a blush and I want it now. I LOVE this shade so much. I used this shade in my Pink and Gold Valetine look, as it's so easy to blend and looks gorgeous. It's a pink shade with a gold shift which looks beautiful.

LAST SIN - I like this golden metallic shade, but it has so much fall out on me. I couldn't get along with it and never reach for it, and when I do I instantly regret it. It's such a shame as it looks gorgeous in the pan.

L-R - Undone, Freeze, Lucky, Alchemy and Angel.

UNDONE - Is a pretty pale beige matte. It's a lovely transition shade for us pale girls, so I tend to use to to blend out a brown smokey eye. It blends really well - No faults for this shade!

FREEZE - I find it hard making this shade look good on me without looking like a kid in the 90's. It's an okay shade and has okay pigmentation.

LUCKY - This is so beautiful! It looks gorgeous on the eye, and always makes my blue eyes pop. It's buttery and gorgeous!

ALCHEMY - This is one of my most used in the palettes a year on from getting it as it's so unique. The pigmentation is perfection, and the colour is divine. I love this reddish plum metallic shade!

ANGEL - I really reach for this shade as I find it to be on the same formula as Last Sin unfortunately. It is a pretty shade, but I don't really wear silvery/gold metallics.

L-R - Downfall, Heroine, Reign, Bondage and Defy.

DOWNFALL - I found this super buttery to work with! I love this warm buttery brown matte shade and works as a great crease shade on me. It's easy to blend too and would work as a good transition shade.

HEROINE - I use this quite often as an alternative to a black eyeliner when I'm doing a slight smokey eye. I love that this is a shimmery matte and not just matte as it brings it to life. I used it in my Navy Winged Eyeshadow look if you want to see it in action!

REIGN - This gorgeous golden brown shimmery shade is so easy to blend. It's great all over the lid and swept beneath the eye for an easy, classy smokey eye.

BONDAGE - I love this dark plum shimmery goodness. I love using this as a dark smokey eye, and used it in a Copper and Purple Punky Smokey Eye, so go check Bondage and Sonic in action there. It blends so well and the colour pay off is brilliant. I love this shade!

DEFY - Another shade I didn't get on with and don't reach out for. I just think it's a flat colour and doesn't really do anything exciting for me.

L-R - DTF, Brokedown, Bobby Dazzle, Sonic and Revolver.

DTF - (Naughty shade name!) is delicate and classy. I love this violet grey matte shade with small shimmer throughout. The pay off is amazing and looks great on the lids on its own once it's blended out. I've not seen a shade similar to this.

BROKEDOWN - This shade has no faults and works a treat, It's a pretty brownish golden shade which looks lovely paired up with a creamy metallic shade.

BOBBY DAZZLE - I just don't like this shade. That's not to say it's not good, I just don't like it. It's too weird. I tried applying this shimmery white shade in the corners of my eyes, or as a highlight but I just can't get on with it. 

SONIC - One of my favourites! As I said before, I used it in my copper and purple eye look which you can see here, and when I wear this shade I always get asked what it is. This coppery reddish pink has insane colour pay off and blends beautifully. What's not to love?

REVOLVER - This shade is an almost black/dark grey metallic shade. It's perfect for creating metallic smokey eyes and I love wearing silver glitter over the top of this shade. 

Overall, I love this palette - and was my favourite Vice palette until the Vice 4 stole my heart. Although nothing can beat Sonic...

Keep an eye out for any future Vice palettes as they're completely worth the money, and you're never stumped for creativity. You have everything you need for day time, night time and creative looks. You can see the Vice 1 swatches here (It was my first blog post so forgive me.) and the Vice 2 here. Thanks for reading!

MAKEUP REVOLUTION 2 YEAR PARTY

A month or so ago I was incredibly bowled over about being invited to the Makeup Revolution 2 year event. I've been a MUR fan since the beginning - I remember Tweeting them, awaiting it to appear in my local Superdrug. Since that moment Makeup Revolution have gone from strength to strength and to prove that they threw an incredible two year party inviting people in the industry and other fellow bloggers. I was completely overwhelmed with their respect and appreciation towards bloggers, and it was exactly what I needed to get back into blogging again after taking a break to settle down in my new house and job. After attending the event it made me insanely motivated, and has made me really really appreciate and love the brand more than I could've thought. I now want to try every thing they have to offer! It's incredible seeing a brand want to give back to their customers and bloggers, so thank you. The event was held at the beautiful Cafe De Paris with a classy burlesque feel which I adored. When I walked into the event I was greeted by a lovely lady on the door who handed me a small leaflet to say I could collect a goody bag at the end, which I didn't expect. Most events have had goody bags in the past, but it's something I never expect - Especially an event this big! When I walked into the main room, there were monitors all around us, showcasing bloggers and Youtubers talking and showing off the Makeup Revolution products which was a really nice touch. People walked around giving out cocktails and wine and countless plates of gorgeous canapes. After grabbing a cocktail, I walked around the edges of the room to take pictures of their products which where displayed beautifully (And all their products are cruelty free! Hurrah!).

Colour On products

Freedom Products

The new British Beauty Blogger palette collab - Oh my goodness!

 Makeup Revolution Products

It was so lovely to be able to get a proper look at new and old products, as sometimes it's hard too in Superdrug. It was great to see new products I hadn't seen in my local Superdrug yet, so I now have a long list of things I'd like to get when they grace the shelves! I am in NEED of the Strobe Balms and I've been eyeing them up on social media. I am way too excited to get my hands on them. My all time favourite Makeup Revolution product is the Highlighter in Golden Lights. It's hands down the best highlighter I've come across and the pigmentation is unbelievable. I use it in the corner of my eyes as well as my cheeks, and I've used it on a few of my clients too. I will always recommend that highlighter for a ethereal, glowing look. After I had a nose at the products, Adam Minto, the owner of Tam, started his speech, and talked about some amazing things to come to 2016 in the world of Makeup Revolution and the sister brands. Then Daisie Smith made a speech leading on to talk about the other incredible things happening this year. 

One of the amazing things which you can get involved with now is their Makeup Revolution app. You can find out which stores stock what, and some cool sneak peaks of products! It's a really handy app to have so get downloading! Another thing that's happening which EVERYONE should get excited about is a competition! But none like you've seen before... It's the XFactor of makeup artists with 3 rounds, runner up prizes of £1000 and a grand prize of £10,000. Superdrug then came to the front of the stage to say they are going to match that prize! The crowd was speechless. The winner will also receive a years supply of the products which is insane. They also mentioned their first ever collaboration with British Beauty Blogger which you can see above. It looks gorgeous! After the speech we all got our groove on, drinking drinks and networking. It was great to see different bloggers blend as one. To top the night off, Scott Mills was the DJ! He played great tuned throughout the night, and even some of the cast of TOWIE were dancing in the crowd. It truly was an amazing representation of the brand, and something I will treasure. I am blessed to have been considered as part of their makeup journey, so thank you Makeup Revolution for making me feel welcome. I will be posting in depth reviews and pictures of the goody bag soon to get you all jealous! Thank you so much for reading!

 Adam Minto

 Daisie Smith

 I attended the event with Justine on the left - See her blog here!

Scott Mills.

The goody bag had £60+ worth of Superdrug and MUR products.