Melt Cosmetics Love Sick Stack Review & EOTD!

I have wanted this stack for a LONG time! Well it felt like a long time considering i kept seeing everyone else on Instagram using it! (& frankly it was even better as my other half bought it for me for Valentine's :D )

& I have to say I love it. Granted it is a liiiittle pricey at $48 for the stack & $10 shipping (thank you again Valentine 'cause I am poor...) but the packaging, the aesthetics, the colours & the texture are beyond fantastic.

  

I have a love for typography so I adore the Melt Cosmetics packaging when it's delivered to you - lime green tissue paper contrasting the amazing black & white interior of the box with 'Melt Cosmetics', 'Thank you' tattoo style calligraphy. The matte black box that holds the shadows has shiny text across, using the same tattoo/calligraphy influenced typography. They were pretty much onto a winner with myself with the matte black design, 'cause I love matte black. & particularly love it in combination with the gorgeous lime green paper which was a perfect touch fitting with Melt Cosmetics branding. PLUS it comes with a tiny cute lipstick model!!

The magnetic stack is great too as it keeps the shadows totally in tact (I was concerned I would catch the shadow against the magnet or something but that has yet to happen yet!) whilst the little mirror on the inside is a great touch, as well as being super handy!

Left to right - Love Sick, Amelie, Promiscuous & Love Sick.

Now these shadows are SUPER pigmented. Possibly the most pigmented I have ever used. & with the shadows I've used previously the texture of the matte formulas were not as good as metallic/shimmery shadow. Well NO MORE. The matte textures were just as smooth as the shimmery. With two matte - Amelie, Promiscuous - & two metallic - Fixated, Love Sick - my favourite shade is probably Love Sick, mainly because I have never used such a pigmented matte red & it is stunning. The colours also blend so well & the colour build up is fantastic, in addition you don't lose a lot of powder when applying to your brush so it you seem to get a lot of product as a little goes a long way.

Left to Right - Amelie, Love Sick, Promiscuous & Fixated.

Here are some looks I have done so far use the Love Sick stack!!

#NoGoodNancy Love Sick challenge - from my Instagram @lacreativemakeup

#NoGoodNancy Love Sick challenge - from my Instagram @lacreativemakeup

#NoGoodNancy Love Sick challenge - from my Instagram @lacreativemakeup

#NoGoodNancy Love Sick challenge - from my Instagram @lacreativemakeup

#NoGoodNancy Love Sick challenge - from my Instagram @lacreativemakeup

I will also be doing nogoodnancy's Love Sick challenge - creating 5-7 looks using ONLY the Love Sick stack (liner & glitter allowed!) for a week. These will be on my IG account @lacreativemakeup

Gym Proof Make Up!

If don't have the time to apply make-up post training (or you're like me & carrying all your make-up would add an extra 10 kilos to your daily bag) or just wear make-up during your training sessions, but fear the sweat smudges - DO NOT FEAR I have my favourite sweat proof, smear proof, make up products that are tried & tested by myself! (Disclaimer; I am not the type of person who sweats buckets...)

Skin - Smashbox Photo Finish Primer/Laura Mercier Primer: Primer is generally an essential to get foundation to stay put & stop from sitting in your pores anyway, but it's especially helpful to stop it smearing off your face or smudging from sweat during training. Laura Mercier & Smashbox are my favourite primers & the Smashbox primer comes in three different types including a luminescent style

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Mac Cosmetics Prep & Prime: I use the transculent powder to help set my foundation & ensuring my skin is also nicely mattified!

Urban Decay Fix Spray: & if you really, really need it a spray fix will definitely keep things nicely in place sweat or no sweat! & it is far better better than spraying your face with hairspray! (Definitely didn't used to do that) This is my favourite fix spray as it isn't sticky & dries super fast without sticking my eyelids together.

Image From Google!

Eyes - Kat Von D Tattoo Eyeliner: I am pretty sure this eyeliner would stay put if you threw a bucket of water in my face. It is AMAZING - the staying power is fantastic & the tip is so, so precise & hard wearing. It is my favourite liner in existence, plus SUPER easy to use!

Image From Google!

Urban Decay Primer Potion: Again a good primer to keep everything in place! My favourite primer to keep eyeshadows from straying! It also comes in different styles, including original, matte & a shimmery/metallic version.

Eyebrows - Anastasia Beverly Hills Dipbrow Pomade: I did a previous post about the gloriousness of Anastasia Beverly Hills Dipbrow but I just thought I would reinforce how amazing it really is. IT IS THE HOLY GRAIL OF EYEBROW PRODUCTS. Does not move off my face at all. Eyebrows always on point.

Lips - OCC Lip Tar: This lip tar is a lip stain, which means once its dries it's basically staying put until you take it off! Plus its VEGAN. I put this on before my cardio the other day (8am) & it was still there after 2 meals at 2pm. They're super versatile & come in a range of awesome colours.

Image From Google!

Urban Decay Vice 3 Palette First Look Review!

I don't own either of the previous Vice palettes so I had no real anticipation of what to expect from Vice 3 - but I have not been disappointed. Vice 3 comes in a gorgeously abstract box, then in a neatly padded bag for the palette itself - the palette being a metallic, mirrored silver which the same abstract design across the front. It comes with a double ended brush, similar to that of the Naked Palettes but the same metallic style as the palette itself.

The palette contains 20 colours - 6 mattes & 14 shimmery, 6 neutrals & a range of brighter, bolder colours. Some of which have far better colour pay off than others - however if the Urban Decay Potion primer is used the pay off is better & the colour is generally better & bolder! The texture of the shadows is relatively smooth, with easy application although I find the matte colours slightly harder to blend than the shimmery or metallic shadows.

My favourite selection of colours by far are the pinks/reds - Alien, Alchemy, Bondage & Sonic. I love the combination of the four in addition to Lucky! I also need to mention that I love how the Urban Decay shadows are named.

The first quad of colours are the main neutral, matte colours - Truth, Undone, Downfall & DTF - they have been applied on my forearm with my finger on top of the Urban Decay Original Primer Potion. The colour pay off of Truth doesn't appear to be too strong but I tend to use of more as a base or a highlight due to it's slight pink tinged white. The colours are quite earthy with slightly warmer with the exception of DTF.

The colours below are probably the colours with the best colour pay off & as I said previously I find that the metallic, shimmery shadows have a better texture & easier to blend. Even Bobby Dazzle - a bright shimmery white tone - is visible on my translucent skin. Vanity & Lucky are my favourite shades out of this selection, the coppery Lucky is particularly compatible with the red tones coming next.

I feel that these swatches may not be quite as true to colour as the other swatches, in particularly the Bondage shade which appears to be slightly browner in colour whereas in reality it is more of an aubergine, slightly purpley colour. With Sonic being slightly redder, as opposed to orange. Last Sin is a shade I tend to use to layer over other shadows to add more of a shimmer & again a highlight.

Some examples of eye looks using only the Vice 3 palette shadows:

Overall I pretty much love the palette - I love the aesthetics of the palettes design, I love the quads of colours & how they are grouped, the general texture (although I would say the mattes could be a little smoother) & the brush is amazing too, with a blending end & the flat brush. Definitely a very good palette to own.

My Every Day Make Up Products - A Quick Look.

So here is my selection of make up I use every day... it may look like a lot but this is the selection from priming to skin to eyes!

Primer: Laura Mercier Primer - I got this primer in an edition of a Glossybox & I really love it. It's light in texture & doesn't leave me face feeling sticky but sits nicely on my skin pre-concealer & foundation application & stops my foundation sinking & settling into my pores!

Concealer: MAC Cover & Conceal Palette in Light - best concealer I have ever used. This palette is AMAZING. It comes in 6 shades: NC15, NW15, NC20, NW20, a pale yellow tone & a pale pink tone. The yellow & pink tones are amazing to cover any blemishes & neutralise colour discrepancies, whilst the darker tones can be used to contour if you have no use for them as a concealer. The colour is buildable & high in coverage & I don't find it particularly drying.

Foundation: MAC Studio Finish Foundation in NC15 - again, amazing. Mac products live up to their name. Medium, buildable coverage with a matte finish - although I find when I am in more humid weather (I live in Cornwall half of the year) it doesn't quite stay as well as when I'm up country! I think for the price (£21) you get A LOT of product, I've had mine for six months & have barely seemed to touch it due to the awesome coverage.

Finishing Powder: MAC Prep & Prime Powder - a transparent powder I use to set my foundation & make sure it's entirely matte-ified...

Brows: Anastasia Beverly Hills Dipbrow Pomade in Taupe, Nudestix Concealer & Make Up Forever Brow Seal in Clear/Transparent - Anastasia Beverly Hills. What to say. Dipbrow is an unbelievable product. I am in love with it. I train twice a day most days & it sticks perfectly in place through my sweaty cardio & lifting sessions. AMAZING product for any lovely lady or lad who needs smudge proof immovable eyebrows! I use Nudestix concealer to clean up any edges, which is awesomely blendable - & comes in a fantastic little tin with a sharpener & mirror (I have a box/tuppaware/tub/container hoarding issue) then set them with Make Up Forever Clear Brow Seal.

Eyes: Urban Decay Original Potion Primer, Kat Von D Tattoo Liner, Make Up Forever Mascara & Korres Mascara - the Urban Decay Primer just keeps my eyeshadow in place for ten times longer than it would normally, again fitting nicely with my train & go lifestyle - not straying during a sweat session! Kat Von D Tattoo Liner also just does not move. Seriously I can rub my eyes (not that I'd recommend it) & it stays perfectly in place. No issues for those with watery eyes because the Tattoo Liner does not care. It is impervious to rogue tears.

Contour & Highlight: Sleek Contour Palette in Light & Benefit High Beam - I'm pretty new to contouring so currently only have the Sleek Contour Palette which does me just fine, with a tan shade to contour & a shimmery pale shade to highlight - although it doesn't have the best staying power but can be combat with a setting spray. Benefit High Beam is a new purchase & I do like the unique application process with the nail polish type brush.

Blush: So Susan Blush or NARS Matte Multiple in Orgasm - So Susan was another Glossybox discovery & I love the texture of the blushes & they have fantastic staying power.

So my lovelies this is my every day face make up! Plus the odd eyeshadow palette here & there - reviews & looks to come ;)

A Little Bit About Myself...

Can't just throw you guys in the deep end without introducing myself!

I am Laura - a 22 year old Animation & Visual FX student at Falmouth University in the UK.

I am an aspiring Bodyfitness Competitor & am a huge gym bunny & am IN LOVE with training. (If you are at all interested in Fitness or competing you can also find me here: lauraliftsfitness.wordpress.com or IG: lauraliftsfitness)

Only recently have a developed more interest in cosmetics & make up (one could call it an obsession...) & have been more seriously 'practicing' make up for about 6 weeks, attempting to complete 100 days of make-up (although I can't say it's all of a high standard...)!

So as a relative newbie to make-up, I thought I'd share my progress & opinion on different make up products from my 'fresh' set of eyes (aka. lack of experience).

I have recently started an Instagram account purely for my make-up : LACreativeMakeUp

& you can also find me on Tumblr (will also be a collection of inspiration) & Blogger if you'd prefer to follow me there!