LOTD using Kat Von D - Memento Mori palette

This is a look I did using the Kat Von D Memento Mori palette.  I watched a video from MentalShiver and was inspired to recreate the look.  I was recreating the shape and idea and not so much the color scheme.

The lipstick I'm wearing is the Viva Glam Gaga from MAC.  Lady Gaga is great.

I used Urban Decay primer potion all over my lid and crease.  Then, using the purple cream base (called True) from the palette, I drew a very sharp cut crease.  Then, using a pencil brush I set the cream base using the dark green shadow (Hard Luck), which helped maintain the stark contrast from lid to crease.  Again using a pencil brush, I blended the aqua green (Peggy) over top of Hard Luck.  For a brow highlight, I used the shimmery pale yellow (Sugar Skull), and on the lid, I used the fleshy pink color (Agatha Pink).  On the lower lash line, I smudged Urban Decay 24/7 liner in Electric (electric blue) and set it with the dark green in the outer edge and the aqua green in the middle to inner edge.  I lined my top lash line with Kat Von D liquid liner in Proud Peacock (a dark peacock-ish green).  I used Benefit BadGal lash for mascara.

It's only been recently that I've seen the value in getting palettes as opposed to single shadows*, and the Memento Mori palette is the first Kat Von D palette I've purchased.  I've been less interested in her other palettes mainly because of the color selection.  I would see reviews and looks on YouTube, and although it seemed the quality of the shadows was good, I just didn't want to spend money to get a palette that only had one or two shadows that were different from what I already had.  The selection within this palette is a lot more varied, and I like that the cream base it comes with is purple.

As far as the quality of the shadows goes, they are quite nice.  The colors show up really well, though for the lilac color I do recommend using the base.  My one complaint is that when you swipe your brush over the shadow, a lot of product loosens up, so you end up having a lot of shadow "crumbs" in the pan.  It's not so much the mess that bothers me, but it seems like a lot of product will get wasted because you don't need to use as much shadow as gets loose.  I guess you just need to be delicate when you're picking up product with your brush.

Something I didn't realize until I got home with this palette is that many of the colors are similar to colors in the Urban Decay Book of Shadows vol 2.  Exactly the same? No, but quite similiar.  So, even though I bought this palette because I liked the color selection and thought it was a lot different from other stuff I have, it turns out I was wrong.  Haha, oh well.  I will do swatches comparing the colors in my next post, hopefully.  On the plus side, if you weren't able to get the UD BoS:vol2, you could buy the Memento Mori palette to get a similar effect!

Overall rating?  I give it 4.5 stars out of 5.

*On the topic of palettes: I used to not even look at palettes for a few reasons.  One, I used to not be able to spend more than $20 or $30 because I was a poor college student.  Most palettes are $35 or more.  Two, it always seemed like the palettes would have one or two colors that I really wanted, but the rest weren't anything special (like neutrals and light colors).  Three, the shadow pan sizes are always smaller in palettes, so I figured there was a good chance that I would quickly use up those colors I liked so much.  Then I would be left with a bunch of colors I didn't care for.

Now, my mind has changed.  It certainly helps that I'm able to spend more money now that I'm out of college and work full time.  More than that, though, I'm realizing that palettes can be a really good value for the money you spend.  I've learned how those neutrals and light colors can be useful (didn't always know that light colors are brow highlights).  I've realized that it really isn't likely that I will run out of a shadow.  As my make up collection grows, I can vary between color schemes as well as have multiple favorites.

Even if you are just starting out in make up, palettes are nice starting points because of their variety.  Most make up companies create palettes to include brow highlights, crease colors and lid colors, so you have the basics you need while still having variety to play with.

Contest Entry #2 for Glamourdolleyes Twilight contest

I forgot to save pictures from this look, but there are four pictures at the end of the video. :)

Watch me!

I did this look to represent the Cullens in general. I wanted to basically enhance my own features without schmearing on the make up. By using Smashbox Artificial Highlight all over my face, I was able to create a sparkly glow like the Cullens have in the sunlight. I used MAC Studio Fixx foundation over that which subdued the shimmer a bit. I used Revolver from Urban Decay (matte gray) to contour my face, which worked out quite well. I thought that since the Cullens are often described as having skin like statues or marble it would be better to go for a white/gray scheme, and gray made a better contour color than brown.

It was a lot of fun to do, and I feel like I learned a little more about how to do my face make up in the process.

My Honey is a Sweetie!

I just wanted to share how sweet my husband is! As I said in an earlier post, I really wanted the Urban Decay Book of Shadows: Vol 2, but my husband didn't get it for me. Instead, he got me something way better: a train case with a custom made cover. The cover really wasn't necessary because the train case is made to protect your make up while you transport it, but he wanted to go the extra mile on this Christmas present. A friend of ours makes purses, but she pretty much designs and sews anything else. (Here's her site: Ali Rags) My husband got in touch with her to make this project. She had told me a while back how she found this vintage, peacock sort of fabric (I loooooooove peacocks and decorating with peacock things), and I was planning on having her make a custom purse for me but never got around to it. My husband took advantage of my procrastination/forgetfulness and had her use it for my train case cover!

This is just an inside view of the case. It probably won't fit all of my make up, but for now while I've just been doing make up for friends (weddings, proms, etc), it should be sufficient. Plus, if I want to film a tutorial somewhere besides my bathroom, it is useful for carrying what I plan to use just for that tutorial.

This is what the closed train case looks like with the cover unsecured.This is the cover fully covering the train case and secured (with Velcro) at the top.

Urban Decay Book of Shadows: vol 2

I meant to post on this earlier, but I forgot. Also, I was planning on posting pictures, but instead I'm just going to post the link to my YT video on this. I showed the swatches on the video. Unfortunately, the lighting was not the best. I'm still trying to figure out what to do about that. I did take pictures of the swatches, so if I remember, I will also post those.

Here's the link to my video:
Urban Decay Book of Shadows vol 2

So, I'm an avid Urban Decay fan, so please consider that as I share my opinion on the BoS:v2. I LOVE it! I am consistently impressed with the products UD comes out with, and I was not let down with this one. I used to shy away from getting palettes because I would like three, maybe four, colors, generally the exclusive ones, but not the rest. However, as I've grown more in my make up knowledge (those lighter colors in a palette are to be used as highlights... go figure!), I've come to appreciate palettes more. Naturally, as an Urban Decay fan, that means that I want to own every palette they come out with. When the BoS:vol1 came out, I hadn't yet wisened up to the fact of how great they are, so I let that opportunity pass me by. And I almost didn't get the BoS:v2! I kept on hinting to my husband how much I wanted it for Christmas, so I was almost certain that I would get it. However, he went and got me something way better: a train case with a customer cover (post to follow with pictures). Anyway, after Christmas, I noticed that the BoS:v2 wasn't listed on Sephora.com or UrbanDecay.com, so I called up the nearest Sephora (two hour drive), and they didn't have it, so I called the nearest Ulta (about the same distance in the other direction), and they still had plenty. So, my husband and I took a mini road trip so I could get it. And they all lived happily ever after, the end!

On to my opinion of the BoS:v2....
First of all, I think the range of colors is pretty great. You have black, gray, purples, blues, greens, browns, pink, and one highly-impractical-but-totally-fun-more-glitter-than-you-can-handle shade.
Second, the quality of the shadows is great and exactly what you would expect from Urban Decay. They are all smooth and easy to blend. In general, I think that it's easier to make Urban Decay shadows look good even if you don't know exactly what you're doing because they blend together so well. Because the sheen is pretty uniform among the shadow, it helps your look to appear uniform and blended.
The next thing I like about the BoS:v2 is the fact that it comes with not one but two 24/y liners. One is Zero (black), and the other is Bourbon (brown with little silver glitter). They are my favorite liners, and although I already had both of those colors (Zero is a must!!), it was this added bonus! I had already seen reviews, but I guess I had forgotten about them, so when I opened it up, I was extremely pleased! Not only does it come with the liners, but it also comes with a mini primer potion! Yay!

So, I give this palette 10 stars out of 10 - **********. :D

Btw, my favorite colors are Sellout (high sheen, pale flesh color), Misdemeanor (deep sea green with some sparkle), Gunmetal (sheeny gray) and Mushroom (sheeny taup).

Urban Decay 24/7 Super Stash

In my opinion, Urban Decay has the best eye liners. These liners are smudgeable but smudge-proof after 30 seconds, and they are waterproof (great for lining the waterline). Urban Decay already has an impressive selection of colors (22 in the line of full size liners which can be purchased individually), and this set contains 9 colors total with two of those being exclusive to the set. The only letdown with this set is that these are almost like mini's when you compare them to the full length or even some of the other travel size sets they've had before. However, I wouldn't be surprised if they added those exclusive colors to the full line sometime soon.

These are the nine shades from the Super Stash: (l to r, top to bottom) Zero (black), Oil Slick (black with silver sparkle), Corrupt (cool brown with silver sparkle), Eldorado (yellow gold), Graffiti (medium green), Binge (navy blue), Ransom (purple with blue shift), Rockstar (eggplant purple), and Stash (army green).

This just shows how some of these colors compare with existing colors (ones I happen to have already). From the top: blues - Binge and Deviant; purples - Lust, Ransom, Rockstar; golds - Eldorado and Honey; greens - Graffiti and Covet; browns - Corrupt and Bourbon.

Urban Decay Deluxe Shadow Box

If I had to choose, Urban Decay is my number one favorite make up brand. So, it only makes sense that my first blog post would be about Urban Decay. I do not have everything they've ever put out by any means! However, what I do have, I will try to swatch and post so you are able to see it. Sometimes those little crumbled shadow pictures you see on various websites just don't do the trick when you really want to see what it looks like, and my hope is that you'll be able to get a better idea from the pictures I post. Currently, my lighting set up is not amazing (yup, I take pictures in my bathroom), but as much as I can, I will try to take swatch pictures during the daytime so they can be seen in natural light.

Here's the Urban Decay Deluxe Shadow Box:

Left to right: Zero, Underground, Shag, Fishnet, Ransom, Peace, Graffiti, Honey, and Scratch. This was swatched in rainbow order, so it is not the order from the palette. My favorites from this palette are Peace, Ransom and Scratch, and I especially like the result when you blend Ransom and Peace. It turns out almost like a sapphire blue.