Too Faced Le Grand Palais Set

Review & Swatches!

The Holiday Beauty Sets are already coming out, all in time for Christmas!
I love how Too Faced do Holiday collections, it's always a stunning, sparkly presentation
It's Christmas in Paris this year for the 2015 collection
Le Grand Palais is a Sephora Exclusive, a Dollhouse designed box with
 a large palette & three deluxe samples!
18 Eyeshadows, 2 Blushes, a Highligher & a Bronzer
Sample size Melted Peony, Better Than Sex Mascara & Eyeshadow Primer
This Palette retails for $58 USD ($378 value!)

♥
Swatches & more pics below!

www.sephora.com/toofaced

 I'm not gonna lie, it's the packaging & presentation that sold me on this set

The Dollhouse box has one side that flips down & the palette pops out easily,

plus the box looks awesome on your vanity to display jewellery, perfume etc

Cute details in the background, a little staircase holding the mini samples, a cardboard 

Mannequin & Sephora bag full of Too Faced products, it's all too adorable!

But..I feel that the packaging was the main focus in the creative process of this set 

& the palette was more of an after-thought...

♥

The Palette includes 18 eyeshadows, with only 5 Matte shades

All the shadows have cute names printed underneath.

There is a lot of shimmer & glitter going on in this palette, if that's not your thing, 

this is not the collection for you!

The pigmentation varies with the shadows, the glittery shades are too flaky & chunky that there

is no real colour to the base of them, blow the glitter away & there's nothing there.

The shimmers are beautiful & buttery & have perfect colour pay-off,

especially "Wish List", "Arc de Triomphe" & surprisingly "Party Dress"

But the mattes are inconsistent with a couple that are dry & patchy..

such as "Cobblestone" & "Belle Femme"

The larger highlighting shades are all beautiful, I'll probably use these everyday.

And the Face products are nicely pigmented, the Highlight & Bronzer are buttery

but the blushes are more dry & powdery

♥ EYESHADOWS♥

White Christmas - Matte White

Satin Sheets - Shimmer Pink Champagne

Vintage Lace - Matte Pale Yellow White

Delightful - Shimmer Icy Pink

Moon on Their Wings - Glitter Rose Gold

Cobblestone - Matte Cool Taupe Brown

City Lights - Caramel Brown with Gold Shimmer

Dreamlight - Shimmery Purple Brown

String of Lights - Glittery Ice Blue

Yule Log - Black with Pink & Gold Shimmer

Wish List - Shimmer True Gold

Arc de Triomphe - Shimmer Grey Mauve

Belle Femme - Matte Dark Cool Brown

Stiletto - Matte Black

Eiffle - Glitter Dark Teal Green

Midnight in Paris - Glitter Deep Blue

Champs Elysees - Glitter Purple

Party Dress - Shimmer Hot Pink

♥FACE PRODUCTS♥

Stardust - Matte Coral/Peach Pink Blush

Skyline - Matte Cool toned Pink Blush

Flush - Golden Champagne Highlight

Sun Bunny - Shimmery Warm Tan Bronzer

♥SAMPLES♥

Melted Peony Lipstick is a Creamy Dusty Pink, on the cooler side.. 

in my opinion, it's quite a hard shade to pull off on most skin tones & unfortunately 

it's one that gets repeated in a lot of their collections as a deluxe sample, 

I wish it was something more universal like "Melted Nude" or "Melted Ruby" Red

Better Than Sex Mascara though it is a great mascara to have, it's also an over kill 

in their Gift sets, I have about 4-5 of these kicking around now

Eyeshadow Insurance is a handy mini to have, it has a decent amount of product (0.17oz) & should last you a long time 

Is this Gift set worth purchasing?

Honestly, I don't think so unless you want to pay $58usd for amazing packaging but poor product. 

I would rate this 5/10 for quality, I love a few of the shadows & the Highlight & Bronzer are both nice, but I was disappointed with the rest..

And 10/10 for the packaging obviously because it's stunning but also the slim palette pops out making it very travel friendly 

Reviews on the other 2015 Holidays sets from Too Faced: 
Le Grand Chateau - Click Here
Melted Kisses & Sweet Cheeks - Click Here

LucyLoves! xx

Too Faced + Vegas Nay Star Dust

Review & Swatches!

"Too Faced Cosmetics & Instagram superstar @Vegas_Nay have teamed up

for the perfect hashtag-worthy collaboration: 

an exclusive 12 shadow palette, a glittering Glamour Dust, 

deluxe size of best selling Shadow Insurance & Better Than Sex Mascara, 

and six original looks created by the social media sensation herself!"

#vegasnay4toofaced

♥

This is a Limited Edition set exclusive to Ulta Beauty

With an amazing Price of $45usd (value $192!)
I've been following Naomi (@Vegas_nay) since I started my Instagram, she's such a inspiration!
I was so excited to get my hands on this baby the second it was available!
Swatches below!

www.ulta.com/toofaced

 First let me talk about the presentation & attention to detail that never lacks with Too Faced!

Are you serious Too Faced, could you get any cuter?!

This Palette arrives in a chunky Pink cardboard box with a magnetic flap 

"LIFT TO OPEN"

The box parts in the centre & opens like a book, displaying shots of Naomi & her Instagram work.

Each side opens at the top, with the palette in one side & the extra goodies in the other.

Too Faced continues to have the most amazing, creative products 

on the market with the cutest packaging!

♥

The palette also opens like a little book, displaying the 12 shadows

3 Matte, 4 Satin, 5 Shimmer

All new colours & exclusive to this palette!

Highly pigmented, not what I would call buttery shadows, 

they have the same texture & colour pay off as typical Too Faced shadows, 

like the Chocolate Bar palette for example, blends out like a dream!

And the extras, all Deluxe Samples - Shadow Insurance, a anti-crease eyeshadow primer, 

Better Than Sex Mascara, one of my fave mascaras for long voluminous lashes 

And the glittering Glamour Dust, this is essentially a loose pigment for the eyes, 

 a stunning pale champagne gold shade. I love this in the inner corner!

Chandelier - Sheen Cream/White

Millennial - Matte Warm Caramel,

Girls Night - Matte Warm Brown,

#selfie - Shimmery Champagne,

Showgirl - Metallic Copper Bronze.

Jackpot - Shimmer Deep Brown

Pink Pearl - Satin true Pinky Pearl

The Strip - Shimmery Purple Grey

Follow Me - Satin Hot Purple

Double Tap - Satin Red Brown

Golden Nugget - Metallic Gold

Sin City - Matte True Black
♥

Chandelier is described as a matte cream  but definitely has a slight sheen,

making it a beautiful highlight shade on the brow bone & inner corner

Millennial is a delicious medium warm caramel with a matte finish,

perfect in the crease as a transition shade for the other, more intense shades.

Girls Night is another warm matte shade, but a deeper more red-toned brown,

I like it in the crease or to deepen up the outer V & lower lashline.

#selfie is a beautiful silvery champagne with slight pearly shimmer,

this is also a perfect highlight shade, more shimmer then Chandelier.

Showgirl is a crazy beautiful, metallic finish, intense bronze shade,

The texture of this colour is so buttery, it applies well with a brush or your fingers

Jackpot is a deep chocolate brown with golden micro glitters

Highly pigmented, but slightly on the chalky side

Pink Pearl is exactly as described, a pearly pink with a sheen finish

The Strip is an interesting mauvey grey shade with intense silver shimmers/glitters

It's quite chunky & doesn't give much colour pay off, try using a wet shadow brush 

Follow Me is a intense blue purple with blue shimmer, this colour was hard to swatch

it doesn't give much pigmentation & can be patchy, once again try a wet shadow brush

Double Tap is a deep red brown, almost matte finish but has very fine violet shimmer

this is quite a dry shadow, probably the reason it comes off matte at first swatch

Golden Nugget holy sh** this is stunning! A metallic/foiled yellow toned Gold!

This has the same texture as Showgirl, buttery & amazing pigmentation

Sin City is a true Black with a Matte finish. No grey, no blue..Black!

The texture is soft & swatches the pigment evenly, not patchy.

(Eye look using Golden Nugget, Millennial & Girls Night)

♥

This is an AMAZING set for the price! $45usd (approx $70nzd)

And would make a great gift for someone getting in to makeup or 

wanting to try some Too Faced products!

Remember this is a Limited Edition palette, so once it's gone!

Still available on Ulta.com & instore Ulta Beauty.

From NZ or Aus? Check out my Blog on how I buy makeup from USA

http://lucymaria-x.blogspot.co.nz/2015/08/how-i-order-my-makeup-from-usa.html

LucyLoves! xx

How I Order my Makeup from USA!

Forwarding Addresses, Sephora, MAC etc!  

As some of you may know, I'm from New Zealand, 

a small country at the bottom of the map!

For the longest time, I had been dreaming of the products & prices 

American Beauty Lovers enjoy, including Reward points & Deluxe Samples!

Then I heard about - Forwarding Services

♥

So basically a Forwarding Service is a Delivery service that provide you 

with an American address to use when ordering on any American site.

Your parcel is delivered to their Warehouse in USA, you pay for Shipping from there, 

& they send your order here, to your house, in NZ! 

Here are a few services I've tried myself, trust & continue to use =

www.nzpost.co.nz/Youshop - Free Sign up 

This is one Forwarding Service I use all the time! It's based in NZ, stems from their NZ post website. I personally find this site the easiest, most affordable & trustworthy to use. 

When you sign up, you will receive addresses tp their warehouses in USA, UK & China + your own NZ post I.D number. This is a MUST to enter into the shipping information to ensure you receive your order. I personally DON'T enter the I.D number in the "First Name" section, as long as it's in the Address Line you're fine! When it arrives to their warehouse, the I.D no. will show up under your name, they will email you payment info for shipping & send it away to you!

I use YouShop when ordering from MAC USA, Too Faced Cosmetics & now Sephora!

They do have a consolidation option for multiple packages & discounted prices the more you have - up to 10 boxes! 

Check the product restrictions for YouShop before ordering, some products e,g Perfume is dangerous goods & won't get accepted/sent!

Note: 

Sephora does not accept Debit Cards & will cancel orders, only Credit Cards are accepted as they don't have a set currency!

Too Faced Cosmetics will only accept PayPal payments, select or enter your given US address on PayPal, otherwise they will decline your card for your order.

www.UStoOZ.com - Free Sign up

I've used this service a few times to order from Sephora when I got perfume samples or wanted to order their Perfume Mini sets etc

Based in Australia, specifically for ordering from the US, this site has an initial service fee that is added to the Shipping Price in the end. When you sign up you need to "Place Order", let them know you want "To make an Order using their Address" (There are 3 options) & Enter the products you'll be ordering. This will ensure you get everything you ordered! Including Samples..

They are more expensive then other services, but for a few reasons, consolidation is free no matter how many orders, and perfume is accepted & sent to NZ.

I found with UStoOZ, the more orders you make the more reasonable the price is.

Once they receive your package, you are emailed with a few Shipping options including with or without insurance, 6-10 days or 2-4 weeks arrival time etc

www.Shipito.com - $5 Sign up Fee

This is the first Service I used, I heard about this site through Shaaanxo on YouTube.

This site is more confusing to use in my opinion but its trustworthy & does work!

You start by signing up with a $5 fee to prove you have a working card, get your Address & start shopping! Once your order arrives to their warehouse, top up your Shipito account for shipping!

You also have the "Special Request" Option that costs $5 if you have a restricted product or sample, request to have it removed. Or if you want that Perfume or Sample, for a higher price they have a shipping option for Fed Ex that accepts dangerous goods.

Another option on this site is the "Assisted Purchase" option where you top up your account with money, enter in the products your wishing to get, they will personally collect those for you & let you know when it arrives. This is the best option to choose if you're worried about your order getting cancelled 

Tips: 

I sometimes use a Forwarding Address for sites that do ship to NZ, but have a hefty shipping charge! E.g I made another Colourpop order last week! I didn't quite have enough money to pay for shipping, so I got it sent via YouShop (giving me free US shipping) & paid the YouShop shipping charge when it arrived to their warehouse this week! 

It actually worked out cheaper that way anyway - $22 NZD vs $20 USD (approx $30 NZD)

Others to check out - 

Comgateway, HopShopGo, MyUS & Private Box

I haven't personally used these but know people who have & recommend also!

I really hope this information helped some people,

I know I was unsure & nervous the first time I tried a Forwarding Service!

Any Questions, just ask & I'll try to help :)

Remember, 

NZ has a $280 (Including Shipping) Maximum spend before customs Tax

LucyLoves! xx

Too Faced Love Flush Review

Long-Lasting 16-hour Blush 

 A Long-wear, fade-proof, smudge-proof formula keeps your cheeks 
perfectly flushed for up to 16 hours!
Pigment-rich, high-impact shades give a pretty pop of colour for any skin tone.

♥

Six bold pops of colour enriched with buttery soft pigments that bond with skin & take on a weightless, suspended look. From a soft dusty, nude hue with fine gold sparkle to a watermelon-pink, you can create an array of looks for day & night!

www.toofaced.com

Another Too Faced review because I can't get enough of their gorgeous products!

I ordered the shade "I Will Always Love You" - Gilded Peach with a Natural Sheen, along with 

the new Born This Way Foundation from the Too Faced website (www.toofaced.com)

Check out my review on the foundation here -

(http://lucymaria-x.blogspot.co.nz/2015/07/too-faced-born-this-way-review.html)

Once again, the packaging is to die for cute! Embossed blush product encased in a 

colour matched, heart shaped compact, even the box it comes in is worth keeping! 
These retail for $26 usd (approx $39 nzd) for 6.0g of product.

♥

Now for what's inside..

This is exactly what I expected from Too Faced, they never dissapoint!

Highly pigmented, buttery soft & so easy to blend. They even smell good!

I can't say I've tested the 16-hour wear but it does last on my skin while
I work in a busy hair salon all day.

"I Will Always Love You" is my kinda shade! A stunning dusty peach with a subtle, natural sheen, perfect for everyday wear to add some glowing colour.

Available in 5 other shades:

Baby Love - Soft Dusty Nude w/ Fine Gold Sparkle
Justify My Love - Bright Pink w/ Fine Gold Sparkle

 Love Hangover - Perfect Warm Pink

How Deep Is Your Love - Watermelon Pink

Your Love Is King - Plumy Rose

Even the names are cute & creative!

Plus, these compacts look so pretty on your vanity! What's not to love, right? 

What shade sounds like your style & you'll be picking up?! I want "Baby Love" now!

Bonus! - All Too Faced Cosmetics Products are Cruelty Free, they love Fur babies too!

LucyLoves! xx