Napoleon Perdis Prismatic Eyeshadow Quad in ‘Fire’: Review & Swatches.

Hello my lovelies. I’ve finally managed to gather the up the energy to get back to blogging. I’ve missed you all terribly. I thought to get back in the swing of things I would share my thoughts on this beautiful little eyeshadow quad by Napoleon. And you know how much I love his line.

It’s funny, I’m actually a cancer. But I still LOVED these colors. True story- this palette came as a random returned item from another store to my store (and we never carried it in ours). It was never even opened and there was only one, and since Napoleon is leaving, it’s 75% off. I let it sit in clearance for an entire month and nobody bought it. Clearly, we were destined to be together. Sniffle.

Here’s the swatches:

The shadows are very generous in size and come in a sturdy, plastic palette. There’s a round mirror and two double ended shadow applicators (ew- this is $35 full price at Nordstrom) included. I’ve tried the loose shadows from Napoleon- and absolutely am obsessed with them. These pressed shadows definitely didn’t disappoint! They feel like pure luxury on your lids and have incredible pigment. #1 is literally the most beautiful shadow I have ever seen. I couldn’t even wait to make a look using just this palette alone.

To create this look, I used #1 all over my lid. Then I freaked out over how beautiful it was and ran to show my hub. Haha. Next, I blended that up into my crease slightly adding just a bit of #3 to soften. I used #2 to line my waterline and smudged a little just below the lash line. Lastly, I dabbed using my pinky just a bit of #4 in the inner corners. My liquid liner in Kat Von D Tattoo Liner in ‘Trooper’ and my lashes are from the NYX Wicked line. {These photos do no justice to the beautiful satin metallic finish these shadows have. Oi!}

It feels good to be back.

xxx&o Meg

Eye Shadow Primer Showdown.

If you read my blog, then you know how obsessed I am with primers- especially ones for eye shadow. If you’re going to splurge on nice shadows, it only makes sense to do the same on the perfect primer! Here, I will go over six of my favorites, drugstore and high end, and show you why they’re so awesome. I swatched each primer using loose shadows to really emphasize the importance of priming and subjected each to a ‘rub test’. Please click images to view larger.

First up we have the ELF Eyelid Primer:

The ELF Eyelid Primer retails for $1 at Target! It’s definitely a steal at that price, but as you can see- it’s not the best of the bunch after the rub test. I swatched this using the ULTA Color Pure Eye Shadow Pigment in ‘Riviera’ ($8 at ULTA).

Next, we have Hard Candy Eye Shadow Primer:

The Hard Candy Eye Shadow Primer retails for $5 at Walmart. For this price and the amount of product you get, it’s uneatable. Even after the rub test, it still pulls through. I swatched this using the Napoleon Perdis Loose Eye Dust in ‘Pink Champagne’ ($25 on the website).

Next, Pur Minerals Cease Crease Eye Shadow Primer:

Pur Minerals Cease Crease Eye Shadow Primer retails for $18 at ULTA. This primer works fabulously and still looks great after the rub down. I swatched this using ULTA Color Pure Eye Shadow Pigment in ‘Sepia’ ($8 at ULTA).

Next, we have Too Faced Shadow Insurance:

Too Faced Shadow Insurance retails for $18 at ULTA. This primer is bulletproof! As you can see, there’s barely a difference post rub test. I swatched this using ULTA Color Pure Loose Eye Shadow in ‘Mesa’ ($8 at ULTA).

Next up, Lorac Behind the Scenes Eye Shadow Primer:

Lorac’s Behind the Scenes retails for $21 at ULTA. This is another great primer choice, it’s just a bit more pricey that the others. You will come home looking like you freshly applied your shadow, that’s for sure. I swatched this using ULTA Color Pure Loose Eye Shadow in ‘Henna’ ($8 at ULTA).

And finally, the holy grail, Urban Decay Original Primer Potion:

Urban Decay Primer Potion retails for $20 at ULTA. This primer is the one that made me see the light- as you can see, it’s completely unchanged by direct rubbing! Now that’s how to stay flawless. I’ve been using this since high school and won’t ever stop. It comes in four varieties including an anti-aging formula and lasts forever before you’ll run out. I swatched this using Napoleon Perdis Loose Eye Dust in ‘Star Light’ ($25 on the website).

The moral of the story here, is that you get what you pay for. It may seem crazy to spend twenty or more on a primer, but I promise it really is worth it. Most shadows won’t show their true potential without one! They also cut down on fallout, color transferring and smearing, and some even come with skin care benefits. That’s a win in my book.

If you like the ULTA shadows I swatched- they’re on sale until November 29th for $5 each, and they make fabulous stocking stuffers! They are nearly exact, in terms of quality, to the high end Napoleon ones- and you get a ton of product. Hope this helped lovelies! Stay tuned- I’m posting my Vice 3 looks tomorrow! 🙂

xxx&o Megan

My Temporary Break- Up with NARS ‘Red Lizard’.

I am all about having a signature red lipstick- one that’s worth the splurge and makes you feel like you own the world. My number one red has been NARS ‘Red Lizard’ ($26 at Sephora) for the past eight years and I can still remember grabbing my first tube in high school in lieu of a dance. Ever since, it’s been a staple for me. I mean it’s over fifteen years old and was originally designed for Madonna- can you say classic? I also love how deep blue reds look on my skin tone- extra flattering.

As you can see, my latest tube is nearing its end and I was planning another purchase. That’s when the Napoleon Perdis Devine Goddess Lipstick ‘Aphrodite’ waltzed into my life. You see, I cringe a little plunging down that much cash for a lippy and will only do it for a signature red or YLBB (your lips but better) shade. To my luck, and dismay, ULTA is discontinuing the Napoleon line to make way for Becca Cosmetics. That means 75% off everything! Then I got freebee ‘playtime points’ and had double points saved from my Vice 3 purchase ($8 off!). That combined with my discount and I ended up paying 54¢ for both the lipstick and a nude lip liner TOTAL. Can’t beat it- gotta love those rewards cards. (This lippy retails for $30 on the Napoleon home site).

These two lipsticks are so similar, but I absolutely love the buttery application the Napoleon has. It truly feels rich and I love the luxe packaging too! So, I guess this break up isn’t so bad- even if it ends up being a temporary fling. Until then, I’ll only be reaching for my NARS on special occasions and savoring every last wear.

What are your favorite splurge lipsticks and colors? I’m also really partial to Urban Decay’s ‘F-Bomb’.

xxx&o Megan

Fall Favorites: Shimmery Loose Shadow Edition.

My favorite shadows for fall are the loose, shimmery kind. There’s something lovely about a shimmery eye and a berry or dark lip. I’ll get into my favorite lip colors for fall tomorrow, but today I wanted to focus on eyes. I’ve tried many brands of loose shadows and to be honest- I don’t notice much of a difference between the $1 and $25 versions. They all pack mega pigment and when worn with primer, all day lasting power. I swatched for you: ULTA Color Pure Pigment in ‘Sepia’ ($8), NYX Roll On Shimmer in ‘Salmon’ ($3.99), LA Colors Shimmering Loose Shadow in ‘Radiant'($1), and Napoleon Perdis Loose Eye Dust in ‘Pink Champagne’ ($25).

These shades pair and wear well. All are absolutely gorgeous- together or alone. I highly recommend all of these brands whether you go discount or high end. Bare Minerals also has beautiful loose eyeshadows ($14) as another high end option. There are many shades of each available, these just happen to be my favorites.

Here’s a look I created using ‘Pink Champagne’ and ‘Sepia’ and Wetn’Wild Glitter Single in ‘Brass’:

And the whole thing (wearing a new head chain from my Etsy Shop Child of the Universe Jewelry Co.)

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