Swatches + Comparison: MAC It's a Strike 2016 Collection (300 Game, Bowl Out and Join My League Eyeshadows)

MAC It's A Strike Eyeshadows (Limited Edition) - Each eyeshadow retails $16 and contains 1.5g/0.05oz of product. They're also very easy to depot and can be stored in an empty palette, such as the 12 Piece Interchangeable Palette, which can be purchased from Coastal Scents for $5.95.

• 300 Game is a blackened cherry with a matte finish. Mac's I'm Into It and Makeup Geek's Cherry Cola are more of a reddish brown. I'm Into It and Cherry Cola look very similar to one another, except I'm Into It is slightly darker than Cherry Cola and looks more brown when heavily swatched. Deep Damson looks alot like 300 Game as both colors are more of a purplish burgundy. The only difference is that Deep Damson is slightly lighter, but when applied onto the eyes, they look essentially the same. Makeup Geek's Bitten is lighter, not as matte and pulls more red compared to 300 Game. 

I use all of these shades the same way and as a pop of color in my crease when I want to spice up a neutral eye look.

• Bowl Out is a midtone grey with a matte finish. It's not as light & grey as Copperplate and not as dark & brown as Join My League? and Concrete (review). Also, Coquette is definitely not a dupe as it looks more like a khaki shade compared to Bowl Out.

• Join My League? is a dark espresso with a matte finish. It's not as warm as Espresso and looks most similar to Concrete, except Concrete is slightly lighter and pulls more grey. When blended into the crease, they look practically the same.

I use Bowl Out, Join My League?, Coquette, Concrete and Espresso interchangeably. They are all great shades for defining the crease and creating depth.  

Review + Comparison: Bdellium Tools BDHD Brushes and Morphe Elite II E58 (Marc Jacobs #2 Dupe?)

I've talked about the Marc Jacobs #2 brush (review) countless times on my blog because it really is one of my favorite brushes for applying thick and full coverage foundations. I love that (1) the bristles are densely packed, which makes blending a breeze, (2) it absorbs some of the product and prevents foundation from looking heavy & cakey, while still offering the coverage that I need, and (3) it's big enough to cover my entire face quickly, but not too big where it will be difficult to reach certain areas of the face. 

I'm constantly on the hunt for something that's comparable, so I can have a backup when the Marc Jacobs one is dirty. The Bdellium Tools BDHD brushes and Morphe Elite II E58 have an angled curved shape that's similar to the Marc Jacobs #2, but do they perform the same?

Swatches + Review: MAC Good Luck Trolls Glow Rida, I'm Into It Eyeshadow, Cremesheen Lipsticks + Pro Longwear Lip Pencils

MAC Good Luck Trolls Beauty Powder in Glow Rida
(Limited Edition, $28 for 10g/0.35oz)

Color: It's a warm peachy beige that leaves a subtle glow to the skin. 

Formula + Application: The pigmentation is very sheer and works best as a highlighter for my NC30/35 skin tone. I recommend using a dense natural brush, such as the Sonia Kashuk #17 (comparison pictures), because dense natural hair tends to pick up and pack on powder products much easier.

I love pairing Glow Rida with matte blushes when I want a subtle sheen on my cheeks. It gives me just enough luminosity without looking too dewy or frosty for day-time office wear. 

Longevity: It lasts at least 8 hours without fading when worn over foundation + setting powder. (I don't have issues with products lasting on my cheeks in general. I also have cheeks that are neither dry nor oily.)

Swatches + Review: Bite Beauty Amuse Bouche Lipsticks, Yves Saint Laurent Rouge Volupte Lipsticks and Burberry Lip Velvet Matte Lipstick

Bite Beauty Amuse Bouche Lipsticks (each retails $26 for 0.15oz)

Packaging: Each tube comes in a rubber type packaging and has a secure closure that snaps shut. 

Scent: They have a pleasant fruity citrus scent and taste.

Formula: The formula is packed with 12 nutritious and edible oils. They're slightly more hydrating than the Burberry Lip Velvet Matte lipsticks, but not as hydrating as the YSL Rouge Volupté lipsticks. They're still wearable for someone like me, who has extremely dry, chapped lips, as long as I prep my lips with a good balm. I love how creamy they are without slipping & sliding all over the place and that they don't "sit" on top of my lips. The formula reminds me alot like the MAC Satin lipsticks (review), except the Bite Beauty ones are slightly more hydrating. I also like that they're not too glossy and they do not emphasize my already full sausage lips.

In terms of pigmentation & longevity, they provide buildable, medium to full coverage with at least 4 hours of staying power. Sake, Pepper and Fig wear a little bit longer and leave behind a natural stain, while Meringue & Sugarcane fade away quicker, especially when eating & drinking.

• Meringue is a peachy nude with a satin finish. This is my favorite color of the bunch. It actually pulls more pink when worn on my lips and is the perfect nude for my NC30/35 skin tone. 
• Sugarcane is a pale pink with a satin finish. It's paler than Meringue and darker than YSL's Nude Beige #1. I find that Sugarcane complements lighter beauties better.
• Sake is a dusty mauve with a satin finish. It gives me the "vampy" look with a mauvey twist and is a great color for the night time.
• Pepper is a medium-dark dusty rose with a satin finish. 
• Fig is a nude rose with a satin finish.

Swatches + Review: Nars Nordstrom's Best Cheek Palette + Dior Intemporalle Blush Palette

Nars Nordstrom's Best Cheek Palette ($65, Limited Edition) - The palette has the standard Nars rubber packaging and is very sleek. It's valued at $124. Each pan is exactly the same size as the deluxe sample size. 

Scent: It's fragrance-free.

Shades: It comes with 4 blushes, a highlight and a bronzer. So, it basically has all the cheek products that you need and is great for travel. 

• Orgasm (3.5g/0.12oz) is a peachy pink with gold shimmers.
• Deep Throat (3.5g/0.12oz) is a soft pink with a golden sheen. When compared to Orgasm, Deep Throat leans more coral and is less shimmery.
• Albatross (3.5g/0.12oz) is a pale ivory with gold shimmers. When applied to the tops of my cheekbones, it leaves a gorgeous golden sheen and does not look chalky at all. This is a shade that you have to try on your skin because swatches do not do it justice.
• Luster (3.5g/0.12oz) is an apricot shade with a golden sheen.
• Desire (3.5g/0.12oz) is a cotton candy pink with a matte finish. It looks bright when swatched on my arms, but when applied to my cheeks, it looks more wearable and flattering on my warm, NC30/35 skin tone.
• Laguna (3g/0.1oz) is a brown with gold shimmers. The one in the palette looks more neutral toned compared to the deluxe sample, which looks warmer. 

Formula: The pigmentation is sheer, but can easily be layered. They also blend into the skin nicely and are very easy to work with.

Longevity: I generally don't have issues with cheek products in terms of longevity. The ones in the Nars palette last at least 8 hours without fading when worn over foundation + setting powder. (For reference, I have cheeks that are neither dry nor oily.)

Review + Swatches: Urban Decay All Nighter Foundation, Makeup Setting Spray + Kat Von D Lock-It Concealer Creme

Urban Decay All Nighter Foundation ($40 for 30ml/1oz)

Packaging: The bottle looks like it's made of metal, but it's actually plastic & feels lightweight. So, it's great for travel. I like that it allows you to see when you're running low on the product. It also has an airless pump, which makes it easy to get out every last bit without wasting a single drop.

Scent: It's fragrance-free and doesn't smell like anything during application.

Color: It currently comes in 24 shades. Those ending in ".5" have a cool undertone, while those ending in "0" have a warm undertone. It also oxidizes just a tiny little bit within a few seconds of application. I didn't experience any oxidation throughout the day and it didn't make me oompa loompa orange like other reviewers have mentioned. Shade 4.0 has a strong yellow undertone and matches my NC30/35 skin tone perfectly. (For reference, my other foundation shades are L'oreal True Match W4, Dior 021 mixed with 031 and Burberry Cashmere in Beige No.26.)