DUPE? Urban Decay Naked 3 VS LA Girl Nudes

I don't know when it happened, but somewhere along the way, I became a pink girl. I never really liked the color growing up--I was too cool for pink. Pink was too girly for me. I was tougher than pink. And to think many, many years ago, boys wore pink and girls wore blue. Wearing pink means you're weak? Being girly is weak? I'm glad I'm over that ridiculousness. What a silly stigma to throw on a color, right?

I've always been drawn to jewel tones for some reason--perhaps because they compliment my dark hair better. I don't know. But maybe blame it on being a blogger, blame it on the fact that the new pink shades are more appealing and are everywhere, but I've totally embraced it. Pink sort of calms me in a way--there's a creaminess to it. I'm now drawn to pastel pinks. It's even become part of my eye shadow collection--something this various shades of brown wearing girl never thought would happen.

And whereas before pink shadows made me think I looked sickly wearing them, the trend of nude shades has made them more versatile than bubblegum pink. And the love of nude shadows and palettes really came together in a glorious combination made famous by Urban Decay. But their palettes are around $54. Could there be a much more affordable alternative? This Dupe Detective put on her pink hat (of course) and got to work. I'll be comparing the Urban Decay Naked 3 vs. LA Girl Nudes palette. Do we have a dupe here? Keep reading to find out:

L.A. Girl Beauty Brick Eyeshadow Palette

$6.99-$7.99

12 shades

Can be easier to find online (try Amazon) than in stores. I've seen it at ULTA, Walgreens, Walmart, etc.

The packaging is nothing fancy, and you might not like all of the ingredients (I linked to them above), but the colors are really pretty. I think you can get quite a few looks from this palette. 

And what, fellow beauty enthusiasts, does this palette remind you of?

Urban Decay Naked 3

$54

Online, ULTA, Sephora

Here we have a side by side comparison, with the L.A. Girl being on top. You can see there are some similar-looking shades, but not an exact dupe of every shade.

Let's try them on, shall we?

On your right, I am wearing UD naked 3, and on your left, L.A. Girl. By the way, those are my natural lashes--you might recall I got lash extensions at the beginning of May--here's to prove that no, having extensions didn't make my lashes fall out or ruin my eyes. It's all good, y'all.

And now for some swatches! L.A. Girl is on your left, UD is on your right.

I chose not to swatch every single shade, instead, only the definite dupes. It's hard to tell, but there are 5 definite dupes, with some shades being very similar, and some shades that are exclusive to each palette.

The quality of the shadows for both palettes is very similar. UD has some shimmery shades that have too much fall out. Covergirl has a Roses palette that is also similar, but it's around $12. I think if you are going for a dupe or similar palette that definitely won't break the bank, L.A. Girl Nudes is a great one to add.

Do you think this is a dupe?

Extra Elle:

Thanks for the love on my last post. I wish I would have opened up sooner. Thanks to your support, I am feeling more and more like myself every day. I love and appreciate you so much. Thank you.

This Or That: Pure Cosmetics Nude Palette VS. UD Naked 2

Did you see my FabFitFun Fall Unboxing? Get caught up here. Inside was this Nude Collection palette from Pure Cosmetics. As I was checking it out in the video, I noticed that it reminded me of another palette, Urban Decay's Naked 2. See what I mean?

Look at those colors! They look so similar! I immediately decided to do a This or That to compare them, and several of you requested this as well. I'm not going to call this a Dupe or Not since they are too similar in price.

Pure Cosmetics Nude Collection
-$50
-Cruelty-free, talc-free, paraben-free
-comes with brush

UD Naked 2
-$54
-Cruelty-free, paraben-free
-comes with brush

And then I decided to do swatches:

I try to drag my swatches so you can see how far the pigmentation goes/see how they would blend. Most of the shades are definitely similar when swatched and there are a couple that are dupes.

Pigmentation:

-Pure Cosmetics wins with this. Most of the shades were way more pigmented than UD.

Fall Out:

-UD had more fall out (that means shadow falls out when you swatch or apply to skin) than PC. Fall out doesn't bother me, but it could be an issue for others.

Staying Power:

-This was a toss up, since sometimes I would feel like UD was better. 

Packaging:

-UD has sturdier packaging with it's metal-like feel. PC feels cheaper and feel like plastic, like it's going to break in the middle, but still works.

Overall:

-I've said in the past I don't care for the UD shadow formula (not as pigmented for matte and too chunky for shimmer), but I do like the color selection a bit better than PC. PC shadows felt like they were better quality, but didn't always last as long. But if you're going to spend that much on a shadow palette, I say go for Pure Cosmetics, since it's made with better ingredients.

Have you heard of Pure Cosmetics?

Extra Elle:

-Lots of catching up to do this week with blogs, so if you don't hear from me by tomorrow, let me know!
-Thanks to everyone who has commented on my posts this week, like yesterday's, for example!

Urban Decay Naked Smoky Palette Giveaway!

Via Greenfashionistablog.com:
I'm more excited each time Urban Decay releases a new Naked Palette, with Naked3 being my favorite so far. So, when I heard about the new Naked Smoky I knew it would be an amazing palette and I was right! When this beautiful palette arrived on Friday, I couldn't get over how gorgeous it was! I can't wait to play around with the different shades, nine of which are exclusive to this palette and three which are from past palettes.

I love the Naked Smoky so much that I've teamed up with some fabulous ladies to giveaway one of these gorgeous palettes to a lucky winner! 

This palette contains: 

- 12 Naked Smoky Eye shadows in High (champagne shimmer micro-glitter), Dirtysweet (medium bronze), Radar (metallic taupe iridescent micro-glitter), Armor (metallic silver-taupe tonal sparkle), Slanted (light metallic gray), Dagger (medium charcoal micro-shimmer), Black Market (jet-black satin), Smolder (deep plum-taupe), Password (cool taupe matte), Whiskey (rich brown matte), Combust (soft pink-taupe), Thirteen (light beige satin) - Double-ended brush - Lookbook 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

This or That: Naked Basics Vs. Naked2 Basics

So a few weeks ago I did a HUGE haul, and asked what products you wanted me to review, and the Naked Basics palette was the winner, hands-down. I used to do a This or That series on here, and when others started doing This or That, I stopped. But I'm bringing it back, and I've got some comparisons each week to show you. Time for this week's This or That:

Urban Decay Naked 3 Palette: Review, Tutorial, Giveaway

The second I saw a picture of this palette online, I had to have it. And when it was sold out everywhere, I wasn't sure if I'd ever get it. Luckily, it was waiting for me Christmas morning. Today I'm sharing a review, tutorial, and a giveaway.

It's here! Urban Decay's Naked 3 Palette!

12 gorgeous shades

Review:

• $52
• 12 shades of shimmer, satin, matte
• Rose gold shades that complement most skin tones
• Packaging is similar to N2, but plastic instead of metal and still more durable than N1
• Shadow consistency is similar to other UD shadows. The shimmer shades have fall out.
• If you're looking for pink shades, a Naked Palette fan, or looking to mix up your brown neutrals, then pick up this palette.
• It is not similar to LORAC Unzipped palette.
• Comes with brush and eyelid primer samples
• Overall: I love this palette. I'm so glad I have it!

The darker shades

The lighter side--Check out my tutorial for a look featuring this side!

But wait, there's more! I'm doing a collab video with BowsandNails, so be sure to stop by here to see her tutorial. She's doing a tutorial on the darker 6 shades and I'm doing one on the lighter side. Enjoy it below:

Can't see the video? Click here.

Check out my video to see a soft pink look featuring the N3P!

NYC Talon and I are giving away a Naked 3 Palette! 

Please stop by and enter here! Good luck!

Do you have the Naked 3?

PS: GIVEAWAYS for YOU!

To thank you for supporting my blog, I have two giveaways I'd love for you to enter:

• Neutrogena for the New Year (FOUR WINNERS)--ends 1-11
• Naked 3 Palette--ends 1-16

Easy, Quick New Year's Eve Makeup

Happy New Year's Eve! What are your plans? If you're looking for an easy, quick look, you're in the right place! Today I'm sharing classic makeup looks that look great on everyone, because let's be honest, no one has time for the smokey eye or practicing playing with adding glitter. Enjoy!

5 Minutes to Get Ready:

• Oily skin? Blot face with Starbucks napkins.
• Apply a shimmery shadow to the center of lids with your pointer finger. Gently blend out on the sides of lid with ring finger. My favorite is Stila's Kitten.
• Not into shadow? Dab a tiny amount of plain Chapstick to lids for shine.
• Curl lashes and add mascara
• Already wearing mascara? Gently curl base of lashes with lash curler (your lashes will be fine as long as you gently apply pressure) or with a metal spoon.
• Apply red lip crayon to lips. This is the easiest way to wear red lips. I like versions by Revlon (original or matte formula), Jordana, The Big Lip Pencil.
• Still feel intimidated? Outline and fill in lips with a red lip liner and add a clear gloss or Chapstick on top.
• If needed, use a makeup setting spray (or make your own using Witch Hazel). These are available in dewy and matte formulas. I like Urban Decay, Skindavinia, NYX, or Model in a Bottle.

NYE Makeup Tips:
-If you have 15 minutes or more, try these tips!

• If you're starting from foundation, and you need your makeup to last all night, spray your face first with a makeup setting spray. Then apply primer (if desired), moisturizer (if desired), foundation, concealer, and powder as usual. Spray again.
• For lids, you cannot beat neutral shimmery shadows. And palettes featuring them can be found at any budget. I'm wearing the Eye on Neutral Shimmer one pictured from Sonia Kashuk at Target, but I also love the Pop one I featured in my latest Ipsy bag or the Naked 2 Palette. This Almay trio is a fave of mine as well.
• Start with a light shimmery shade all over the lid. In the crease, blend out a brown shimmer shadow. It should be darkest in the crease and blended out towards the brow. Next, add the darkest brown in the outer "v" of the eye. Blend and blend that same shadow under the lower lash line.
• If you're not into all of that but want a little sparkle, I like champagne shimmery shadows for those with lighter skin and golden shimmery shadows for darker complexions, but wear what you like!
• I love a little eyeliner flick, and it's much easier than you think! The key is to use an angeled eyeliner brush. These can be purchased for really cheap, like ELF or Sonia Kashuk (pictured). I use a gel liner for this--Wet N Wild and Maybelline are some good drugstore options. I start at the outer edge of my eye and imagine I'm drawing a tiny flick in the direction as if to meet the end of my eyebrow. Here's an old tutorial of this. 
• If you're into false lashes, my best tip is to cut them in half or thirds. But for something easier, I really have been loving the L'Oreal Butterfly mascara. Other favorites include Maybelline Big Eyes or Too Faced Better Than Sex mascaras.
• Highlighter brushed above cheekbones is gorgeous for a night out. I used The Balm's May Lou-Manizer, which shows really well in non-flash photos (I use it more for this than in real life) but I also recommend Revlon's Skinlights (liquid), Wet N Wild's Reserve Your Cabana, Hard Candy's Tiki, or MAC MSF.
• You can't beat a red lip, but if you want something a little less low-maintenance, you need a lip crayon. Revlon's original lip crayons (pictured) or the new matte ones are so easy to apply. 
• Complete your look with a gold glitter polish. These can be found for every budget. 

Bonus Tips:

• More NYE makeup hair and makeup ideas
• NYE On-the-Go Kit
• How to Avoid Flashback in Photos
• NYE Survival Kit
• Hangover Facial Mask
• No More Stinky NYE
• NYE Entertaining Ideas
• NYE Makeup

See y'all next year! Be safe, behave, and be well. Love, Elle

CURRENT GIVEAWAYS:

• Neutrogena for the New Year (FOUR WINNERS)
• Naked 3 Palette

Urban Decay Naked Palette 3 Giveaway!

NYC Talon and I are joining forces to give away the Urban Decay NAKED PALETTE 3! This beautiful rose gold palette continues to be sold out everywhere! I seriously want this for myself (hint hint). Look at this beauty:

What else needs to be said? And YOU can enter to win one--for yourself, as a gift, as a present for your favorite beauty blogger (hint hint)! Simply enter using the Rafflecopter giveaway below:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Giveaway Open to US, 18 and older. To keep the giveaway fair, all entries will be verified. Giveaway starts on 12/16/13 and ends 1/16/14. Thank you and good luck!  the winner is chelsea o.

Beauty Fall Favorites (Video)

I'm back today with another video! This time I'm sharing a video full of my Beauty Fall Favorites. I've got something for everyone, regardless of beauty interest level and budget! I have high-end products and drugstore alternatives. What are you waiting for? Check out my video, below:

If you can't view the video above, click here
or visit http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m1M-xvDZFyk&feature=youtu.be .

(still from video)

Polishes (chosen from my Fave Fall Polishes post/video):

• Essie Skirting the Issue
• Revlon Hot for Chocolate
• NYC Park Ave
• Want more? Click here.

(few fave shadows...just a few)

Shadows

• Wet N Wild Comfort Zone
• Studio Gear Study in Mauve/Study in Taupe
• Maybelline Designer Chocolates, Stylish Smokes
• Want more suggestions? Be sure to watch the video!

(MAC Desert Rose)

Blushes

• MAC Desert Rose
• The Balm Cabana Boy
• Wet N Wild Blushes
• I give 3 more faves in the video!

(Burberry No. 18)

Lips

• Berry liner + lip balm
• Lip crayons
• Revlon Lip Butters in Red Velvet and Raspberry Pie
• Burberry No. 18
• Kate for Rimmel #1, #11
• Revlon Black Cherry
• More faves are shown in the video.

What are YOUR beauty fall faves?

Hautelook Summer Essentials Bag

So Hautelook had an offer to buy their Summer Beauty Essentials Bag for $20. I saw a mascara in the bag and naturally, I had to try it. I'm glad I did! Here's what was inside:

Face+Body

• Miracle 10 AHA Cream--This is one of my FAVE products out of the bag. It smells like lavender and has made my dry face feel amazing. I'm purchasing a full size.
• Tan Towel--I think I got one of these in a Birchbox a couple of years ago and didn't like it. It's a wipe with self-tanner. I haven't tried it since. Should I?
• Whish Body Butter in Orange Cream--This smells nice and works fine, as long as you like orange!
• Diptyque Fragrance--A unisex scent that smells unlike anything you currently have...unless you have a Diptque candle. Very unique, but not sure it's me.
• L'Occitane Shea Hand Cream--Another fave product from the bag--the best hand cream I've ever tried. 

Hair

• Blow Pro Strong Hold Hairspray--I've said it before: if you have dry, frizzy hair, avoid using products with alcohol in them. I rarely use haispray unless it's for an updo. This worked fine.
•  L. Erickson Grab N Go Pony Compact--I used these in my 31 Days of No Heat Hairstyles and they worked amazingly--very strong hold. But I actually use the case to hold my bobby pins.
• Clear Bag (pictured at top)--It all came in a clear cosmetic bag, which is a decent size. If you like being able to see everything in the bag, then you'd like this.

Eyes

• LORAC Special Effects Mascara--I'm obsessed with this mascara! If you want defined lashes that don't clump, try this. I shared a more detailed review here.
• Crown Brush Travel Pack--Crown brushes are hit-n-miss, and there were mostly misses in this batch, I'm afraid. Most disappointing product of the bag
• Lashfood--If you're looking for a natural product to condition lashes, try this. I haven't noticed a difference and would've preferred directions to make sure I was using it properly.

Lips

All swatches represent exactly how they look on my lips.

• Mirenesse Lip Bomb--This is a shiny, coral color that lasts on lips. I had a stain once the gloss wore off. I own a nude one of these already but like this one better!
• NYX Extra Creamy Lipstick in Margarita--Supposedly metallic lips are big for fall, and this pinky-coral lipstick reminded me a little of that. It's borderline old-lady frosty, but it's moisturizing, and not my fave NYX lip product. If you like the sheen of a gloss, but not the sticky texture, try this.  
• Urban Decay 24/7 Glide on Lip Liner in Naked--This is the exact color of my lips naturally. It works well and lasted the longest of the lip products mentioned here.

Have you tried any of these before?

Which one would you try?

PS: I've got 2 amazing giveaways for you to enter:

• Enter to WIN $100 SPA FINDER giftcard from Summer's Eve. 
• Enter to WIN $100 TARGET giftcard and a RuMe phone case.

6 Products Worth the Splurge

Hey you! How was your weekend? Mine was busy! I went to an Atlanta Braves game, attended a pool party, cleaned out my medicine cabinet (I had stuff from '08! Yikes!), and finally cashed in my loose change ($100!). Speaking of money, last week I shared my 5 Under $5, and I was asked what items would by splurge-worthy. I hope you enjoy and I can't wait to hear on what items you splurge!

1.Sigma Brushes--Investing in some good brushes is an absolute game-changer when applying makeup, especially for eye shadow. These are soft and have held up well after repeated uses and washings. Check out this post on Essential Brushes for my faves.

2. Bioderma--I first fell in love with this product in France and it's an occasional splurge. It's an excellent, gentle makeup remover. I have very sensitive eyes, and even oil-free products hurt.  It feels like water and has no fragrance.

3. Mason Pearson Hairbrush--I thought all hairbrushes were the same until I tried this one! It helps distribute the natural oils in hair and makes dull hair shiny. And lucky you--I'm giving one away! Click here to enter.

4. Urban Decay Naked Palettes--If you want a neutral palette with a little bit of everything, try these. The original Naked (pictured) is warm tones, Naked 2 is cool toned, and Basics is mostly matte. There are dupes, but I like the quality of these, plus they're great for travel and for a variety of looks.

5. Davines Oi Oil--My hair takes a lot of Moroccan oil to get it to work, but Davines Oi is made with Roucou oil. It takes just a little to make my hair shiny, smooth, soft, and tangle-free. If my hair is going through a funk, I switch to this, and it works wonders. I use it every time I get a blow out.

6. Clarisonic--Who doesn't love the Clarisonic? I have the Mia and use the sensitive brush head. It exfoliates my dry skin, leaving it smooth and soft.

What are your beauty splurges?

PS: Have you entered my giveaway?

Video: My Favorite Matte Neutral Palettes (Drugstore and High End)

Hey you. It's THE WEEKEND! Any amazing plans up your sleeve? Well, whether you have a fancy night or just a casual one, and if you're wearing eye shadow, I'd suggest a matte neutral palette. These are my go-to everyday shadows. Neutrals are safe, look-good-on-everyone shades and are an essential in a makeup bag. Mattes are great at defining the crease, look high end, and are an essential if you're an older woman. Satin and shimmery shadows settle into lines, making them look worse. I could go on and on, but instead, I'll just show you! Enjoy my Favorite Matte Neutral Palettes:

Drugstore--
L'Oreal Colour Riche Quad 839 Cuppa Joe

• $8-$10
• 4 shades
• Natural
• Directions on back
• Compact
• Perfect for daytime, office, work, school
• Light to medium skin tones will really love this.
• CONS: case cracks easily

All in One--

NYX One Night in Morocco

• $6-$9
• Smokey and Neutral looks
• 6 shades
• Day/Nighttime looks
• Bonus shadow primer and lip glosses
• Excellent for travel, plus mirror
• Great for all skin tones
• Darker shades can be used as liner

Best Value

Sonia Kashuk for Target Eye on Neutral

• $20
• 12 shades
• Day/Night
• Variety of looks
• Darker shades can be used as eyeliner
• CONS: packaging is not travel-friendly and gets dirty easily

High End

Urban Decay Naked Basics

• $27
• 6 shades, one has satin finish
• Variety of looks
• Excellent for rare shadow wearer
• Quality shadows
• Day/Night
• Perfect for travel
• Durable packaging
• CON: hard to open

What's your go-to palette?

For swatches and comparisons to the UD palette mentioned above, check out my video:

So, do we have any dupes? Check out comparisons, below:

Ipsy Bag: December

It's the end of my first year subscription to Ipsy (formerly MyGlam). It's been kinda interesting seeing this company's ups and hiccups through its first year. I've enjoyed the growing community, as well as the videos that show how to use each product. December's bag is themed Happy Haute Holidays, hearkened back to the last year's first bag, and had several repeating brands from bags past (3 brands in this bag were also in last December's bag). Each brand mentioned has a discount with it as well, should I desire to purchase more. Everything is full-sized this month. Here's what's in the bag:

• Silver silk zip bag--A cute little makeup bag
• NYX loose pearl shadow--This loose pigment is so gorgeous and wonderful for the holidays. My sister, my mom, and I wore it this past weekend at my sister's wedding. While pigments can be messy, they are a versatile product. I can wet the pigment for a more intense look (it's intense already), use as an eyeliner, and even turn it into a polish! NYX has been featured a couple of times on Ipsy, but that's fine with me, as I am a huge NYX fan.
• Urban Decay 24/7 eyeliner--This is my favorite Kohl eyeliner pencil, so I was thrilled to received this black liner. UD was in the first Ipsy bag. 
• Mai Couture Highlight Paper--Another brand featured in the first bag. Last year, I received the blotting papers and a sample of the highlight paper. Simply wipe a sheet onto the areas you'd like highlighted. A great travel product.
• Mirabella Primer--This brand was in September's bag. This primer has silicone, allowing shadow and foundation a smooth base, and the primer is thinner than Smashbox's. This is perfect for travel as well.
• Be a Bombshell Lipgloss--A red lipgloss is a great alternative to red lipstick, which can be daunting and austere. The gloss is moisturizing and has decent staying power. This brand was featured in October's Ipsy bag.

Share your monthly subscription box/bag/etc links below!

Holiday Party Week: Shimmery Golden Eyes

It's 12.12.12!  Let's have a party! No? How about some festive, shimmery eyes for a real holiday party instead? For today's look, I'm using the Urban Decay Naked Palette 2. I've done a few tutorials with the original NP and several of you requested a NP2 look, so I hope you like this one. However, feel free to use the shadows in your own collection. Put on that fancy dress (or fancy pants, or in my case, fancy pjs) and try out my Shimmery Golden Eyes!

Before you begin....Decide if you want to do your eyes first or your face. For this look, I did my eyes first, as the shimmery shadow can have fall out. I took a Post It note and creased it, to make a little holder to catch the fall out, and stuck it under my eyes. Weird, but it works!

Prep your lids with eyeshadow primer to make the shadow last all night.

Use a flat brush and pat Chopper all over the lid. Patting, as opposed to sweeping, will cause less fall out on the lid.

Dip a pencil brush into the same color and run it under the lower lash line.

Turn the flat brush over, and use the other side to pat Suspect onto the middle of the lid. Use a fluffy brush to gently blend the two colors.

Take a pencil brush and dip into Blackout. Drag shadow into the outer corner, into a sideways "V" shape. Use a fluffy brush to blend it out, meaning no harsh lines between the black and gold.

With a small brush, dip into Bootycall and run underneath the brows and the inner corners. Blend as needed.

Clean up any fall out from the shadows. I usually stop and apply foundation, concealer, and powder before  liner/mascara/etc, but complete in the order that works for you. Finish with mascara, eyeliner, and false lashes, as desired.

 PS: If you'd like me to list shadows for a drugstore version, please let me know and I'll be happy to update this post.

So tell me, are you into festive holiday makeup?

Tomorrow, I'm sharing an easy hair tutorial and putting the whole look together!