Amrezy Palette Review & Swatches

Happy Wednesday everyone! I hope your week is going great so far :)

I always get excited when new eyeshadow palettes get released by makeup brands. Eyeshadows are one of my very favorite products to use and I own the most of. This new palette was a bit different for me since I hadn't heard any about it until a viewer of mine from YouTube mentioned it. Based on her inquiry, I decided to search for this palette online.

This palette was done in collaboration with Amrezy and Anastasia Beverly Hills (the eyebrow genius, in my opinion). I honestly didn't know until now who Amrezy was since I had never heard of her. Apparently, based on my Instagram search, she's a very popular makeup artist known by many. Her makeup photos on her Instagram are very pretty and very full on makeup.

Now onto palette details........

This Amrezy palette is an Ulta exclusive and retails for $29. It contains 10 eyeshadows ranging from various warm neutrals to two pops of color. Click here to order this palette from Ulta :)

Here are two photos showing you the colors as they appear indoors with my studio lights and outdoors with natural sun light. I wanted to include both since lighting can make the eyeshadows look slightly different.

Super cute packaging!

Picture taken indoors with my studio lights
*LBD is actually a dark charcoal shade not navy as it looks with
my camera lens. 

Picture taken outdoors with natural sun light

 ::Some up close shots of the colors::

::Swatches of each shade::

*swatches without primer

As you can see the colors have a good amount of pigmentation. They are smooth and buttery feeling which is great.  This palette can be a good everyday type of palette or for travel. I do have to mention that you are slightly limited with blending shades in this palette. For example,  I personally wouldn't go for LBD or Deep plum for everyday use since they are very dark colors, so that leaves me 2 warm slightly orange-y shades to work with. I feel because of this, this palette can be a bit limiting. Although the Caramel shade is pretty, I would have liked to see this a bit more tan with less orange-y tones.

This palette also includes a double ended brush, one side is an eyeshadow brush and the other is more like a pencil style brush. It's soft but I prefer using my other brushes for applying these eyeshadows. If this double ended brush was all I had while traveling for example, it'll be doable for creating looks. I'm usually not a fan of brushes or applicators included with palettes so this one isn't bad.

*taken with iphone 

Overall, this is a pretty palette and I have used it a few times already. I do like the way these colors look with my brown eyes. The price is also affordable for 10 eyeshadows. If you have this palette, how do you like it? 

I hope this review was helpful and if you have any questions, please leave them in the comment section. 

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Thank you for stopping by,

xoxo

~Lexi

IT Cosmetics Vitality Lip Products

Hello everyone!

It's finally good to be back at posting beauty related things on my blog! I know it's not my normal posting day but I needed to get back in the saddle sooner rather than later. Today I wanted to share with you two of my favorite lip products....the Vitality lip products by IT Cosmetics. I've been a huge fan of this brand for some time now because the brand includes good for you ingredients into their products for both face, lips and eyes. Some ingredients include anti-aging anti-oxidants, essentials oils, many vitamins, tea extracts and they fight off free radicals throughout the day.

Here are the swatches & photos....

Vitality Lip Flush 4 in 1 lipstick stain
Vitality Lip Gloss stain
Both available from Ulta Stores.
Color: Je Ne Sais Quoi

Both of these products provide a natural pink flush to the lips. The best way to describe these are "your lips but better" type of products. As you will see in the swatch picture below, both are very soft looking colors. These two lip products are suppose to leave a pink stain on your natural lips after the sheen/glossy finish wears off. This claim is very true, the stain is a very beautiful color that will last for a long while after the finish wears off. One thing to note, these both will look different on each person because our natural lip colors will vary. If you have a lot of pigmentation naturally than this will look a bit deeper than it does on me.

Swatches of both without a lip primer.

Closer look the doe foot applicator for the
gloss stain.

0.11 oz. size $24

Vitality Lip Gloss Stain

Vitality 4 in 1 lipstick stain.
0.11 oz. size $20

Vitality 4 in 1 Lipstick Stain

The vitality 4 in 1 lipstick stain and vitality gloss stain both come in a total of 6 different shades and are available at Ulta Stores or on IT Cosmetics website.  Overall, I'm loving both products and would recommend these to everyone. Even if this shade (Je Ne Sais Quoi) isn't something you're into, you can try any of the other shade options available. I find that the price is also good for the amount and quality of product. I hope this quick review was helpful for you. If you have any questions or comments, please leave them below.

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Thank you for stopping by,
xoxo
~Lexi

Navy Smokey Eye with LORAC Pro 2 Palette

Hello everyone!

Today I wanted to share some photos of a look I did recently using the new LORAC Pro 2 Palette. I have reviewed this palette here on my blog and also on my Youtube channel. To watch that video click here. The other day I decided to create a really dark and dramatic smokey eye which I hardly ever wear and thought the Pro 2 palette was perfect for this. I knew quickly I'd create a look using the navy eyeshadow from this palette because it's gorgeous!

::Here are the details on how to recreate this look::

*Apply a primer to prevent creasing (only if your oily)

Step1: With a flat and dense eyeshadow brush (one that you use for packing on color), apply the "Navy" eyeshadow onto the lids. Stay below the crease with this color. The "Navy" eyeshadow does stain so once applied, move quickly and blend fast.
(Tip** when using darker eyeshadows like the one in this look, keep a fan brush or a q-tip with concealer nearby to clean up any fall out in the under eye area).

Step2: Apply "Nectar" (matte peach) mixed with "Lt. Brown" (matte light tan) in the crease with a fluffy crease brush. You can apply enough to create some depth and dimension to the eye or go a bit darker for a more full on smokey look...totally your preference here.

Step3: Apply "Buff" (matte cream) as your brow highlight.

Step4: Apply "Beige" (shimmery champagne) as your inner corner highlight.

Step5: Add your eyeliner and lots of mascara to finish the look.
For this look, I kept the liner super thin close the to the root of my eyelashes, added 2 coats of mascara and then applied Ardell "wispies" false eyelashes for extra glam. Falsies aren't necessary if you have thick and long eyelashes. If your lashes are thin and short, I'd suggest wearing a full strip lash or even accent lashes for definition. Dark eyeshadows can make lashes look thinner and shorter than they actually are.

*my lower lash line is bare with only mascara to define my lower lashes. This helps keep the eyes looking bright and bigger.

 I hope this quick tutorial was helpful if you have this palette or if you are wanting to do a smokey eye for the weekend. As you can see it's pretty easy to recreate this look. Dark eyeshadows can seem a bit intimidating but if you use this technique, you'll enjoy wearing darker colors.

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Thanks for stopping by and have a fabulous week!
xoxo
~Lexi

LORAC Pro Palette 2 (Swatches & Photos)

Hello everyone!

Today I'm finally posting the swatches of the New LORAC Pro 2 palette! I've recently uploaded a video onto YouTube sharing my thoughts, quick swatches and eye makeup of the day featuring this palette. If you haven't watched, click here to see that video.

I heard about this palette a little while ago when LORAC Cosmetics did a sneak peek on Instagram and I knew then that I had to get my hands on this baby. A few weeks back after seeing the sneak peek, I had no idea what direction the Pro 2 was going to take. I didn't know what to expect but I am very happy with this one too. It was released online at Ulta.com June 15th and I ordered mine right away. It will officially be available in stores on June 29th.

This palette is designed like the first Pro palette with 8 matte eyeshadows and 8 shimmer eyeshadows. You also receive with the palette a mini Behind the Scenes eyeshadow primer that is very good. The palette retails for $42, and I believe the price is just right. I absolutely adore the first Pro palette and I'm in love with the second Pro 2 palette. The pigmentation, quality and color ranges are fantastic.

Here are the photos::

Pro 2 Palette
$42 

The packaging is just like the first Pro palette but this one is a soft gray while the first is black. It has the same size mirror on the inside that's good for travel.

The set up on the inside is the same too. It has 8 matte eyeshadows in the top row and 8 shimmer eyeshadows on the bottom row.

first half of palette

Nectar: matte peach
Cool gray: cool toned gray
Lt. brown: light matte brownish tan
Buff: matte buttercream

Mocha: shimmery bronze-y brown
Rosé: shimmery rose gold
Beige: shimmery champagne
Snow: shimmery white

second half of palette

Black: matte black
Charcoal: matte dark gray
Navy: matte true navy
Plum: matte plum purple

Cocoa: brown with gold shimmer
Jade: shimmery golden olive
Silver: metallic silver
Chrome: shimmery pewter 

As you can see from the swatches the eyeshadows are very pigmented. They feel very soft, velvety and smooth. Overall, I think LORAC did an amazing job formulating the eyeshadows and picking the right colors for the Pro 2 palette.

primer is included with purchase
of palette.

 What are your thoughts on this palette? Did you order yours yet?
I hope the review and swatches were helpful for you. If you have any questions or comments, please leave them below. I'd love to hear from you :) If you have any tutorial requests using this palette, let me know too.

Don't forget to tune in to GlamourbyLexi on Youtube for more beauty related videos, tutorials, product reviews and monthly makeup favorites. Also, Subscribe....it's Free :)

Thank you for stopping by & have an awesome day!!
xoxo
~Lexi

Ipsy June Glam Bag "Pretty in Paradise"

Hello & Welcome Back!

Today I'm doing a quick post on my recent Ipsy Glam bag for the month of June. From time to time on this blog I share what my monthly goodies are from Ipsy. If you aren't familiar with Ipsy, it's a monthly beauty subscription service that mails you 5 beauty items in various sizes. You can receive full sized items as well as deluxe sized samples. Each of the items go with the monthly theme chosen by Ipsy and also correlates to your answers from the beauty questionnaire you take before signing up.

The beauty questionnaire helps Ipsy choose products that go by skin type, skin tone, hair color, etc. to include in your monthly bag. I honestly can say, each item I've ever received that is suppose to match the color of my skin has been right. The items within your monthly bag can vary between cosmetics, skincare and fragrance. This all gets delivered right to your door for only $10 per month including shipping.

This is a great monthly subscription services that I've had for over a year. There have been only a handful of items that I've gotten throughout the year that I didn't like....this says a lot about Ipsy and the products they ship out.


Now on to what I received:::

Pretty in Paradise
June 2014

First off, the bag is super cute and very summery. I love reusing these little pouches as makeup bags to put inside my handbags. From the 5 items, 3 of them are full sized which is awesome. One of the things I like about Ipsy is that I get exposed to new cosmetic brands that I've never heard of or tried. 

In this bag, I got a full size NYX butter gloss in the shade "creme brûlée" which is a very pale pinky nude. I'm most excited for this item because I absolutely adore NYX's butter glosses. They are very pigmented, creamy and not sticky. Next is a full sized eyebrow pencil from the brand OFRA, which I've never heard of. The shade is in "universal" which turns out to be a taupe color. Works well with my very dark eyebrow hairs. 

I received a full sized mascara from the brand be a bombshell...again a newer brand but it seems like they include something from this brand often. I'm not a fan of this brand in general and this mascara has a very weird smell. So honestly, I won't be using it. Next is a travel size Marc Anthony beach spray which I look forward to using. I'm almost out of my current texturizing spray so this came at the perfect time. I haven't tried this yet but it smells divine, like my favorite summer beverage...a piña colada! 

Finally, the fragrance sample from RealTree for Her. I don't particularly care for fragrance samples but honestly I haven't received many through this past year which I'm thankful. This fragrance smells like vanilla mixed with a hint of musk and a bit florally. I would say this scent has some warmth to it which I would recommend for nighttime or the fall season. I know this may not sound too good but the scent is ok. Not my favorite scent that I've tried but it's not terrible. I wish Ipsy wouldn't include fragrance samples because for me, I could go to Sephora and get a sample of any perfume for free. Whereas, here I'm paying for a sample in which many places would give for free anyways. 

So that's my verdict on this month's Ipsy Glam Bag. Overall, I'm only thrilled about 3 items, the beach spray, the gloss and eyebrow pencil. I guess that's better than not liking any of the items. I hope July's glam bag is a bit more fun. 

I hope this post helped you if you were contemplating whether or not Ipsy is worth it. I'll do another post like this sometime within the next few months. Do you receive Ipsy glam bags every month? If so, what did you get? If you have any questions, please feel free to leave them below or send them to me via social media.

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Thank you for stopping by & have a great day!

xoxo

~Lexi

5 Minute "No Makeup" Makeup Look

Hello & Happy Wednesday!!

I hope you are having a great week so far! Today I'm sharing a quick 5 minute "no makeup" makeup look that I wear often when time is limited for me. If you have been keeping up with me for some time now, you probably already know I'm very busy...running around after a 17 month old little boy who has too much energy. So most of the time, I'm looking for quick and easy makeup looks that make me feel and look put together. Whether you're a busy mom like me or just a busy woman, this look is for you. You can definitely customize this for your liking by swapping out some products I used for your favorites.

Here are the details.....

My 5 Minute Go-To Makeup Look

Step 1: Take "Sheer Joy" (matte cream) and apply all over lid from lash line to brow bone.

Step 2: Take "Love" (matte pale pink) and apply to the inner corner for a highlight.

Step 3: Take "Soulful" (matte pink) and lightly dust it over the lid area. Keep the color very sheer.

Step 4: Take "Mocha"  (matte tan brown) and apply it softly with a fluffy crease brush to the crease area for a sheer definition. The point of this look is to have some natural looking shading to create depth and dimension to the eye.

Step 5: Take "Java" (matte dark brown) and apply it with a pencil style brush to the upper lash line to again create some depth around the lashes.

Step 6: Take "Transforming Pearl" (shimmery topcoat) and apply it to the brow bone to give a nice natural glow. 

Once your eyeshadow is done, apply your favorite mascara and soft blush. I used Jordana Best Lash Extreme mascara which I got from Walgreen for less than $3 and it's great :) For blush I used MAC "Peaches" which is a matte sheer tone peach color. Just a beautiful blush for summer! I applied the blush where I normally wear blush but also did some soft contouring with the same color. For lips I used Cover Girl jumbo gloss balm in #210 (shimmery golden pink) for an easy no fuss lip. Of course, define your eyebrows to pull the whole look together. My favorite easy product for this step is a tinted brow gel. 

And you're done!!!!

The finished eye look

The completed look

The IT Cosmetics Naturally Pretty Palette Vol.1 is the perfect palette to create these types of looks. It offers a great variety of colors all with a matte finish. These eyeshadows claim to never settle into fine lines and wrinkles which is what this cosmetic line is known for. Two thumbs up for this palette!!

This is all you have to do in order to look refreshed and put together with 5 minutes. I love wearing these looks because it's so natural and beautiful. I have posted on YouTube a tutorial showing the techniques used for looks like this. If you would like to watch, click here. Also while you're visiting my channel, Subscribe it's Free :)

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Thank you for stopping by, 

xoxo

~Lexi 

Brush Cleaning Made Easy

Hello & Welcome Back!

Today I wanted to share with you a simple tool that I've been using to effectively clean all of my makeup brushes. I have a pretty extensive makeup brush collection and washing/cleaning isn't something I ever look forward to. But since I've been using a silicone oven mitt, the process has never been easier.

I was searching for a dupe for the sigma spa glove on Pinterest months ago and came across many alternatives. One being a silicone oven mitt! I thought, could this really be a dupe? Before I knew it, I was at Bed, Bath & Beyond searching for silicone oven mitts. These types of mitts are available pretty much anywhere that sells kitchen stuff. I paid $10 at Bed, Bath & Beyond for mine and I couldn't be happier with the results. If you are wondering, the Sigma spa glove is $40, and it looks like an oven mitt but with different textured sides. I couldn't justify spending a ton of money on something that looks like it could cost $10.

Here's a closer look at the oven mitt. When choosing the right mitt, look for one that has many grooves, lines, or bumps as these will get a deep clean inside the bristles of your brush and remove the makeup trapped deep inside. If you want the same one I own, click here to order or browse other options. I feel this one is perfect of getting the job done very quickly.

$10 at Bed, Bath & Beyond.

Here are some before and after photos:

I think the photos speak for themselves on how well this silicone oven mitt works to remove makeup. If you would like to see a tutorial on how to use it and which cleaner/shampoo I use, then click here to watch. Overall, I am very impressed and I actually look forward to cleaning my brushes. It's no longer a task I hate doing :)


I hope this quick review was helpful. If you have any other suggestions on tools that work for cleaning makeup brushes, please feel free to leave me a comment. Also, don't forget to Subscribe to my YouTube channel while watching the tutorial (link is below the photo above).

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Thank you for stopping by,
xoxo
~Lexi