Urban Decay Naked 1 Palette | Review & swatches

Where to buy: Debenhams | Feel Unique

There are so many eyeshadow palettes' on the shelves these days it can be hard to keep up. If you've not heard of the Naked palettes by Urban Decay, well, I don't really know where you've been the last few years... There's the Naked 1,2 & 3, then the Smokey, then the Basics - it's a growing range and everyone has a different favourite. Now not necessarily my favourite, but the only one in my possession, I love the OG Naked 1 palette. There's thousands of reviews out there so its about time I spent my Sunday afternoon writing my own short and sweet one. 

Although described as a mix of shimmer and matte shades, in reality, the ratio is 2:10. You get 2 matte shades and 10 shimmers, but with such a wide range of warm toned neutral shades, you will barely notice the lack of mattes. Retailing at £38.50, I do find that for the quality of the shades and the wear you'll get out of this palette, its a pretty standard and reasonable price. The packaging could be a bit of a turn off for some! The lid of this palette is a brown velvet material which I know some people can't stand - not the kind of material I'd use on a palette, but seeing as it's never been changed, UD clearly know that it works. It's a strong casing with a brush & mirror inside (lol, obviously I've lost said brush) and a magnetic closure. 

Virgin - A satin finish soft toned shade that could glam-ify any look.

Sin - A champagne shade perfect for any subtle pink fans.

Naked - A matte finish nude brown shade, great as a transition colour - not greatly pigmented.

Sidecar - My personal favourite, brown(y) golden shimmer shade I'd like to bath in. 

Buck - Another matte brown shade, a little darker then Naked but still nice in the crease. 

Half Baked - Shimmering bronze shade that everyone on Youtube lust's over.

Smog - Deep bronze compare to Half Baked but still has a nice twinkle

Darkhorse - A real deep bronze, perfect for creating a smokey eye look.

Toasted - A rich copper/rose gold colour that I will never tire of using.

Hustle - A plum(ish) brown shade that I barely use and forget exists.

Creep - A deep black shadow with golden sparkles

Gunmetal - A grey toned colour with silver glitter. Oddly pretty. 

As a range, the Naked palette houses a beautiful selection, and each shadow is full sized and I'm beginning to think I'll never hit pan. As always, you're going to save a lot of money by buying a palette like this, rather then buying each individual shadow. The shadows are easy to blend and feel soft and buttery, the pigmentation (in most) shades is unreal and the colours stay put throughout the day. It is and always will be, one of those palettes that any hardcore beauty fan will have in their draw upstairs, and from the swatches alone you can see why! Would I buy it again?! I couldn't say. I admit, sometimes I will use a shade and not use it again for months. Plus, if I hit pan on my favourite 3 shades, I don't think I could justify buying a whole new palette for the sake of said 3 colours - that just wouldn't be practical! Who knows... 

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Have you read: The Blogger Tag | The Best Advent Calendar of 2016 | 5 Things I've Learnt Through Blogging

The Best Advent Calendar of 2016!

Every year in the run up to Christmas, more and more companies release their annual advent calendars. I remember when advent calendars were plain and simple, a choccy in the morning before school to hype you up and start your day off right. Now?! That is not the case. Of course, chocolate calendars are still around, I think they always will be. However now days, there's makeup calendars, there's skin care calendars, there's calendars with candles in, calendars for your dog, calendars you can put together yourself, calendars for children e.g. Lego. You get the picture, one day our local newsagents will be releasing their own festive countdown's for us all.

Personally, I haven't had a chocolate calendar for about 10 years, probably longer then that actually, and every year I tell myself "I'm gonna have a beauty calendar next year..." Yet I never actually purchase one. I suppose these days, we don't all need to buy these countdowns, because they are all showcased on platforms like Snapchat day by day anyway, so its not a total surprise. Don't get me wrong, I could just stay off of social media until my own was opened, but we all know that's never going to happen.

Anyway, lets get on to where this post is actually going! You may have seen in my post here, that there is 1 blogger in particular that I have more of a connection with, then anyone else on the Internet! That's Steph! Steph is a lifestyle blogger that writes all about theatre reviews, baking, beauty and everything else in between! This Christmas, Steph has gone above and beyond with a hand full of other bloggers to create her very own advent calendar! 

Steph approached myself and a couple of others back in November to see if anyone wanted to get involved with the advent, which is in itself, is her very own take on the traditional "Blogmas". Steph has put so much work and effort into this holiday season (not that she doesn't all year round!) and the finished result is amazing! Steph put together her own Christmas themed Q&A, we all filled them out and sent them back. She then got to work formatting and creating her big idea. 

I an sooooo, so excited for her about how its turned out! It's so clever - each day, the calendar changes, the new number spins and reveals a blogger, clicking the bloggers button then launches their Q&A. It's so interesting to see everyone else's different answers! As well as a bit odd, seeing something you've typed up yourself, appear on someone else's blog! (clearly I've never guest blogged before!). 

Really, in short, this post is just a shout out and well done to Steph, for all the hard work, time and effort that she puts into her blog. I absolutely love heading over there every day to read that days post! It also has given everyone the chance to get to know other bloggers on a more personal level, even though the questions are all focused on 1 topic. I hope Steph's creative idea can inspire others for future projects and I can't wait to see what she comes up with next! 

No grammar police were consulted before publishing this post. This post, has really taught me about the difficulty I have when spelling the word "calendar". 

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Have you read: The Blogger Tag | Plus Size Christmas Wish List | 5 Things I've Learnt Through Blogging

10 Things to do this Christmas!

I feel like it was only Christmas 2015, about a week ago. I can't believe that already, people are drowning in sea's of wrapping paper with their garish blue lights flashing in their windows. Although I just don't have time to do Blogmas this year (I'll start writing posts for next year, in September!), I do still want to upload a few christmas-y posts to keep the festive spirit alive! So heres 10 thing's I want to do this Christmas, which you can do as well! 

♥Drink mulled wine at a christmas market

♥Drink every hot chocolate available this year at Costa

♥Bake my own Christmas tree brownies!

♥Pick up some Christmas PJ's which I will only wear on Christmas Eve, literally

♥Visit Central London and see some pretty Christmas lights

♥Sit on the floor of the Lounge watching The Holiday whislt wrapping presents

♥Finally understand what to buy picky men for Christmas.

♥Fill the house with scents of Christmas Yankee Candle's.

♥Make hot chocolate with cream and marshmallowes

♥Go shopping on boxing day for 50% off Lush! 

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Have you read: The Blogger Tag | Plus Size Christmas Wish List | 5 Things I've Learnt Through Blogging

Plus Size Fashion | Simply Be Wishlist

With Christmas party season upon us, its time we put on our blackest and most sparkly outfits and dance the night away. Most of us with friends, some of us with the people we pretend to like because at the end of the day, they actually pay our bills! Whatever your Christmas parties are like, and whoever you have to sit next too this year, do it looking fab! Eat too much food, drink too much wine and remember to be thank full for what you have. These are the items I'm lusting over the most, at Simply Be this December! 

Party Tops:

Party Dresses:

*I do own the first dress. It is absolutely gorgeous. Simply Be have nailed it with the amount of detailing on this dress. The high neck isn't what I'm used to, but it makes a nice change! You're bound to make a statement in this gorgeous black number. 

Jeans:

Party Shoes:

*I do own the first pair of shoes, they are unbelievably comfy! Covered in soft velvet, they are a dream come to touch and admire. Great with a dress, or jeans/top combo - these are sure to bring attention to both your feet and your outfit! 

Lingerie:

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Have you read: The Blogger Tag | My Past Makeup Mistakes! | 5 Things I've Learnt Through Blogging