Primers Archives - Perilously Pale

Urban Decay Naked Skin Beauty Balm ~ Photos, Swatches, and Review

January 23, 2013 By Christa 6 Comments

I wasn’t sure what to expect when I began testing the Urban Decay’s new Naked Skin Beauty Balm. I had seen some other reviews and had the impression that it may be too dark for my skin and had also heard it had a bit of a tacky feel. Well I’m very happy to report that neither of those issues were present for me. The packaging of the Beauty Balm itself is squeeze tube packaging which I love for the sanitary aspects, lack of trapped/wasted product, and travel friendliness.

I thought I would show you all four sides of the outer box packaging. The front promotes the Beauty Balm as offering an SPF of 20 as well as the benefits of DNA Repair, Optical Blurring, and an Oil Free formula.

Naked Skin is so loaded with anti-aging ingredients that it can replace your anti-aging treatment. It’s that good!

• Pepha®-Protect, derived from watermelon extract, is rich in vitamins and amino acids like citrulline. It helps protect skin’s DNA against the damage caused by daily exposure to UV rays and free radicals.

• High-tech ingredients like Vitasource™ and dGlyage® boost skin firmness and elasticity while blurring fine lines, wrinkles and other imperfections.

• Optical blurring pigments diffuse light to blur flaws while giving skin an ultra-definition flawless finish that looks luminous and youthful.

• Naked Skin doesn’t contain oil or paraben.

The Beauty Balm offers an SPF of 20 via Octinoxate and Zinc Oxide. Pepha-Protect helps inhibit DNA damage and skin is firmed, and elasticity improved, with Vitasource and dGlyage. I haven’t used the product long enough to speak to any long term skincare benefits but I’m looking forward to seeing an improvement in my skin.

Ingredients:

Behold my goosebumps.

I am VERY happy with the Urban Decay Naked Skin Beauty Balm. I think it is important to note that this product performs more as an all in one skincare and primer solution rather than offering the coverage that most BB Creams offer. I am absolutely loving this as a primer. I still follow my normal skincare routine most of the time but when I am in a hurry I love that I can apply only the Urban Decay Beauty Balm and my skin feels sufficiently moisturized and prepped for makeup. It performs brilliantly as a primer. It evens out some of the redness in my skin, blurs my pores and wrinkles, and helps my foundation last all day. I found it set with a soft, smooth finish and I didn’t experience any tackiness at all. It blended really nicely into my fair skin giving me a bit of a warm glow and taking away redness. I have been using this daily as a primer since receiving it. I find SPF 20 sufficient for these winter days when I am not spending much time outdoors. In the summer I will likely layer a higher SPF underneath.

Naked Skin Beauty Balm (SRP $34) is available from Sephora, ULTA and select Macy’s stores. Or, online at Sephora.com, ulta.com, macys.com, beauty.com and urbandecay.com.

Product provided for my consideration. All reviews are always my own honest and unbiased opinions. Post contains affiliate links which help support this site.

Filed Under: BB Cream, Primers, Urban Decay

Burberry Fresh Glow Luminous Fluid Base Primer ~ Swatches, Photos, Review

September 13, 2012 By Christa 2 Comments

The Burberry Beauty Fresh Glow Luminous Fluid Base is a glorious bottle of heaven. I am in love with this primer! The super fine beige pink toned shimmer contained in this beautiful bottle makes the skin come alive. There is never any indication of shimmer on your skin. The pearlized fluid simply gives your skin a radiant glow. It makes my dry, dull skin look fresh under my foundation.

Besides using this as a primer you could also mix some of it with your foundation to give it more of a dewy, luminous finish. It can also be touched on the high points of the face as a highlighter. The shimmer is very refined in this fluid product so the effect is subtle but when it comes to highlighters a lot of times subtlety is my goal.

The Burberry Fresh Glow Luminous Fluid Base is so lightweight you can’t feel it on your skin at all. It is such a joy to use. I am so pleased I opted to make this one of my first products to try from the Burberry Beauty line.

Blended all the way in. See! No visible shimmer. Just healthy skin.

Burberry is available in Canada at select Holt Renfrew counters. In the US you can find it at Nordstrom, and Saks Fifth Avenue. In the UK it is available at Harrod’s.

Filed Under: Burberry, Primers

Too Faced Shadow Insurance Glitter Glue Glitter Bonding Eyeshadow Primer ~ Swatches, Photos, Review

September 5, 2012 By Christa 6 Comments

I have mentioned the Too Faced Shadow Insurance Glitter Glue several times in face of the day posts as well as reviews of other products benefiting from it’s use. I have neglected to actually review it for you until now. The Too Faced Glitter Glue is a product I would not be without. It makes working with glitter or more glittery eye shadows effortless and mess free. Dare I say I can even manage zero fallout in most instances.

This is what Too Faced has to say about the product:

An extension of our best-selling Shadow Insurance Eye Shadow Primer, Glitter Glue is specifically formulated to lock-down glitter and enhance its reflective quality. Our colorless cream formula grabs and holds loose glitters, pigments and shimmers in place, insuring they won’t come off until you take them off.

Immaculate Application: Our formula eliminates messy fall out. Glitters, loose powders and shimmer products instantly lock down. Never experience a face full of glitter again!

Easy to Use: Blend a small bead of Glitter Glue directly onto lids or anywhere you want Glamour Dust or shimmering products to adhere. Using your finger or a small shadow brush, press the formula onto lids for an iridescent lockdown effect.

Paraben-free

There are two ways that I use the Too Faced Glitter Glue most frequently:

Application of very glittery eyeshadows or pigments to help bind the product to the lid and prevent fallout. I use it in place of Pixie Epoxy for loose eye shadows like my beloved Fyrinnae shadows quite often. I love my Pixie Epoxy but I also find the Glitter Glue just a little bit less finicky to work with. An example of a really glittery eye shadow I would pair it with would be the gorgeous ivory shade from the new for Fall 2012 Dior Golden Savannah palette. It makes a shadow that may make other users curse an instant favourite for me.

The other way I enjoy using it is for a purpose it is not really promoted for. Bringing out the shimmer and complexity in an eyeshadow. Sometimes there is an eyeshadow, like the Armani Eyes to Kill Intense Eye Shadow in 28 Red Platine and the glittery shades in the Dior Smoky Trios for example, that is absolutely stunning but that I feel has so much more potential. The use of the Too Faced Shadow Insurance Glitter Glue Primer really brings out the best in some products that really don’t “need” the use of a glitter bonding product. It brings the dimension and shimmer in the product to life.

You can add to these favourite uses of mine the intended use as a glitter bonding primer and the use in the inner corner of the eye to actually make a shadow last there all day. If I keep thinking I’m sure I can remember even more ways I’ve put it to work. The versatility of this product has really made it an essential in not only my personal collection but also in my professional kit. It has a tackier texture so I wouldn’t recommend using it in an area you want to blend out like your upper crease but for lid, inner corner, and lower lash line it is perfection.

The Too Faced Shadow Insurance Glitter Glue comes in an 11g/0.35oz squeeze tube (that is super cute by the way) and retails for $18 US/$24 CDN. It is available at on the Too Faced website, SkincareRX (where I purchased it from), Ulta, and Sephora.

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Filed Under: Eyeshadow Primers, Primers, Professional Kit, Too Faced