Naked Skin Foundation Review

I am very much a dedicated 'one foundation at a time' kind of girl. Once I've found a foundation that works for me then I am very unlikely to change. In fact I think I've only used maybe four different brands of foundation in my life! So when a foundation does get the seal of approval from me I know that I will be buying it for a long time to come.

I have always had a huge obsession with Urban Decay's Naked range since the launch of the very first Naked eye-shadow palette. So it was a happy coincidence that I ran out of my usual foundation at the same time as the Naked Skin foundation was released in Irish stores. I figured that if their foundation was as high quality as the rest of their products then I should try it out and boy am I glad I did.

I love this foundation, I can't recommend it enough. I've never had a foundation that matched my pale skin so perfectly while still having a yellowish undertone to reduce the redness in my face. Urban Decay have a range of eighteen different shades that are numbered from 0.5 to 12.0. The shades ending in '.0' are warmer shades with yellow or olive undertones while the shades ending in '.5' are cooler with rosy or neutral undertones. This makes it a million times easier to find the right foundation to suit you. I use the shade 2.0 which is a fair colour with a slight yellow undertone and is a perfect match for my skin.

The Naked Skin foundation claims to "blur imperfections for a flawless finish that feels invisible, but looks professionally retouched". The question is, does it actually do what it says on the tin? The answer, my friends, is yes. I like my foundation to feel light, not caked on and heavy this weightless formula really does feel like you're wearing nothing at all on your face. It contains sodium hyaluronate which holds water for optimum hydration, circulation and nutrient absorption which makes skin smooth and soft, perfect for us drier skinned gals. The Naked Skin foundation also contains litchiderm which comes from the lychee fruit, it protects skin from dehydration, oxidative stress and accelerated ageing resulting in a brighter more radiant complexion.

That's all great you say but what does it actually look like? It looks amazing, naturally radiant, like I just happen to have flawless skin. This foundation gives you the buildable coverage you need depending on your day/skin. If you're having a good skin day and just need to even out your skin tone then just used a tiny pea-sized amount. If you want more coverage simply add a little more until you have the flawless, natural looking skin you've always wanted! Naked Skin uses 'light-diffusing spheres' that blur imperfections for a luminous, demi matte finish. It leaves my skin looking glowing and my skin vibrant without that sweaty, oily look. I also don't need to use a setting powder as it has a demi matte finish so it only gives me the luminosity I need and no more. This foundation is oil-free as well which means it's great for people with oily skin that might want to avoid products with oil in them.

I like to use my Urban Decay 'Optical Blurring Brush' (€29 here) to apply my foundation, the densely packed bristles of this brush really distributes make up evenly. I use it in circular motions to buff the foundation into my skin giving it a soft, flawless finish. However you can use anything you want to apply it, a stippling brush, a sponge even your fingers. Naked Skin foundation blends easily and a little really does go a long way. I've had my 30ml bottle now for about six months and it's only just starting to reach it's end. While this foundation may seem pricey at €34 (here) considering I've used it almost everyday for six months means it's only cost me about 20c a day, which is a bargain really when you're after naturally flawless looking skin!

UD Supercurl Mascara Review

Urban Decay has been my go-to brand for eye shadows for the last five years. My family and friends all know that if they're stuck for a present for me all they have to do is pick up a UD palette and I'll be over the moon! However, I'd never tried any of their other products until my Mom got me a set last Christmas that included a travel size Urban Decay 'Supercurl Curling Mascara'. I never really used mascara much before this because no matter how many I tried from various brands I just couldn't get a mascara that would last the day without ending up giving me very attractive panda eyes. The ones that came close to staying on my lashes instead of streaking down my cheeks would clump my lashes together and dry them out. So I tended to avoid the stuff as much as possible. However when a mascara claims to have 'super sculpting polymers' who am I to not at least try it?

I don't think I've ever been as impressed by a make up product ever. The protein-packed mascara boosted, curled and sculpted my lashes! The Supercurl Curling mascara has ingredients like glycoprotein for thicker lashes, moringa seeds to help define each individual lashes curl, then there's meadowfoam seed oil and Shea butter for conditioning and smoothing. These ingredients made my lashes look sleek, smooth and feathery-soft, just how I'd always wanted them to look! You can see the results for yourself below.

The above picture shows me, sans mascara and eyeshadow (gasp!) I only have on a smidgen of foundation to make me look human. I left my eyes bare so you can really see the improvement made by this mascara with no help from eyeliner or shadows.

See how much longer and fuller my lashes look! This is after two coats of my Supercurl Curling Mascara. They weren't lying either...it really does Supercurl! 

This mascara lasts literally all day for me, it doesn't budge come rain or shine, from once I put it on in the morning to when I remove it at night and the craziest part is, it's not even waterproof and yet it has such incredible staying power! The one thing I found it hard to get used to was the 'moulded and curved new technology wand'. It's slightly curved and the bristles were less like brush bristles and more like plastic stumps. However this seemed to help separate and define the lashes in such a way that the curl in your lashes lasted all day. The main difference with this brush head was trying to remember not to wiggle the brush from side to side. With this brush doing that only clumps your lashes together. Instead you need to start at the base of your lashes and stroke upwards separating and curling your lashes as you go.

Finally, one of the things i adore about Urban Decay is their packaging. They always have excellent quality product in stunning containers. This mascara is no exception as it is in a gorgeous mirrored gunmetal tube, embellished with swirling black scrolls in delicate floral designs that give this the girly edgy vibe that Urban Decay always capture so well.

If you're still in search of the perfect mascara for you then I highly recommend the Supercurl Curling Mascara. It costs €22 in Debenhams (although it's on sale at the moment here at debenhams for €19.80!) So tell me, have you guys found the perfect mascara yet? Or have you tales of clumping, panda eye giving miseries you need to warn others away from?