bloomzy /

MUA Cosmetics ‘Berry’ Haul

MUA Cosmetics Berry Themed Haul

Slowly the word ‘haul’ is growing on me, though I feel out of necessity more than love.
Anyway, I feel it suits these kind of posts where I’d just be saying ‘a bunch of stuff I bought from MUA’ instead.
Some of you may know that recently MUA hit 35,000 likes on Facebook and with every 5,000 likes they do a promotion.
This time the promotion was 35% off and free shipping – that’s absolutely amazing, right?
What did I buy?
– Brow Kit –
– Lipstick in Shade 1 –
– Liquid liner in Shade 5 –
– Nail Varnish in Plum Noir –
– Lip Boom in It’s a Situation –
– Mystical Glitter Nails Polish in Jellyfish –
– Intense Glosses Shimmer Kisses in Stolen Kisses –
You probably noticed already that there is a general theme here. I love the current berry trend especially worn on the lips, so I choose a couple of lipsticks and glosses, as well as some nail polishes to go along with the trend. I had wanted to buy a bunch of stuff from MUA but I decided to wait until they had another promotion. I’m so glad I did because I was able to grab everything I wanted, and more! I’m really happy with all the items. 
That’s £14 worth of products for only £9.10, with free shipping – bargain!
bloomzy /

Dupe: MUA Undressed vs. UD Naked Palette

MUA Undressed Palette & Urban Decay Naked Palette
I love seeing dupe posts on beauty blogs, and I recently acquired MUA’s Undressed palette, 
which is supposedly a dupe of Urban Decay’s Naked palette, so I thought I would do my own. 
From the start it’s easy to see where MUA got their inspiration from.
With Urban Decay’s palette at almost 10x the price (£36) of MUA’s (£4), I was certainly curious. 
After putting the two palettes side-by-side I was shocked and also a little amused at how similar the shades are.
True, MUA’s palette does not look as ‘high end’ as Urban Decay’s but it’s simple and clean – it also comes with a double ended applicator, but no primer unlike UD – although MUA’s primer is only £1.50.
Also, the UD palette is heavier, and not as easy to transport as MUA’s.
Anyway, onto the reason why you’re all here…
The following swatches come courtesy of my fiancé who allowed me to use his forearm as a model.
MUA’s £1.50 eyeshadow primer was used as a base before applying these.
Top row: MUA Undressed Palette
Bottom row: Urban Decay Naked Palette
The proof is in the picture.
Honestly, apart from a couple of the matte browns, the MUA shadows are pretty much identical.
A primer is needed with the MUA shades, but I don’t think anyone would expect anything else from a £4 palette.
I am incredibly impressed with how similar these are, and with previous experience with MUA palettes they are definitely worth the money. When used with a primer, they are long lasting and the colour stays as clear and fresh as when you first applied it. Both palettes have some amazing colours, perfect for this seasons nude make-up trends.

Final decision: This is an amazing dupe, and I would definitely use the MUA palette as a replacement for my UD one.
MUA Undressed Palette is available in Superdrug stores, and online here (worldwide shipping available).
Urban Decay’s Naked Palette is available in Debenhams & House of Fraser (UK) stores, and online here.
bloomzy /

[Nail Week] My Favourite Nail Polish Brands

Nail Week is coming to a close, and I decided to end it with a post on my favourite Nail Polish Brands.
Over the years I have tried various brands of polish. Some I’ve not been too keen on, others I’ve become a long-term fan of, and still continue to use today. So I decided to include some of my old favourites and some of the up-and-comers in my personal collection.Why have I chosen the brands that I did?

Maxfactor
A mid-range priced polish that offers great coverage and good colour.
Great application – opaque in 1 coat!
Buy here.

OPI
Such an amazing range of colours, shades and glitter polishes.
If you want a particular colour, OPI will have it.
Buy here.

MUA
Cheap and cheerful.
Polishes start at £1 and come in a variety of shades, including glitters.
Buy here.

Chanel
A high-end polish that doesn’t disappoint.
Application and removal is super easy, whilst the shades are always on-trend.
Buy here.

Barry M
Affordable, vibrant colours that are long-lasting.
They often have discounts and special offers for their large variety of polishes.
Buy here.

Dear Lee
Wonderful colours and cheap too!
I love their selection and the application of the polish.
Buy here.

Miss Sporty
Another cheap, but effective polish.
Buy here.

So there you have it, my favourite go-to nail polish brands.
Of course that doesn’t mean I won’t be experimenting with any new brands.
What’s your favourite nail polish brand?

bloomzy /

News: MUA Undressed Palette Release

MUA Undressed Palette

Over the weekend MUA kept us all in anticipation as they slowly revealed the shades of their new palette.
Well it has all been unveiled, and it even has a name now – Undressed. The palette features 12 nude shades, which are a combination of glitter and matte eyeshadows. Fans of Urban Decay’s Naked palettes will no doubt see a resemblance. 
MUA have remained secretive about the release date saying that it will be sometime in July.
However if you follow them on Twitter you will know that they love to please their fans so they often release new products online, before they appear in stores. This has been hinted at already, and in light of their previous releases I’m guessing it will be in the next few weeks.
I for one am excited about this, even though I already have the UD Naked palette.
Why? Well MUA’s eyeshadow palettes usually start at £4, and this one will be no different – bargain!
Knowing the quality of MUA’s eyeshadows I think this will make a great replacement for anyone who has used up their Naked palette, or for those who have been looking for a cheaper alternative.
Keep an eye out for the release on their Twitter, or their Webstore.
You can also find swatches on their blog, where they are also holding a giveaway – here!
Source; 1
bloomzy /

Review: MUA Primer & Pretty Pastels Palette

MUA Primer & Pretty Pastels Palette
Recently MUA were offering free items with a purchase, to celebrate their birthday.
When I saw the ‘Pretty Pastel Palette‘ was one of the free items I quickly put my order in.
Now whether you love this Spring/Summer’s pastel trend or not, pastel eyeshadows are always a great basic to add to any make-up collection. So is eye primer, therefore I decided to review the two together.
MUA Eye Primer
I am only going to do a short review on this, as I can’t say I’m really sold on the product.
It is quite a thick eye primer, compared to others I have used, and I found that it was a little cakey.
Whilst the primer helps your eyeshadow last throughout the day, I found it very hard to remove my eye make-up at night. 
I liked the applicator, and the slight tint the primer had to it, but that’s about it.
Considering the price though (£2.50), I wasn’t expecting anything amazing.
I feel bad as this is the first MUA product I have disliked, but I don’t think I will be using it again.
Don’t take my word alone though, I have read other reviews that praise the primer.

MUA Pretty Pastel Palette

Swatches (with MUA Primer)

I really liked this palette, and the colours that were included (better photo here).
They are very pastel-y and light, which is perfect for creating a simple, feminine eye – which is why I bought it.
I was a little put off by the glittery sheen (they may look matte on the website, but they are not) that you can see in the swatches – I would have preferred a matte shadow. However after I applied the eyeshadows and did the rest of my make-up I found that I didn’t really notice it. It is quite difficult to get a pigmented colour, so if this is what you’re after you will definitely have to use a primer and it will take a few applications. However I don’t think you should expect high pigmentation from a pastel palette..
I’ve used this palette several times now, each time with a different colour.
So far the pinks, purples & browns have to be my favourites.
Definitely glad that I bought this! Shame about the primer.

You can purchase the MUA Primer here.
You can purchase the MUA Pretty Pastels Palette here (only £4!).
bloomzy /

Review: MUA Lip Boom ‘Bring It’ & ‘Vibe’

MUA Lip Boom in ‘Bring It’ and ‘Vibe’
As soon as I heard about the MUA Lip Booms I was excited!
Combining lipstick and gloss is one of my favourite looks, so when they were released I grabbed a couple.
I wasn’t sure how the shades would look on my skin tone, and as light pinks don’t usually show up on my lips I decided to play it safe and went for looks I loved already. So I chose ‘Bring It’ and ‘Vibe’ – a dark red, and a coral-y nude.
The big selling point of these combos is that they offer ‘4 in 1’ looks.
1. Lipstick alone for a matte look
2. Lipstick with the highlighting gloss applied in the centre, to create fuller lips.
3. Lipstick with highlighter all over, for glossy lips.
4. Highlighter alone for a sheer pearl finish.
Swatches & worn with lipstick & gloss all over

Pros:
+ ONLY £3!!
+ Non-sticky, and long-lasting.
+ The glosses are absolutely gorgeous.
+ ‘Bring It’ (red) was highly pigemented.
+ Amazing ‘vanilla fudge’ scent to the glosses.
Cons:
– ‘Vibe’ (nude) shade was a little too light for me.
– If you accidentally rub them (like I did with a napkin) they can become flakey, so you will need to re-apply.
Notes:
MUA have outdone themselves again!
I liked the packaging, simple but effective – Alexandra looks gorgeous, as usual.
These combos are wonderful. The glosses are lovely, and they really glimmer when they’re on your lips.
The ‘4 in 1’ selling point isn’t a bad idea either, especially for those trying out lipstick + gloss for the first time.
I have to say that ‘Bring It’ is one of my favourite lip combos to wear right now, and even though ‘Vibe’ was a little too light for me, I don’t think it’s anything that can’t be solved by several applications of the lipstick.
I definitely need to pick up ‘OMG’ (even though I despise the name) and ‘Doin Good’ next!
They are available online now but not released in-store until 9th May.
You can buy MUA’s Lip Booms here.
See swatches of all the combos on the MUA blog, here.
International readers don’t fret, they ship worldwide!
bloomzy /

MUA x Alexandra Burke Lip Boom

 

MUA x Alexandra Burke ‘4 in 1’ Lip Boom
Yesterday evening MUA finally let us all know what their latest product/collaboration was.
What’s funny is it tied in so perfectly with the post I made yesterday morning. Maybe I’m a little psychic, or maybe it’s just a big coincidence…not gonna lie, it’s probably the latter.

Say hello to MUA’s ‘Lip Boom’, a 4 in 1 Lipstick & Highlighting Gloss.
The product will come in 8 shades and will be released on 9th May, at only £3 each!
The packaging itself, which has been popping up all over Twitter & Instagram, claims that it will create fuller, more curvaceous lips. I’m all for fuller lips and I can’t wait to get my hands on it!
Alexandra Burke, for my non-UK readers, is a British singer.
I don’t know her personally, but she has always come across as a lovely, sweet person with an amazing sense of style, and flawless make-up. MUA picked a great person to collaborate with in my opinion.
I plan to buy quite a few of them and review them asap!
Will you guys be picking any up?
Source; 1