WED// My Most Used Palette At The Moment

THE NAKED PALETTE// 
Happy "Hump" Day friends.
Its safe to say that the ship has long sailed when it comes to The Naked palette from Urban Decay. Its kinda crazy that Urban Decay has an entire line of Naked branded products : Three eyeshadow palettes, cheek palettes, lip glosses, Naked On The Run, foundation, etc and yet it all started with this little beauty. 
When this first released I was not even into makeup as much as I am today. I thought it was so crazy that there were so many people clamoring for this thing. 

But now I think I know why.. 

Since having it I have been using it non-stop. My other palettes have taken a little break. I took this with me on my recent vacation to Florida and didn't bring any other shadows (that is huge because I love me some eyeshadow). I almost feel as if I don't need to describe how it preforms but I will briefly just in case.

There are twelve shades in total ranging from a champagne color to gunmetal. The pigmentation is wonderful. There is a mix of shimmery shades, glitter and matte shades, they are very smooth on the eye and build up well too. 

I tend to gravitate more towards the left side of the palette with the browns and golds and lighter colors since I don't normally wear a dark smoky eye day to day. I do dip into the shade "Toasted" quite a bit however, which makes me think this pinky purple shade is what helped them devise the also popular Naked 3 palette. My favorite colors in this palette are: Virgin, Naked, Buck, Half Baked and Toasted. 
As far as packaging is concerned I am not too crazy over it. I know I am not alone in disliking the texture of faux velvet (ick). Plus the fact that once this starts collecting dust particles on the top there is little you can do to make it look clean again. 

I know this palette has been talked about to death but I its been a solid favorite for a while and felt like talking about it because I have been using it so much. It was a wonderful investment and if you are considering picking one up I would highly recommend it. 

Now my question for you is..Do you own any of the Naked Palettes? If you do which one is your favorite and why? Let me know in the comments below! I am eager to hear! 

 I hope everyone is doing well and having a great week so far 
See you soon! 

- A 

2014 Beauty Favorites

Hello to all! I hope you all had a lovely celebrations over Christmas Break. 
It's practically unbelievable that in a two days 2014 will be all done and dusted! 2014 was the year I seriously got into beauty. I tried and collected a lot of products during the span of the year. You better believe there was a lot of makeup to sort through and pick out key favorites. 2014, was also the year I got more serious about blogging. It was so neat to look through my archives as I was adding links to past posts. Seeing how far I have progressed since last January. 
Big strides have been made and I hope to make bigger ones in 2015. I hope you all will be there to join me and I thank you all for your continuous support. ( *Internet hugs*) 

Now that we are close to the end of 2014! let us review the beauty and makeup that were my favorites of the year!

Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua 
Discovered this foundation in the spring and it was a solid staple for the summer months. Liquidy and light in consistency but still provides a medium to light coverage with a dewy finish. Probably will head back to this foundation when summer arrives again. 

Nars Sheer Glow
Towards the beginning of August I finished off Chanel Vitalumiere and had my sights set on NARS Sheer Glow. During that time my skin was going through a rough patch and was on the hunt for a foundation with more coverage but still had a luminous finish. After some research I discovered that Nars Sheer Glow was not so "sheer" after all and actually had some decent coverage to it. I disliked the fact it did not have a pump but I made due all up to now. I am still using this stuff when I am not using my other Becca Foundation. I really enjoy the coverage and finish this gives. A firm favorite of this year and the year to come. 

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Real Techniques Expert Face Brush 

This brush has stuck by me for the majority of this year. For every foundation application this brush, created by the ladies over at Pixiewoo applied my foundation flawlessly. For the price point I paid for it, this brush is of extraordinary quality and I really loved it this year.  


Nars Creamy Radiant Concealer 

Discovered in January, one of my first true beauty reviews I ever wrote was about this very concealer (and I have not really shut up about it since)! I dubbed this my holy grail concealer. It covers up dark circles, face demons, redness, you name it. Although its a bit pricey I still go out and stock up on this concealer when I am running low on it. I believe this concealer kickstarted my seeming love affair with the brand Nars (it has not stopped since).  

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Naked Flushed Palette " Streak" 

Right after I had invested in my DSLR camera and had whole new design for my blog I reviewed this face palette from Urban Decay. I didn't get the hype at first when this product was released but after a couple times trying it out I felt the need to own it. It was actually quite a perfect purchase. I have non stop used it for the rest of this year. This palette actually provided my with my first bronzer and I really loved the way it looks (might inspire more bronzer purchases in 2015 who knows), but this was quite a handy palette to have in my collection. 

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Becca Pressed Shimmering Perfector " Opal"

I couldn't write this post without mentioning the best highlighter I have ever used. Granted, The Balm's Mary Lou-manizer highlighter should get an honorable mention here since I loved that one for most of the year, but when Becca arrived at my Sephora and I tried this highlighter. I was in complete love and so far it has remained one of my favorite makeup products to apply every single day. If you want the ultimate glow in 2015 I would check this highlighter out if you have not already. Its ah-mazing. 

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Lorac Pro Palette

Picking my favorite eyeshadow palette of 2014 was really hard! I collected quite a few this year and love them all but after some contemplation I settled on the Lorac Pro Palette. 
I got this palette in August. I had pined after it for a long time and got lucky when it was on discount on the HSN website. I feel this palette covers so many bases. I feel that every girl who is in love with eyeshadow should own it. These shadows are so pigmented and soft there is a great variety of colors that make great daytime and night time looks. I feel its just one of those ultimate palettes that is so useful to have. All in super sleek packaging too. 

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MAC Cranberry Eyeshadow 

Besides cracking down on a favorite eyeshadow palette I felt I couldn't not mention this little single eyeshadow from MAC. It has accompanied a lot of my eyeshadow looks for the Fall and Winter. It is surprisingly quite a versatile eyeshadow shade. 

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MAC 217 Blending Brush 

After collecting so much eyeshadow this year I knew I needed a great blending brush so when I went and got the famed MAC 217 brush, my eyeshadow game changed up dramatically. Being able to blend well is crucial so having this brush in my arsenal was a necessary favorite. 

Loreal Miss Manga Mascara

I don't believe I ever mentioned this mascara ever during the year but I should have. This mascara from the drugstore is actually really good. Yes, it has a weird bendy wand but I find that actually kind of helps with the application. I dunno maybe I fell a little into the gimmick with that one but, the formula in this mascara is exceptional. Volume, length, does not clump, but is not a bugger to get off. 2014 winner in my book.   

Nars Audacious Lipstick "Charlotte" 

A very generous and lovely gift from my blogging friend, Sydney. This whole collection from NARS is pure perfection. I only have this color so far in Charlotte which is a deep burgundy color. Out of all lipsticks and crayons and pencils I tried and loved this year I have to pick this one as my ultimate and another big win for NARS in 2014. 

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The Body Shop Silky Chamomile Cleansing Oil 

And finally, to take all that makeup off my face throughout the year I turned to The Body Shop Silky Chamomile Cleansing Oil. Affordable and very effective. Gently melts off all my makeup without stripping my skin and smells pretty nice too. It makes taking my makeup off just as enjoyable as putting it on. 


And that about wraps it up for my 2014 Beauty Favorites! (Whoo hoo!)   I hope to continue to do this every year,  its a nice way to reflect on what I have loved. 
My next post will be about my favorite moments and milestones I crossed in 2014 so look out for that one soon! 

What beauty products did you discover and love in the year 2014? Let me know in the comments below!  

Happy New Year! 
See you "next year"

- A 

GILDED// Favorite Gold Eyeshadows

Its the holiday season which means the onslaught of one of my favorite beauty trends, gold. eyeshadow. 
I love wearing gold eyeshadow year-round, its just one of those colors that I naturally gravitate towards. However, during the holiday season the color gold gets a lot of attention  due to its wide variety of glamour during holiday parties, out and about, depending on the shade of gold you use gold is perfect for the holiday/winter season. It adds a bit of warmth to these gloomy winter days and a glittering sparkle for the nights. 

Marc Jacobs " The Dreamer" Palette

This palette is a little on the pricey side but it comes with two gorgeous gold shades! One is a pale champagne gold which can be used as a wash all over the lid or a highlight. The other gold shade featured in this palette is a more yellow gold which can take centerstage on the lids or make a sneak peak for some added glamour. I think that all the other colors that come in this palette would complement a gold look and the quality of these shadows are amazing. So soft, pigmented and easily blended. 

MAC Amber Lights 

This gold is very deep and almost has a hint of bronze to it. It is also just stunning to look at as a color. Again, this shade looks great as a standout but I also think this color could make a gorgeous golden smoky eye paired with a medium and darker brown color. 

NARS Dual Intensity Himalaya 

This color is described as "shimmering topaz". Translate that to a medium golden bronze with a frosty sheen. Technically its not a true gold, but when I look at it and wear it, it complements so well with other gold shades and also bronze tones. I would classify this as a lovely addition of my "gilded" gold eyeshadow collection 

LORAC PRO Palette "Gold" 

Ah, my beloved Lorac Pro Palette. There is no mistaking what shade name I am about to feature here, Gold, no creative naming here! This shade is a deep gold and when swatched it actually does have a slight hint of bronze. If you have heard anything about these Lorac Pro Palettes you know that these shadows really pack a punch when it comes to pigmentation. I like using this color as a standout center shade, pairing it with a lighter "goldish" shade in this palette called Lt. Bronze in the inner part of the eye and placing darker or midtone browns in the crease. 

Naked Palette Half Baked 

 The ship for this palette set sail eons ago however I had seen it pop up and mentioned on a couple of my favorite blogs recently, took the bait and finally picked up the original Naked Palette. I am not reviewing the whole palette here, ( although, it is gorgeous and I don't know why I have not picked this up sooner). I am featuring specifically the shade dubbed ,"Half Baked" which is a pale gold shade. Not only does it coordinate well with all the rest of the shades in the palette but also with other eyeshadows that I have. I particularly loved pairing this shade with MAC's Cranberry eyeshadow for something really festive and pretty. (Side Note: I have been reaching for this shadow the most these past few weeks. I am really loving it!) 

Makeup Forever Artist Shadows I-662 Amber Brown 

This color may be named "amber brown" but essentially its a darker "antiqued" gold color and works rather well in the outer corners of the eye. These shadows are very smooth and very easy to blend. 


I love gold eyeshadows for the holiday and winter months. I feel it helps bring back a little bit of warmth back in contrast to the cold color scheme of the outdoors. What color eyeshadow do you like to wear during the holidays? Let me know in the comments below! 

I hope you all are having a great week so far! Christmas is this week! Very exciting! and then we will be saying farewell to 2014 and hello to 2015 (crazy)! See you all then! 

xoxo
- A 

SHOP//

Marc Jacobs " The Dreamer" Palette 

MAC Amber Lights 

NARS Dual Intensity Himalaya 

LORAC Pro Palette 

Naked I Palette 

Makeup Forever Artist Shadow I-662 Amber Brown

F R I // Naked Flushed Palette Streak & Blog Makeover!

Hello everyone!, its an exciting day for The Bats & Rabbits blog. As you can see I have made some significant changes to the layout and my images. In the past couple months I have been much more committed to making this blog better. It has become my main focus and what I have chosen to strive for. Blogging, has slowly become my main passion. I want to grow  and learn and hopefully inspire others during my journey through blogging. To go along with this growth and commitment I decided I needed a blogging camera and a new design. The camera took a while to save up for and I have a lot to learn when it comes to using a camera but I am loving the difference compared to just using my phone for photos..
I got a Canon 600D or a T3i for those of you who were wondering. 
The new layout was sort of an impulsive choice but I am satisfied with how everything looks. I got this layout from pipdig.com it's their VivaViva template. It's minimal but I really love how clean everything looks and it lets my photos really stand out. I look forward to learning how to take great photos and continue making the Bats & Rabbits blog the best I can make it. I hope you stick around for the journey! 

Anyways.. onto the review! 

As mainly a beauty blogger I fall into that trap of hoarding new makeup products. The benefit is that I enjoy using them and can blog about them. The con is that I feel a little out of control sometimes, meaning when I go to the mothership that is Sephora I can't seem to control myself when surrounded by shiny beauty products. This was one of those purchases. I restrained myself for a day, only a day and suddenly I found myself at the register with this palette in my hand. Oopsie..
This beauty, ladies and gentlemen is the Naked Flushed Palette in "Streak". Urban Decay has released a couple of these palettes with slight color variations to whatever suits your fancy. Equipped in the Streak version of this palette is a matte pale bronzer, a peachy shimmery highlight and a bright coral blush. Since I have never owned a bronzer before this was the more exciting aspects to this palette for me. Yay! I get to play with contour and warm up my complexion for summer! Whoohoo! That being said the highlighter is gorgeous and so is the blush. All together its "summer face" in a palette and I can't get enough of it. I also think this palette is good for travel as well since it has all three face products right there for you. Wish this was with me when I went on my trip to California. Like I have said before and will say again many times, if you are in the market for any these things..why not get all three in one! Check out your local Sephora and be tempted by all the different shades that these palettes have to offer, they are all gorgeous and perfect for summer.

S H O P// 
Urban Decay -Naked Flushed Palette 

I hope you all enjoyed this post and hope you all like the new changes that I have made. Including all new social media icons which you might want to take a gander at and perhaps click on one to follow me and The Bats & Rabbits so I can further interact with all you lovelies. Also! please comment down below and tell me what you think of the changes I have made.
 I hope you are all having a great week! See you next time! 
                                                                       - A 

What I Wore : Lucky Greens Eye-Shadow Look

Hello my dears,Happy St. Patrick's Day to you all!

This morning I dawned on a large green cable knit sweater that I borrowed from my dad and suitably, I created a very verdant green eye-shadow look. It's lucky that green is most likely my favorite color. The color the grass and the leaves on the tree take on when they are alive. Often we associate the color green with calmness, freshness, growth and luck.





Base Color---Wet & Wild Comfort Zone Palette in Moss shade 

Outer Corner---Urban Decay Single in Mildew

Inner Corner---Smashbox Heat-Wave Palette in Gold shade

I think this look is very wearable, not just for St. Patrick's day either.I accented the green with a hint of gold as well just to add a little bit of warmth to this cool toned look.

Although, where I live there are no clovers to hunt through to try and find that one lucky four leaf I still consider myself to be pretty lucky as of late. 

I reached 50 followers on bloglovin I was just so elated and pleasantly surprised.  
Thank you, I feel truly lucky.

I hope all of you have had a good Monday. I know even though its guised with a holiday, Monday can still be a little tough. 
I know that I felt pretty overwhelmed today. There is just so much going on its hard for me to keep track of it all.. I hope in the next couple days everything will sort it's self out. 

That is all I have for you dears today. 
Please comment down below and tell me something, lets have a conversation! I want to get to know my beautiful and darling dears! 

See you soon!

- A