Multipurpose and compact products are my favourite. Not only do they make your makeup bag when travelling a lot lighter but they are so practical for every day use. I was after a blush, bronzer and highlight compact and read a lot of positive reviews on Urban Decay's Naked Flushed Palette so I decided to splurge.

Urban Decay Naked Flushed in Naked

This product retails for $52 AUD however you are getting three products in one. It also comes in three shades: streak for fairer skin tones, naked which was the 'original' and the one I own plus strip for deeper skin tones.

On the MECCA website it states

Flattering on all skin-tones, these versatile, three-in-one complexion palettes are dedicated to enhancing your skin's natural beauty and delivering a radiant, flushed glow.

Ingredients:

Packaging:

The powders are encased in a sturdy plastic casing which clips to close rather than being magnetic. The design is very similar to their Naked Basic Palettes and roughly a similar size.

Some people have complained that the powders are not actually separated from one another so if you are using a larger brush the shades can mix together. This has not been an issue for me and I actually prefer mixing the highlight and blush shades together to give a more luminous appearance. The three powders are divided into three uneven sections. The bronzer is the largest size followed by the blush and lastly the highlight. This makes perfect sense as you generally use more bronzer in comparison to highlighter.

Now let's take a look inside the cheek palette.

This image shows the sizes of the three products. My pan looks a little beaten up and used but I wanted to review this palette after using it for a period of time. Each shade can be sheered out or layered to appear more pigmented and intense. All shades blends very easily and I prefer how you can build up to your desired colour.

I have noticed that the blush in this trio is a little more powdery than the other two powders. The blush and bronzer are both on the sheer side however are still very pigmented. They give a nice sheen to the skin. If you do not like orange toned bronzer the palette in Naked will not be for you.

I will attach two images of arm swatches I did of the three shades. The first image was taken in the shade and the second was taken in direct sunlight.

Swatches taken in the shade

Swatches in direct sunlight

If you are just getting into bronzing, blush and highlighting I highly recommend picking up one of these cheek palettes from Urban Decay. You have all the three products in one place and the colours all suit one another which takes away from you trying to match up which blush and highlight should be paired together. You also have the option of choosing shades that are better suited to your skin tone. If you are on a budget Sleek or E.L.F make compacts like this at more affordable prices.

Since I am transitioning my collection to one day being completely cruelty free I have been on the hunt for cruelty free dupes for my favourite products. Hopefully this post will help you if you're interested in using cruelty free alternatives too!

MAC Studio Fix Powder ➙ Australis Fresh and Flawless

Having dry/problematic skin makes it tough to find a powder that doesn't look too powdery but still offers a medium-full coverage. Luckily both these powders work virtually the same and the dupe is a lot more affordable! I do find that the MAC powder does give less of a "powdery" finish.

L'Oreal 24H-Matte ➙ Tarte Amazonian Clay

Tarte's Amazonian Clay foundation is a thicker and moussier consistency compared to L'Oreal however they're both matte and offer very full (buildable) coverage.

MAC Fix + ➙ Australis Makeup Finishing Spritz

Both set the powders on your face giving you more of a dewy finish. You can also use both to intensify any shadows.

Urban Decay Naked Palettes ➙ Chi Chi Palettes

Although Urban Decay are cruelty free their parents company is not. I am still on the fence whether I will continue purchasing their products however for a much more affordable and 100% cruelty free option Chi Chi have so many palette's so you will definitely find a match within their range!

Benefit Porefessional ➙ NYX Pore Filler

I have never owned Benefit's Porefessional however I have tried it out on my hand and compared it to my NYX primer. They had a similar feel and filled in the "pores" on my hand the exact same. There are also other blogposts online stating that these two are dupes. Cruelty free or not I highly recommend you try out the NYX primer first as it is much more affordable and works so well.

Stila Liquid Lipstick in Patina ➙ Colourpop Ultra Matte Lip in Clueless

I did an entire blogpost dedicated to comparing these two liquid lips so if you're interested in reading it click here. The two shades are very similar and wear for the same amount of time.

NARS Audacious Lipstick in Anna ➙ Colourpop Lippie Stix in Lumiere

NARS is another brand that is cruelty free however the parent company are not. Ever since the Audacious lipsticks were released I always wanted the shade Anna. One day when I went into Mecca I realised it was so similar to the shade I was wearing - Colourpop's Lumiere.

For a full list of brands that are cruelty free click here

I'm not the type of person that sticks to one foundation routine for prolonged periods of time as I have never found products to work 100% for me every time. I have finally hit the jackpot and am really excited to share it with you all! I have dry, acne prone skin that tends to crease a lot, especially in my smile lines. Foundations would either combat one issue but accentuate another. This routine involves four crucial products that prevents every single one of my issues, that being said let's get straight into it.

The first and most important product I use is the Origins Drink Up Intensive Overnight Mask ($39).

Don't be fooled by the words "overnight" because I completely ignore that and apply this mask two-to-three hours prior to wearing makeup. As I mentioned above I have dry/dehydrated skin so oil or a moisturiser usually is not enough. This mask claims to leave your skin nourished, hydrated and plump and that is exactly what it does. So many people say that skincare is the most important part to get right to result in an easier makeup application and it is so true. If you suffer from dry patches I highly recommend you try any hydrating mask prior to makeup application.

Once I have let the mask sink in I then rinse off any excess with cold water and pat dry. The reason as to why I use cold water is to tighten my pores. Think of getting a facial or giving yourself one, warm water/steam helps to open up your pores to allow your skin to properly absorb the products that will be applied so the opposite is done when applying makeup.

Foundation coverage wearing off was another issue I faced but ever since Nikkietutorials introduced Nivea Mens Post Shave Balm ($8.60) into every beauty lovers life my foundation does not budge.

I am sure you have seen endless reviews and praise on this product so I won't go too much into it however this product contains glycerine which prolongs the wear of your makeup. This "primer" provides a tacky base for your foundation to really grasp onto.

Now for the stars of the show. The actual foundation I use. I enjoy using a foundation which acts both as a foundation and concealer. I have a lot of redness to cover so I opt for full coverage. The most full coverage foundation I own is the L'Oreal Infallible 24H-matte ($20.95). When I wear this alone it gives me a powdery and somewhat cakey finish so I pair it with my Becca Backlight Priming Filter ($50) to give it more of a dewy finish.

By following these steps and incorporating all these products I am able to get a long-lasting, dewy, full-coverage foundation. I have worn this foundation routine out to parties and there is no flash back, which is a major bonus if you're going to be taking photos! Personally I do not powder as this lasts 8+ hours on my skin on its own and I do not need it.

After applying my blush, bronzer etc I use my Australis Makeup Finishing Sprtiz ($15.95) to settle the powders and maintain a dewy finish.

I know how difficult it is to work with dry patches, redness and creasing that ages you 5 years but there are always ways to work with it. Hopefully this flawless foundation routine was helpful and if you have dry skin too try this technique out!


~ ~ ~
Alternative Products: A drugstore alternative for the Becca Backlight Priming Filter for those of you whom may not want to purchase it, the Australis Mineral Face Highlighter gives the same effect at a much lower cost. I compare the two in a review here
As for a hydrating face mask, the one mentioned is the only one I have tried so far so I do not have exact alternatives. In saying this, you could check iHerb as they sell a lot of face masks at affordable prices and have good shipping rates or Chemist Warehouse.


Disclaimer: I do not complete this routine every single time I wear makeup only when I desire a flawless base. Also, everyone's skin is personal to them and this may or may not work for your skin type. All opinions are my own and based off my own experience and preferences.