Dramatic Eye Make-up Tutorial featuring Urban Decay 'Naked 2' Palette

Hi guys :)

This post is the follow up tutorial to my Naked 2 palette review. I decided to go for a more dramatic look seeing as I did an everyday look with the original Naked palette (see it here). If you would like to see a more natural look with this palette let me know and I will be happy to do a tutorial! I would pair this eye look with a light pink or nude lip.. This make up looks amazing on hazel and brown eyes! I hope you enjoy and have a great day :)

Step One :

I first filled in my eyebrows (tutorial here) and primed my eyelids using MAC Soft Ochre paint pot. Then, using a fluffy brush, I blended "Tease" above my crease. I do this to create a soft transition for the darker colours that I'm going to use in the crease later.


Step Two :

Using a flat shader brush, I applied "Verve" to the inner corner of my eye to highlight. I also applied "Bootycall" underneath the arch of my brows.


Step Three :

For this step I applied "Pistol" all over the lid, taking it right into the crease. I used a MAC 239 brush to do this. I then used my fluffy brush and a tiny bit more "Tease" to blend out any harsh lines.


Step Four :

I then started to work on the lower lashline.. Using an angled brush I applied "YDK" along the lashline, leaving a slight gap at the front where I had already applied "Verve". I blended this out using a Sigma E36 (this works great for precise blending).


Step Five :

Using a MAC 217 I applied "Busted" to the crease, blending upwards and slightly outwards at the corner of my eye. As this colour is quite dark I like to take a clean 217 around the edge of the eyeshadow to blend it thoroughly for a diffused look.


Step Six :

I then used a Sigma E45 and "Blackout" to add some definition to the 'outer v'. I dipped the very tip of the brush in the eyeshadow and applied it in a "V" shape on the outer corner. I also took whatever product was left on the brush and ran it through the crease.


Step Seven :

I took the same angled brush that I used before and the colour "Blackout" and I applied this to the outer third of the lower lashline. This adds definition and ties the look together.


Step Eight :

I applied a black pencil liner to the waterline and tightline. I also applied a black liquid liner to the lashline, winging it out slightly at the corner of my eye (sorry it's so messy!). I used Benefit They're Real mascara on my top and bottom eyelashes. You could finish the look here or you can continue to step nine :)


Step Nine :

Because I wanted a dramatic look I decided to apply some false lashes. I used Ardell Demi Wispies and I applied them with DUO Eyelash Adhesive. 



I hope you like the finish look! Let me know if you recreate it :) If you have any questions or suggestions leave a comment below. Thank you so much for reading :)

Love Shannon x

Urban Decay Naked 2 Palette Review

Hi guys :)


So this is the next post in my series on the Naked palettes from Urban Decay (To see my review on the original click here). This post is on the Naked 2 palette by Urban Decay. I have had this palette for about a year now and I use it maybe 1-2 times a week! I will also be doing a tutorial using this palette in my next post :) If you want to see one using the original Naked palette click here! I hope you enjoy and if you have any questions feel free to contact me :)

This palette is the most cool toned of all the Naked Palettes. I think it would suit people with hazel, green and brown eyes. However, there are three of four warm colours in the palette for people with blue eyes so it's definitely an all rounder! This palette is so versatile.. It has so many essential colours and you can really create any look that you want. I LOVE that this palette has three staple matte colours! I would probably give this palette 8/10. The only reason that it lost points it because it doesn't have a matte warm brown. Although, if you have this and the original you have every neutral shade you could ever want!

Foxy : This is a gorgeous matte highlight colour. I think this colour is my favourite highlight shade of all time! It is very yellow toned and perfect for highlighting the brow bone. The eyeshadow is quite pigmented and I just love it :)

Half Baked : This is the only colour that is repeated from the first Naked palette. Like I said in my previous post, it is my favourite gold eyeshadow and it's amazing for blue eyes!

Bootycall : This is an amazing champagne colour eyeshadow. It is the perfect mixture between a pink and gold. Bootycall looks really nice on the inner corner of the eye. This is a shimmer finish eyeshadow that would suit any skin tone and eye colour :)

Chopper : This is a very true copper colour. It has flecks of silver glitter throughout but the texture is still buttery and blendable. Chopper makes blue eyes pop beautifully.

Tease : This is the perfect taupe transition colour for any look. It has a matte finish and it is so creamy and blendable. All of the colours in this palette are extremely pigmented and do easy to work with.

Snakebite : This is a light golden bronze colour. It has a slight metallic finish and really fine gold glitter running through it. I love using this on it's own all over the lid with some brown pencil eyeliner for a really quick and easy smoky eye.

Suspect : This is a soft champagne-bronze with a frosted, metallic sheen. It has a silver shimmer but when you blend it out it appears very gold. This looks gorgeous all over the lid for a natural, everyday look.

Pistol : This is a dirty grey-brown with a frosted finish. I find this shade is almost duo chrome.. It looks silver in some lights and light gold in other. It is a very versatile colour that can be worn with warm or cool tone shades.

Verve : This is a pale beige-grey at first glance but in some lights it shows almost a pale pink sheen. It is the most unique colour from the palette and I don't have anything like it in my collection. This looks AMAZING in the inner corner of the eye! I would almost buy the palette just for this colour :)

YDK : This is a warm, coppery red-toned medium brown with a frosted finish. The color payoff is good with a smooth texture. It is very similar to Sidecar and just a little less warm compared to Toasted from the original Naked palette. It is very metallic and gorgeous :)

Busted : This is a dark grey, plum colour with warm undertones. It has a soft, frosted finish. The color payoff was good and the texture smooth, though a little less dense than other shades. It is almost the same as Hustle from the original palette.

Blackout : This is a really intense, dark black with a matte finish. It has really great payoff and goes on very black. It is my favourite black in my whole collection. It is ten times more pigmented than the others that I own like MAC Carbon. LOVE :)


All in all, I think this is a great palette for the money. You get a good amount of product and a great range of shades. I would recommend this to anyone.. It's great for beginners, people trying to build their collection or just make up lovers in general :)

Thank you so much for reading.. Have a great day :)

Love Shannon x

Urban Decay Naked Palette Review

Hi guys :) 

I've been getting a lot of questions recently about the Naked Palettes so I have decided to do a review series on the original, Naked 2 and Naked Basics! I will also be doing a tutorial using each palette :) Hopefully I will be able to include the Naked 3 palette very soon.. I can't wait! I hope you enjoy :) 

I think the first Naked palette is definitely more suited to blue and brown eyes. Everything is very warm with lots of gold undertones.. Which is like heaven for me because of my blue eyes and love for gold eyeshadows! This is definitely my favourite of the series so far. If I was to choose one make up product that I had to use for the rest of my life it would definitely be this palette. 

In my opinion this palette provides a great range of colours for any kind of eye look.. From very minimal to full on smoky eyes. The only thing that I would change is that I'd like another matte colour (possibly a very dark brown). I think this palette is really fairly priced. I mean, you get twelve decent sized eyeshadows for the price of two individual ones! The quality of the eyeshadows is excellent.. They're very buttery and blend so beautifully. They are really opaque and pigmented! I would recommend this palette to anyone from beginners to experts.. Although I'm sure so many of you already own it :) 

Virgin : This is the main highlight colour in the palette. It is the perfect champagne colour (definitely more of a pink undertone) and it would work for all skintones. It has quite a satin finish so it's more reflective than shimmery. 

Sin : This is a gorgeous metallic light pink colour. It looks really nice all over the lid for a romantic look. Ladies with darker skin could also use this as an inner corner highlight! It has a shimmery finish. 

Naked : This is the perfect transition colour to use as a base for any look. I apply it above my crease every time I use this palette and it makes blending so much easier. It is a matte shade and definitely an essential to any eyeshadow palette. 

Sidecar : This colour is really unique. It's one of the more cool toned shades from the palette.. It comes off as a light brown shimmery colour with specks of silver glitter. Sidecar and Sin look amazing together! 

Buck : Ahh how I love this colour! Again, just another boring matte brown shade but it's just such an essential. This is a great colour for blending out any of the darker shades. [ Quick tip - This is a great eyebrow colour for people with blonde or light brown hair! ] 

Half Baked : This is my most favourite gold eyeshadow in the world! It is quite a deep gold colour and it makes blue eyes look absolutely amazing. I sometimes just use this by itself with mascara and it looks great. Even if you don't want to buy the whole palette you NEED to have this eyeshadow in your life! 

Smog : This is a beautiful light bronze colour. It looks really nice as the base of a smoky eye or used on the outer half of the eye to deepen a more natural look. It has small flecks of gold and is a shimmery eyeshadow. 

Darkhorse : This eyeshadow has almost grey undertone while still being quite warm. I love using this eyeshadow to darken the "outer v" of the eye.. It's really dark without being black! This is another shimmer finish eyeshadow. 

Toasted : This is an unusual colour and not something that I would ever gravitate towards but I use it all the time! It would be a great crease colour for bridal make up.. Like with Sin, it has that warm pink undertone which gives a timeless romantic look. I would use this on all skin tones. 

Hustle : This is like a very dark taupe shade. I'm not usually a fan of cool tones on my eyes so I don't use this very often on myself! However, it does look really good in the crease with a purple eye look. 

Creep : This is a shimmery black colour. The pigmentation is probably the poorest out of the whole palette but the formula of the eyeshadows is so buttery so they're quite buildable. Creep is a great eyeshadow for doing a smoky eye! 

Gunmetal : This is a gorgeous metallic grey with a very slight purple undertone. Once again, it's quite unique and not really like anything I already have! This would suit all skintones.. Especially tanned skin with a pink lip :) 

I really do love this palette.. It has become an essential for me! It lasts for years but I will definitely be repurchasing another one soon. Look out for a tutorial with this palette in my next post plus a chance at winning one of these palettes and more on my Instagram :) Thank you so much for reading! 

Love Shannon x

October Favourites

Hi guys :)

Sorry I've been gone for ages but I'm back with my October Favourites! I'm so excited that it's finally November.. Almost Christmas (YEY!) I've loved some of these products for ages but I thought I'd include them anyway. I hope you enjoy and leave any comments down below :) 

MAC Vanilla Pigment : 

I love this product so much! It can be used wet or dry and you can put it anywhere you like. I love using it on the inner corner of my eyes and on the tops of my cheekbones. I sometimes dab a little on my cupids bow to highlight! Be careful though.. It's really shimmery so don't go too crazy :) A little goes a long way.. You don't want to end up looking like someone from Twilight ;) 

Benefit They're Real Mascara :

I love this! I think it has the perfect applicator and the perfect formula.. I don't like very wet mascaras! This is dry enough to prevent transfer but it still allows you to build layers without going flakey. This product is definitely on the more pricey side but I think it's worth the money! I've been using this mascara for six months and I don't plan on changing it for the foreseeable future :) 

MAC Viva Glam V Lipstick : 

I purchased this around the beginning of October and I've been wearing it loads! It almost reminds me of MAC "Syrup" but it's even more wearable. It goes with almost every colour eyeshadow and blusher! I love it as a warm neutral for Autumn/ Winter with dramatic, dark eyes. It is a very shimmery lipstick but the glitter is so finely milled that it gives a smooth application every time. I haven't heard a lot about this lipstick but I would definitely give it a try if you're look for a more wintery nude! 

MAC Prolongwear Concealer (NC15) : 

I've never been a massive concealer fan.. I own a few but it was never an essential for me. Then I found this :) I use it under my eyes and on my face. It lasts all day with no creasing and it's a great colour! I have been thinking about depotting it just because there's a lot of waste when too much comes out of the pump. I still love it though.. It has amazing coverage and I couldn't live without it now :) 

EOS Lipbalm (Strawberry Sorbet) : 

I have wanted to try one of these lip balms for like two years! I was so happy when I saw them on cloud10beauty. I've heard mixed reviews about this product.. Mostly good but some people say that after long term use their lips have dried out. I find them great! I don't have particularly dry lips but I apply this at the start of my makeup and my lipstick goes on really smooth and I actually think it lasts longer! I'll definitely be buying the full set :)

ELF Cream Contouring & Blusher : 

Oh my goodness this is definitely my number one favourite if the month! I was so impressed with this product.. It lasts on the skin all day, it blends really easily, it's not orange at all and it was only £3.50! I have been looking for a cream bronzer for ages and I'm glad now that I didn't splurge on a high end one :) This is the only cream bronzer that I know of from the drugstore and I love it so much I've already bought two backups! 10 out of 10 :)

Urban Decay Naked Basics Palette : 

I've had this palette for a few months but I only started putting it to use recently. I love every shade in the palette.. They're so versatile! You can create a full-on smokey eye or a natural and neutral look. I love both of the highlight shades in this palette! The matte highlight is my favourite highlight EVER and the shimmery highlight is a really gorgeous reflective colour :) I think the palette is a good price.. It will last for years and you get six great quality eyeshadows! I would really recommend this for beginners or anyon who is looking to build up their collection! 

I hope you found something useful from this post :) I'll hopefully be posting more regularly now so if you have any requests feel free to email me or comment below! 

Thank you so much for reading :) 

Love Shannon x

Everyday Make-up Routine

Hi guys :)

This post is about my everyday makeup routine. I'll talk about what products I use, how I use them and what I use to apply them! I will also be doing another post on my favourite brushes soon :) Enjoy!

My everyday mess :D

Face Products : 

Everyday face products

#1 Benefit the POREfessional primer - This is such an amazing product! I know it is loved by so many people and it is definitely a firm favourite of mine :) It is described as a "PRO balm to minimise the appearance of pores". I don't really have a problem with pores but this product just makes your skin so smooth. It gives an excellent base to apply foundation on top of and it looks flawless every time. I apply this primer after moisturiser and before foundation using my hands. This is definitely a must have!

#2 MAC Studio Fix Fluid (NC15) - This foundation is my all time favourite. I try others regularly but I always come back to this product. It is a full coverage foundation and has a matte finish which I love! It is a great colour match for my skin and gives a flawless finish while still letting my natural oils come through. I apply this foundation with a Real Techniques buffing brush. 

#3 MAC Studio Finish Concealer (NC15) - I don't always use concealer but when I do this is the one that I reach for. I like that it's light enough to use under the eyes but it still has buildable coverage to cover up any blemishes. I apply this concealer with a Real Techniques deluxe crease brush for under the eyes or with my index finger when covering blemishes.

#4 Rimmel Stay Matte Pressed Powder (Translucent) - Oh my days go and buy this product!! I am absolutely in love with it. It makes my makeup last so much longer and leaves a matte finish without looking powdery. It doesn't compare with any other powder I have used and in my opinion is ten times better than my MAC msf which I used to use all the time. I apply this product with a MAC 138 brush. You need this in your life!

#5 MAC Cream Colour Base (Pearl) - This is my favourite everyday highlighter. I use it on my brow bone, on the top of my cheek bones and above my upper lip. I love that it's a cream product and I really love that it's more of a yellow-tone highlighter! You only need a small amount of this product for a gorgeous glow and it lasts all day on the skin. I apply this with an ELF small stipple brush.

#6 Bobbi Brown Bronzing Powder (Natural 01) - I did a review on this product in my previous blog post so I won't go into too much detail. I use this to contour my cheeks and around my temples. I apply this product with a MAC 109 brush.

#7 MAC Bronzing Powder (Matte Bronze) - This bronzer is the perfect colour for my pale skin. I use this to warm up my face and blend in the contour. It's a warm colour that gives a lovely glow to the cheeks without having any shimmer. I use this all over the face and I apply it with a Real Techniques blush brush.

#8 MAC Blusher (Melba) - This is my all time favourite blusher. It's the perfect mix of peach and pink. It looks good with almost any make up look and it gives my cheeks a natural pinched look. I apply this blusher with a MAC 168 brush.

Eyebrow Products :

Everyday eyebrow products

#1 MAC Eyeshadow (Concrete) - This is my perfect eyebrow colour. It is completely cool-toned and matte. I have used this product with both brown and blonde hair and I think it works for both. I use this to fill in the centre of my eyebrows and to make them slightly darker. I apply this product with a MAC 108 brush.

#2 MAC Eyebrow Pencil (Spiked) - I absolutely love this product! You can literally draw on hairs because the pencil has such a fine point. It is slightly warm-toned but when I set it with the eyeshadow it isn't noticeable. I use this to outline my eyebrows and to draw in a slight arch.

#3 MAC Brow Set (Clear) - This is my favourite eyebrow gel. It sets the hairs in place and it lasts all day. I use it before and after I draw in my eyebrows. The clear brow set is my favourite although it doesn't stay clear for long! 

Eye Makeup Products :

Everyday eye makeup products 

#1 Urban Decay Primer Potion (Eden) - I love this product so much! This is the best eye primer I have ever used. It makes your eyeshadow last all day and night without creasing and it intensifies the colour of your eyeshadow. You get so much product considering the price. I apply the primer using my ring finger and I would definitely recommend this if you're thinking about buying it!

#2 MAC Eyeshadow Palette - I know this is not a product that you can just buy but it has all the colours that I use most often. I use Nylon as my inner corner highlight with a MAC 239 brush. To define the crease I use Espresso with a MAC 217 brush and I use Rule to blend that out with a MAC 224 brush. I use Woodwinked all over the lid with a touch of Black Tied on the outer v. I apply both colours with a MAC 239 brush. I put Mulch and Amber Lights under the eye using a MAC 219 brush. I will be doing a post on my top 10 MAC eyeshadows soon.

#3 MAC Eyeliner Pencil (Feline & Coffee) - These are my two favourite pencil liners. Feline is a black eyeliner and Coffee is a brown eyeliner. They are very creamy and pigmented and glide on so smooth. Depending on how dramatic my eye makeup is, I switch between colours almost everyday.

#4 Catrice Liquid Liner (Dating Joe Black 010) - I only just recently started using liquid eyeliner again after using gel liners and felt tip liners for so long. This one has a really thin tip so you can have the line as thick or thin as you like. I love how opaque the colour is as I find with some liquid liners that they are not quite black when they dry. I really recommend this eyeliner... It's a great product and a great price! P.S I forgot to include this in the picture, sorry :)

#5 Benefit They're Real Mascara - This is by far my favourite mascara right now. I love the brush and I love the formula! It makes my eyelashes so full and lengthened. I will definitely repurchase this when my current one dries up. I'm obsessed with it right now. It doesn't run or flake on me and it only comes off with eye makeup remover. I'm in love! 

Lip Products : 

My go-to lip combination right now

#1 MAC Lip Pencil (Subculture) - I LOVE this lip liner so much! It's the perfect "my lips but better" colour and it is really long lasting. It is slightly drying on the lips when it's applied by itself but I usually apply a lipstick over it so that doesn't bother me at all. You get a decent amount of product for your money and I know I will repurchase this over and over again!

#2 MAC Lipstick (Myth) - I mentioned this lipstick in my top 10 post so again I won't go into too much detail. I love pairing this with my Subculture lip liner for the perfect nude lip. Together they create the illusion of full lips and the combination suits my skintone. The lipstick is very moisturising and definitely a firm favourite!

#3 MAC Lustreglass (Love Nectar) - This lipgloss is definitely my favourite at the moment. It works well with lots of different lipsticks and gives a lovely finish when applied on it's own. It is a peachy-nude colour with a gold shimmer. I love the brush as I feel you can be more precise as opposed to using a doe foot applicator. I adore this product :)

I apologise for the length of this blog post but I thought there was no point in doing it if I wasn't going to go into detail! I will be having a giveaway on my Instagram account (@shannonbowes) very soon. If you're interesting check out my page :D

Thank you so much for reading :)

Love from Shannon x