Guerlain ÉCRIN 2 COULEURS (Eyeshadow Duo) - A Night at the Opera Limited Edition

If you have followed me or my blog for a while then you know that I'm not too keen on big eyeshadow palettes. I'm all about duos, quads or quints cuz let's face it we are never gonna go through all the colours in a whole palette and it is just not necessary and such a waste! So if you are like me and feel exactly how I feel about eyeshadow palettes then listen up guys, this little eyeshadow duo which I'm about to show you by Guerlain that just came out this Christmas is a must-have in my opinion. It's in the shade 10 CYGNE NOIR and I think smokey eye wearers are gonna absolutely go nuts with it because it is stunning and perfect for a night out. 

I think I don't even need begin to tell you how gorgeous and elegant is the packaging. Guerlain just brings it every time when it comes to packaging and it couldn't be more appropriate for Christmas because of the gold case. The interesting thing about this little duo is that it opens up 180 degree which I have never seen any compact or palette performs like that before. It comes with a velvet pouch like all high-end brands do and a little double-ended sponge applicator which feels really nice especially the pointed side that I found great for applying shadows along both upper and lower lash lines, very sturdy and dense. 

I'm a neutral kinda gal when it comes to eyeshadows but if I feel like changing things up a bit, dark purple and subtle green are my choices, and you all probably know by now that I always go for smokey eye no matter when and where I go, it's just something I do and like. I might do a subtle neutral smokey eye for day time but I do like some nice dark smokey eye for night out, and for that this Guerlain duo is simply perfect. I especially love the purple shade which has a satin finish with a little iridescent to it and I even wear it during the day because you can easily go light handed with this and make it very subtle for the day. 

(different lightings)

I don't go for the dark grey black glittery shade in this duo that often but I did wear it for a friend's birthday party and got loads compliments. It is so perfect for any special occasions as well as holiday seasons. 

They go on smoothly, well not exactly Urban Decay smooth but good enough, easy to blend and do last pretty well on me with an eye base or primer underneath. It has a tiny little fall-out as you would expect with glittery shades but nothing major. I don't know if it's designed to use wet but I did use the purple one wet and it worked great. One thing I would mention though is that you better off using a fluffy blending/crease brush rather then a dense flat eyeshadow brush because it does fall out even with the purple one!

(day time look, used only the purple shade in the duo and a light lilac purple to blend over my crease)

(night out look, used both shades, and paired with a pinky nude lip colour)

(party look, used both shades, and paired with bold lip colours: red and berry)

All in all this little duo is gorgeous and I haven't been able to stop using it ever since I got it. It is gorgeous and I think a lot of you would like it because it simply suits every skintone. Unfortunately it is limited edition and I don't seem to find it anywhere so if your local department stores or malls still have it then I suggest you grab it because you are gonna love it inside and out!

(different lightings: with just the purple shade, and a nude blending colour over the crease, easy to achieve and perfect for day and night)

That's it guys, thank you for your time and have a lovely weekend with your loved ones and see you next week! Muahh!! 

Have you tried any eyeshadow duos from Guerlain? Which is your fav? 

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My Favourite MAC Eyeshadows

I am not a MAC girl I gotta admit. I probably have just a couple of things from MAC and that's about it. However there are a few things that I think are definitely worth checking out from MAC and these eyeshadows I'm going to show you today are certainly one of them. 

There we go. My MAC eyeshadow "palette". Lol! I only bought the duo palette because I know I don't really buy MAC eyeshadows but these 2 colours just really caught my eye and I certainly don't own anything like these not even similar so I'm very happy to have them in my eyeshadow collection. 

This is in the shade Coppering and it's a copper colour like the name. Very pretty and looks fantastic in the summer when I have a little tan going on. I like this kind of warm toned sort of bronzy coppery shade, just looks flattering on my skintone. It looks really good on its own, just a wash of this colour all over the lid and you are good to go, or you can spice it up for a more glamorous look, and that's when the "Club" shade comes in. 

There we go. This is my current go-to eyeshadow colour. It's a duo-chrome eyeshadow from MAC. Really really pretty because it has this gorgeous green mixed with a warm toned brown. It really looks good on anyone especially for those who have brown eyes. 

With Club all over the lids

Just Club on the lids, easy and pretty

For lazy days I just apply "Club" or "Coppering" all over the lid, blend a little and that's it. But if I really want a full on eye makeup then I would apply Coppering from the inner corner to the centre of my eyes, then apply Club on the outer half and blend inwards to make everything look seamlessly. Same on the lower lash lines: Coppering on the inner half and Club on the outer half. Et viola! A glamorous eye look which in my opinion looks good all year round. 

Left: with natural sun light Right: under artificial light

These eyeshadows are between satin and shimmery finish, pretty subtle yet pigmented with no fallout as far as I'm concerned. The lasting power is pretty normal I would say but definitely use a primer underneath. They are soft but not as soft as Urban Decay eyeshadows. If you like warm toned eyeshadows then these are definitely worth checking out. 

That's it guys. Short and sweet. I hope you have enjoyed my MAC eyeshadow "collection". Lol! If you have any MAC shadows that you really love please let me know by leaving comments down below or tweet/instagram me @eflicciardello. Thank you so much for your time and see you on Saturday! Bye! Muahh! 

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YSL Beauty

Hi guys. How are you? Today I want to review an eyeshadow duo from YSL. I purchased it from Sephora (store only) a few weeks back and I haven't been able to stop wearing it since then. It's in the shade 35 and the 2 colours are simply gorgeous! 

Pretty ehh? The shimmery shade is called Caramel Tan and the matte one is Burnt Brown. This duo is from the YSL 2011 Summer Collection and it is absolutely gorgeous. The reason why I picked up this duo from the summer collection is because the colours for me are actually very autumn appropriate especially the shade in Burnt Brown. 

Under natural light

With flash

Caramel Tan is like it's name, sort of very natural tanned colour with a hint of pink in it. It's shimmery but not glittery, and very pretty but this colour is not as pigmented so you really need to pack it on preferably with a flat eyeshadow brush because fluffier ones will not give you any pigmentation like Mac 217. You can also use your fingers that will do the trick as well. Burnt Brown is my fav colour out of these 2. I love a good red/warm toned brown, very flattering for my skintone. It is matte so perfect for the crease and outer corner. I am obsessed with it. This shade is actually very pigmented so a little goes a long way.

Both eyeshadows have zero fallout which is really nice. They are soft but not Urban Decay soft. They are long lasting with a primer of course as my eyelids are extremely oily but if you have normal eyelids then feel free to use them alone because they are not as soft which means long lasting and non creasing. 

The sponge tip applicators that come with are actually not that bad especially the pointed one as it is great for applying shadows on the lower lash line as well as inner corner highlight. 

This is such a pretty duo and I can see myself using it a lot this autumn and winter. The only down side is the packaging I guess. Don't get me wrong I love YSL packaging but I get so annoyed when my finger prints are all over the compact. I have to really clean it very time after using it otherwise it just doesn't look as pretty, or maybe I'm just being OCD with it. What can I say I love my makeup! 

Simple yet stunning (I mean the eyeshadow. Don't worry I'm not that self obsessed lol), looks even more glamorous paired with a red lip. Don't you think?

That's it guys. These are my thoughts on the YSL Eyeshadow Duo in 35. I love it and I can't recommend it enough. Please follow my blog if you fancy and I'll see you all next time! 

What's your current fav eyeshadow or eyeshadow palette? 

Twitter & Instagram @eflicciardello 

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My top 5 Cream Eyeshadow choices

Hey guys...

Who loves cream eyeshadows? I know I do! They are just so darn easy to apply, stay in place all day (if you choose the right ones), and good for lazy days when you just want some definition on your eyes without using brushes and all that blending work! Just blend with fingers and boommm done. Am I right?!

There we go... My most used cream eyeshadows. Let's get right into it, shall we?!

You can't go wrong with Mac Paint Pots. Loads people love them, and I am obviously one of those people. They last long on your eye balls, loads colours to choose from, creamy, easy to apply and easy to blend. I am not gonna ramble more about paint pots cuz I know for sure you beauty junkies out there already know why they are so popular. Let's just say they are good and worth checking out if you haven't already! This is called "Quite Natural", and it's a great base for a dark smokey-eye, or use it on its own to give some definitions on lazy days.  

There we go, another paint pot. The shade is called "Groundwork". It might not look appealing but trust me, it's a great base for all kinds of coloured eyeshadows. You can of course use it on its own for a subtle "no makeup" makeup look if you will. It's also a great shade for blending on the crease. I know in fact that some Mac makeup artists use this shade for crease work. You can purchase paint pots from all Mac counters near you or online of course. 

Next up, Wjcon Soft Mousse Eyeshadow in N10. It doesn't have a name unfortunately but it's a great cream eyeshadow by all means. This is an Italian drug store makeup brand. It's like KIKO but I personally prefer this brand. It's pretty affordable, only 6.90 euros. Unfortunately you can't get it anywhere else in the world apart from Italy. Sorry, but I know KIKO does something similar so... Anyway this stuff is seriously god send. It stays on all day, trust me I have the world oiliest eye lids and this wouldn't come off until I remove it with a makeup remover in the evening. It's very light in texture, kinda mousey, very pleasant. I love this shade, it's a bronzey neutral colour if you are into "neutrals" like I do. 

We are almost there I promise. The 4th one is by Benefit. It's their Ceaseless Cream Eyeshadow in the shade "Birthday Suit". I've just checked their website and I don't seem to find this shade. I don't know if it's discontinued or sold out, but do contact Benefit if you are interested. 

Another neutral shade I know, but what can I say I love my neutrals. It's a great shade to apply on its won and/or layer it with another colour. It stays pretty well throughout the day. I might have to check out other shades too. Mine dried out a little bit, I've had it since last year, but it works still. It's all good. 

Last but not least Avon Super shock Eyeliner in Flashy Brown. I know it says eyeliner but I use it as a cream eyeshadow. It works really well as a base and of course on its own. I love this colour. Very natural but with a bit more reddish brown in it. It is quite opaque so you don't need a lot. It's great for a neutral browny smokey eye. So make sure you get it from your Avon Rep cuz it is worth it in my opinion. 

So there you have it. My top 5 favourite cream eyeshadows. They are all pretty affordable so do check them out if you are interested it. 

As usual leave me comments if you wanna make me happy, tweet me @eflicciardello for daily updates. Take care guys! xoxo 

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