Wacky Wednesday.... Honey's Top 5 Beauty Picks for the Week

Here are this weeks Top Picks.  I have a range of different products and prices here for you to choose from.  Remember... you don't need to spend "big money" on makeup to "get the on-trend" looks of this season.  

*please note that all the products listed below and pictured above are in no particular order.  

I enjoy using all of them equally. :)

1.  Urban Decay Naked Palette $48.00
Every possible Neutral/basic eyeshadow color you could ever need is in this palette.  The palette comes with a travel sized Urban Decay Primer Potion - so you can ensure that your makeup stays put through the course of your day... and a full sized eyeshadow brush - full applying your eyeshadow effortlessly.  Though this palette can be a bit of a splurge on the pocket book, trust me... it is well worth it.  You can easily create everyday wearable looks and step up your look for a classy smokey eye during an evening out.  The pigmentation on these shadows are awesome and they are very blendable and soft to work with.

2.  E.L.F. Eyeshadow Quad in Brownstone $1.00
I love ELF eye brightening eyeshadow quads and this one happens to be one of my favorites.  It is very easy to create a "go to" look with this tiny little quad/palette and the colors are very pigmented.  Not to mention... it's just a dollar.

3.  Sigma Beauty's E25 Blending Brush $9.00
This brush by Sigma is turning out to be one of my favorites... even if I only have it in the travel size.  It is what I like to call an "all around brush" - easy for apply eyeshadow all over the lid, sweeping color into the crease or applying a highlight color.  I also like to use it to buff in and blend out my liquid or cream concealers effortlessly.  Definitely worth the buy and I tend to grab this brush more than my MAC 217 - which speaks volumes in itself. :)

4.  Wet n' Wild Silk Finish Lipstick in 502A (dark pink frost) approx. $0.99 - $1.50
This is my favorite Spring Time lip color.  It is bright and pink and you definitely will attract eyes to your pout. The price tag is phenomenal and I am really starting to vegetate to Wet n Wild products because their quality is proving to be absolutely awesome.  The lip color glides on easily - just as it's name says... "like silk" and the wear is proven to be quite well... especially with a little lip liner action and some pressed powder on top to set the look.

5.  Prestige Total Intensity Eyeliners (my favorites are in Fierce Blue & Powerful Purple) approx. $4.99 - $8.00
If you have read my post on the 24/7 liner duos - you will see a few of these listed.  They are creamy - glide on with ease and not to mention, completely affordable.  I would pay this price any day on these liners in comparison to the 24/7.  I think you will love them too. :)

6.  Wet n' Wild Ultimate Brow Kit in Ash Brown approx. $3.99
I have raved about this in videos... and absolutely love this all in one kit.  I really don't need to elaborate much on it, because if you have tried it... I'm sure you will think it is pretty awesome too. :)

Disclaimer:  I have not been paid to do this post or paid by any of the companies to discuss the products mentioned.  Please note I am an affiliate with Sigma Beauty.

Dupe 101 - Drug store dupes for Urban Decay 24/7 Liners

As many of you know... I have just recently - over the last year or so, ventured into the Drugstore land of cosmetic brands.  Besides using Avon - I never really used very much drug store makeup - mainly because it was so difficult to find anything that was pigmented and of high quality.  

Over the last few years, drug store cosmetic companies have really turned a leaf... and now they are some of the best quality makeup out there you can find... at "on a budget" pocket books... and I truly love shopping for drug store brands now a days.    Though I have been a MAC addict for years - I have completely embraced the Drug store products and haven't bought much of my High End makeup since. :)

A few weeks ago - one of my girlfriends did a swap with me.  I had so much fun and she really over exceeded my expectations and bought me the Urban Decay 24/7 Liners - Jackpot pencil edition.  I not only received an awesome product... it was quite pricey as well.  After swatching and using the liners a few times, I realized that there were a few dupes out there that I currently owned and could go out and get for half the cost if not a very small portion.  I swatched the liners for you side by side and in the video below - I explain to you about each one.  

After a few years of talking with different Makeup Artists and High End Cosmetic brand retailers - I have learned that many of the drug store brands are made in the same factories and laboratories as the High End brands... and therefore, they have quality that really over exceeds our expectations - not only in price, but in quality, pigmentation and quantity.

Here are my swatches and comparisons. Hope this will help you when you are looking to purchase that perfect, creamy eyeliner. :)

Pictured above from Left to Right / Top to bottom

are all the liners I was able to find pretty close dupes for.

Pictured above from Left to Right:

Urban Decay 24/7 Liner in Rockstar 

NYC Waterproof Eyeliner in Smokey Plum 

Prestige Total Intensity Liner in Powerful Purple

Avon Super Shock Gel Eyeliner in Plumful

Urban Decay 24/7 Liner in Ransom

Pictured above from Left to Right:

Urban Decay 24/7 Liner in Eldorado

Loreal H.I.P. Color Chrome Eyeliner in Gold Charge

Urban Decay 24/7 Liner in Gunmetal

Loreal H.I.P. Color Chrome Eyeliner in Silver Lightning

Pictured above from Left to Right:

Urban Decay 24/7 Liner in Binge

NYC Waterproof Liner in Moody Blue

Pictured above from Left to Right:

Urban Decay 24/7 Liner in Mildew

NYC Waterproof Liner in Teal

Pictured above from Left to Right:

Urban Decay 24/7 liner in Electric

NYC Waterproof Liner in Sky High

Pictured above from Left to Right

Urban Decay 24/7 liner in Stash

Prestige Total Intensity eyeliner in Intense Olive 

Though you may notice that some of the colors do vary in tones - the color pigmentation is nearly the same and in some cases (though I'm not sure the camera has picked it up) - the drug store brands color payoff was a little better than that of Urban Decay.  Though I did not get a chance to really film it or show this to you... the Drug Store brand liners actually lasted longer than the Urban Decay liner when I tried to smudge the liners all together.  

I will tell you that you can easily get the same color of the Urban Decay liners with the drug store ones simply by adding a little eyeshadow in a similar color to that of the UD Liners to set your Drug Store liner in place.  This should be something you do anyway to keep your liner in place for a longer period of time.  

The Drug store liners go on just as creamy as the Urban Decay 24/7 liners... and the staying power is absolutely fabulous.  Because there are so many brands that are starting to carry this type of liner - the color selection is bigger and better than before.  Though I do not have all of the Urban Decay 24/7 liners to do comparisons to - I will tell you that you can definitely save a good buck or two by buying the drug store ones. 

Here is the price break down:

Urban Decay 24/7 liners - $18.00

Prestige Total Intensity Eyeliners - approx. $5.50 (at my local drug stores)

NYC Waterproof Eyeliners - approx. $3.50 (at my local drug stores)

Avon Super Shock Gel Eyeliner pencil - approx. $6.00 (depending on the Catalog price for that campaign)

Ultimately - the choice is yours and it is always fun to swatch and try out new products yourself.  I wish you lots of fun in your journey of finding your favorite creamy liners. :)

All products listed above or shown were purchased by me with my own money with exception to the Urban Decay 24/7 liners that were gifted to me by a friend.  My opinions are my own and in no way have I been influenced by the brands to make this post or video.  I was not paid or sponsored to review these products.