Urban Decay Naked Skin Versus Revlon Nearly Naked Skin

Urban Decay has started a trend with their naked line and I believe most of us think that Revlon's Nearly Naked Skin is their answer to UD's version. I'll compare a few things I noticed and let you all decide.  I would love to hear some feedback if you've tried one or both.


Packaging

I really don't worry too much about the looks of the packaging but rather how the product is dispensed.  I really like the the UD Naked Skin has a pump to help with dispensing and control how much.

The packaging isn't bad but I wish it had a pump.  I had a hard time getting it out the first time I used it and that hasn't gotten much better--though I suppose most drug store foundation have this type package.

Consistency

 UD Naked Skin. More runny in consistency than Revlon version.  I really do think the change in consistency helps with application and attributes to the coverage.

Revlon Nearly Naked Skin is also a bit runny but a little thicker.  

Both go on very well and have a more natural appearance than "regular" foundations.  In my opinion the thicker consistency of the Revlon version makes it a touch more heavy feeling on my skin, but doesn't make the coverage any better than its UD counter part.  

Coverage 

 I hit on coverage above but to sum it up I think Urban Decay's Naked Skin has a better coverage while not being as heavy in feel as the Revlon version.  In the Revlon versions defense it does have very good coverage for a "naked foundation" its just a bit heavier in feel than its counterpart.

Staying Power

I consider this "category" (since I just starting picking things to rate the two) to be a drawl.  I use a primer with both ( I used Urban Decay's pore perfection with both while trying them out) and found that both foundations stayed on all day long.  I have also tried both without a primer and found my skin to be oily, especially around t-zone but I didn't notice either "allowing" my skin to get more oily than the other.  Both foundations wear very well.

 Availability of Shades

Naked skin has 18 shades and it seems Nearly Naked has just about as many (I believe I counted 16 online).  I wear the lightest shade in the Nearly Naked and it is a good match but I would say its about the same as other foundations, I'm not sure its my exact match (but its not noticeable).  I was able to find a slightly better match with UD.  I'm not sure if that would be true for others or just because I am so fair.  I really don't know if I could use color match along (its really not that much) as a deciding factor for others unless you're in the same shoes as me with matching.

Price 

UD Naked skin is considerably more than Nearly Naked at $38 while  Nearly Naked is $9.99.    Naked Skin is definitely much more expensive than Nearly Naked so it really comes down to if one is willing to pay the price for it.

Bottom Line

 To me the purpose of the idea of a naked foundation is to provide as much coverage as possible while still maintaining the natural look.  In my opinion Urban Decay's Naked Skin is the most light weight in feel while providing the best coverage. I also prefer the shade match on the Naked Skin because I feel it to be an exact match for me rather than a "good enough match".   To be fair to Revlon's Nearly Naked Skin it is a drug store foundation so its not going to be exactly the same.  I do think they did a very good job of providing a more natural feeling drug store foundation.  I  like that it is  the most light weight drug store foundation I've worn and the coverage is very good to boot.  I'll even go on to say that some drug store foundations do not wear well at all while the  Nearly Naked feels really nice on my skin.   I think to directly compare the two is like apple to oranges but I will say money aside I would pick the Naked Skin for its coverage and match to my skin.  

I hope my ramble/logic makes sense to others.  I would love to hear other's opinions.

Thanks for reading.

Em  :--) 

Urban Decay Naked Skin

Urban Decay Naked Skin 

I really like the fancy packaging although the only thing that really matter is that it has a pump.  I find foundations without a pump more difficult to use, and I tend to make a mess with them (yes I'm clumsy lol).  I also like how little it takes, I use about a half a pump for each side of my face so one pump total.

Urban Decay's Claim

Coverage without compromise.  Our weightless formula blurs imperfections for a flawless finish that feels invisible, but looks professionally retouched.



How it stacks up to the Claim

I really do think this foundation lives up the hype and so much more.  I love how light it feels once its on and how it truly does disappear into my skin.  Another big selling point for me is the large selection of shades (I'm so fair that I have a hard time finding a good foundation match).  With 18 different shades I was hoping to find just the right shade and I was able to do so with shade 1.0. I normally wear the lightest shade or next to lightest shade if it super light with pink or cool undertones, so I thought .5 would be my match.  I decided the get a Ulta rep to match me though just to be sure and turns out that 1.0 is a better match for me.  According to Urban Decay's website 1.0 is for very fair (yep) skin with soft warm undertones (I'm pretty sure I'm cool) so I wouldn't have picked this one for myself but indeed its the best match I've had so far.  I really could go on an on as to how great the match is (that such a huge deal to me--I"m also most always slightly off in the match).

Consistency 

Sorry that the picture is a little blurry, I was trying to keep the foundation from sliding off my hand.  It is very runny (for lack of better term) but I find this to be a nice quality.  The extra liquidity of the formula helps it live up to the claims about how feel and how well it blends into skin.

Coverage

  I would consider it to be medium coverage as it does cover up a good bit, but not everything.    For those like myself that have acne or redness you may want to use a concealer to cover up redness that shows through (as coverage is sheer but does even out complexion well) or any acne that needs additional coverage.   This foundation does have a nice finish, therefore, powder if not necessary to seal up the foundation but you may want to use some if you require additional coverage.   Even though my complexion is uneven I have worn just the foundation for days I'm not wanting to use the whole nine yards (concealer, and powder etc) and felt fine doing so.

Primer

I always use a primer before putting on my foundation because my skin is very oily.  I've been using this primer for a while and think it works very well.  Even when it was extremely hot (I'm late doing this review) my make up would still be in place at the end of the day.  I've also found the primer does hold up to its claim that it fills in pores and smooths out complexion.  

Urban Decay Good Karma Optical Blurring Brush

I've just recently gotten into brushes (aside from my bare mineral brushes and a few eye shadow brushes that I have), this was actually my first foundation brush.  The ulta rep helping me select a shade suggested I get the brush also, I was skeptical at first so she let me try it out.  I love how it helps to blend the foundation evenly and easily into my skin (this foundation really does disappear as promised). I usually use a sponge and my fingers to apply foundation so this is a big change, but definitely a great one. I'm really loving having this foundation brush and the idea of using it over a sponge.  I'll also have to get some other kinds to try.  I'm open to suggestions if you have one that you love.

Before Vs. After 

Sorry about the lighting difference in the before and after pictures.   Its a little harder to see any specific unevenness of my complexion/redness or any acne marks current or past but it does give a little bit of any idea of the over all improvement.  I can not safe enough about how awesome this foundation is with evening out skin tone without being heavy.  It seems many foundations can do this but they end up being cakey or requiring what seems like coat after coat, and then it doesn't look natural.

Notice how it helps take out the redness on my lower chin.  If I were going for a "more polished look" I might add a little bit of concealer to finish covering  these spots, but I am very happy with coverage as is for foundation only. 

I look really mad in the after picture haha.  It's a challenge for me to take my own photos without a front facing camera.

I really like this angle/picture because it shows my complexion being evened out.  This is probably more true to most people's skin needs--as I feel many need their complexions to be evened out some but may not have acne as well. Lighting is off a bit--my face isn't as red as it looks but it was a bit red from me playing with make up (I took off my make up  after work--the Revlon Naked Skin makeup and then put this on--hence the same shirt and necklace lol).

Full Face/ Pictures from other days for comparison

I'm still working on lighting (I know you all are tired of me saying that) so my skin looks a little splotchy that its not in real life.  I think the extra light does help to show how well it blends into my skin and just how natural it looks.

These are taken back in the summer, hence why my skin is clearer.  The acne comes and goes, but never seems to stay gone forever.  I like these pictures because they were taken outside and give a better look of how it looks outside.  I should have written this review a while back since I've had this foundation since not long after it came out.  Revlon's release of naked skin gave me the idea to do the review (I'll compare the two in another post).


Bottom Line

I LOVE this foundation, it truly is the holy grail foundation for me, while it is not full coverage (closer to medium) I prefer it to other full coverage foundations because of its natural look.  I really do like  that it blends in to look like skin, thus looking more natural than other foundations.  In my opinion full coverage foundations are nice (don't get me wrong they are a girl with acne's best friend, especially when its really acting up) but they aren't as natural looking, as I feel it can be seen that they are being worn (not that its a bad thing but not as natural looking for lack of better words).   I'm not even sure if my rambles make sense to anyone outside of my head (ha) but I saw all of that to say that it goes on very easily and provides great coverage while still having a natural finish.

If would love to hear what you all think.

Thanks for reading.


Em :) 

Revlon Nearly Naked Foundation

Revlon Nearly Naked Foundation

Pretty standard drug store foundation packaging.  I must say I would prefer a squeeze tube or a pump or something. It was a little bit difficult to get it out of the bottle without making a mess. I ended up dipping in a small brush and dotting it on my face that way.


Revlon's Claim

Undetectable coverage. Unbelievable complexion. Makeup so refreshingly light it melts right in, creating a fresh, even look.

How it stacks up to the claim

I would agree that this foundation evens out my complexion well, and that's saying something because my skin has some redness and marks from past and currently acne.  It is lighter weight  than most liquid make up but not the lightest that I've tried. It is a lighter weight foundation  than Revlon's Color Stay but not as light weight  as Urban Decay's Naked Skin.   Also if you look at my Color Stay review I mention that the match of the Ivory Shade (normally my shade) doesn't match me exactly, this shade and foundation does match me well (as a fair skinned girl this is a huge victory :--)  ).

Consistency 

It is a bit more liquidy than most foundations, almost runny, it was sliding off my hand a little bit in this picture.   The extra liquidity or whatever you want to call it helps it go on very evenly and easily.   I definitely like how it feels and goes on.


Coverage

I would describe it as medium coverage, as someone like me with more to cover up would need a concealer and some powder to finish off a look.  It really does cover well for a more sheer coverage foundation, so it may be enough for those of you with better skin or desiring less coverage.  I have skipped the concealer when I was in a hurry and it looked fine. In fact none of my pictures on here have concealer or powder so that may give you some what of an idea.



Before vs After Pictures

Before                                  After


Sorry for the lighting difference between the two.  My skin is freaking out a bit right now so it had more to cover.  For a medium coverage foundation I think it does well.  It evens out my complexion well without feeling heavy like some liquid foundations. The lighting is off some in the after picture but it did help even out the redness in my skin, some of which is from playing with my skin so much (I love to play in make up lol).

    Before                               After


Full Shots

 I think this picture shows off how natural it looks.  It really does not look like I'm wearing foundation at all.  Even the best match of liquid foundation its usually at least some what evident that foundation is being used, but not so much with this.

I'm still working on lighting but I'm getting a little better, at least I think.

Bottom Line

For $9.99 (you can also find it on sale at most drug stores, I got mine on sale at CVS) I definitely think this version of naked make up is worth it.  I really like the feel of the make up and it is very long wearing.  Both of these pictures of above (full shots) are taken after been worn all day at work (I do wear a primmer but I wear one with all of my foundations, but I can still tell some foundations do not wear well). I also did not wear any powder and it still stayed well (I actually put this one in some what of a hurry before work one morning so I didn't take time to add powder or concealer, so it worked well for my blog post as I do not like to add extras so that an honest opinion can be given about that product).    Give it a try and let me know what you think, I don't think you'll be disappointed.



If any of you have tried it or decide to try it I would love to hear your opinions.



Thanks for reading.


Emily :)

Nyx Stay Matte but not Flat Powder Foundation.

 

 Retails for $9.99 but can be found on sale at Ulta etc.

 My shade is Ivory 01

Comes in a nice mirror compact. (lol look that I'm lurking in the reflection lol).

It comes with a sponge that applies it pretty well but I usually prefer to use a separate brush.  As you can see I did try the sponge and it works pretty well for on the go application.

Since I use this to finish my make-up there are no before after comparission type pictures.  This is on top of my Cover Girl Nature Luxe foundation in Alabaster (See it here).  I like that this powder provides more coverage than a sheer powder but still isn't as cakey as some powders available. 

 

 The photo above was taken early this morning.  The photo above is taken much later in the afternoon (about 7 hours later).  My make-up still hasn't moved at all.  I'm very impressed with how well this powder seals my foundation.  I also forgot to mention that I forgot my primmer this morning so I'm even more impressed by how well it did.

Bottom Line:

This powder is awesome.  I can only imagine how well it would do if I had remembered to use primmer.  You should give it a try :).  Don't forget to watch your sale papers for a better deal.  I got mine for just over $5.00.

Thanks for reading. Would love some feedback. If you're reading this and you have a blog I'd love to read it. Send me the link in a comment :).





NYC High Definition Mascara

NYC High Definition volumizing mascara. It calms to produce up to 70% lash lift and 10x more volume.

I love the brush the small "spikes" are great for separating and lengthening lashes.

After Vs. Before

As you can see from the picture on the right my lashes aren't very long or extremely full.  I'm impressed with how long they look with this mascara.  

This is with the first coat applied (above is with a second coat).  A bit clumpy and need to be separated, in the picture above I separated my lashes with the brush, the little "spikes" are very helpful. The small brush also make its easier to reach corner lashes.  

Bottom Line:

I would recommend this mascara as it does live up to its promise of providing increased lash lift and volume. An added plus NYC mascara is very affordable. I got all 5 NYC Mascara (I'll review the other 4 later) for about $14 with tax (Riteaid had it 40% off).

Thanks for reading,

Em :)   

NYC City Curls

NYC City Curls boasts up to 60% of lift with dramatic curls.

The brush is good for separating but I found it a bit hard to use on my corner lashes.  

Before vs After

Please ignore how sad my eyebrows look. I need to get them waxed.  My lashes aren't very long or full but I don't see much lift.  It does separate and lengthen pretty well though.

I didn't get much volume from it but length is pretty good. Paired with a volumizing mascara I think my lashes would look better.

An additional coat from the picture above.  I was about to use the brush to separate out my lashes a bit more and add a bit more length.

Bottom Line:

It's not my favorite mascara but its not bad for the price.  I didn't see much curl or lift on my lashes but I don't have much to work with lash wise.  I do like that the mascara does not clump and provides decent length.

~Em

NYC Big Bold

NYC Big Bold boasts up to 15x more volume.

The brush is a bit larger than I'm used to (I usually prefer smaller brushes since they are easier for me to use) but I really like the "spikes" on it.  Surprisingly I can use it pretty well on my corner lashes by  turning it up and down.

Before vs. After 

(sorry picture isn't good comparison in camera placement on my eye)

This mascara adds nice volume while lengthening lashes.

This is with one coat (above comparison is with two) so my lashes are still a bit clumpy but I wanted to show how long my bottom lashes are from using it.

Bottom Line

I had low expectations for the mascara after seeing the brush (I knew it would be larger with it being volumizing but I wasn't expecting one this large) but I was pleasantly surprised.  I would recommend it if you're looking for a mascara that lengthens and volumizes.  Its been a while since I've seen one make my bottom lashes look so nice.

~Em

NYC Sky Rise Mascara

NYC Sky Rise Mascara boasts up to 60% longer lashes.

I love this brush, its super easy to work with.  Very good for lengthening and separating.

Before Vs. After

I'm very impressed at the length.  As you can see in the before picture my lashes are not very long so it had its work cut out for it.  I can only imagine with this would look like on those of you that have super long lashes.

In addition to lengthening the wand separates lashes very well. I really can't say enough good things about this mascara.


Bottom line:

I would recommend this mascara it provides a lot of bang for the buck.  Its only $1.99 regular price but drug stores regularly run sales.  I actually got it for $1.20, IMO is very cheap for a mascara.

NYC Showtime Water Proof Volumizing Mascara

NYC Showtime mascara boasts all day water proof experience.

First impression of mascara was the brush is very basic.


Before vs After

This mascara doesn't lengthen as much as others but I am impressed by the volume it provides.  I did test out the all day wear and it did stay in place well.

This picture makes my lashes look not as full (they really are, its the angle or something) but I like that it show how well the brush separates them.


Bottom Line

This mascara last well through the day and provides nice volume.  If you haven't tried NYC mascara before I suggest you give it a try.  They are very reasonably priced.  All 5 tubes that I've reviewed in the previous posts were bought for less than $14 with tax.