Save or Spurge #1: U.D Electric Palette Vs. MUA Poptastic Palette.

 

I've started a new series on My Pale Skin called 'Learning To Love Colour' and I'm hoping to break out of my 'boring make up' shell and experiment a little more with make up looks and be a little more daring. I recently picked up the Urban Decay Electric Palette, and had fun experimenting with it.  The Electric Palette is a thing of beauty, but if you're not sure if colour is right for you, then why not try out a dupe for a fraction of the price?

For today's Save or Splurge post, I'm seeing how the MUA Poptastic Palette measures up in comparison.

Splurge

Product: Urban Decay Electric Palette

Price: £38.00

Shadows: 10 

Save

Product: MUA Poptastic Palette

Price: £4.00

Shadows: 12 

Now the MUA Poptastic Palette isn't a like for like dupe of the Electric Palette as some shades differ, but it does offer a selection that are fairly close.

As you can see, the shades aren't perfect carbon copies but they do come fairly close... although with a downside. The MUA palette shades feel a lot different - the shades are much chalkier, have a coarser level of glitter throughout and do give a fair amount of fall out. I also found that they applied unevenly where as the Electric Palette shades apply so much more smoothly with barely any fall out.

One of the big differences I noticed between the two products is in the application and blending. The shades in the Electric Palette are more pigmented and blend out with minimal effort to create smooth transitions, where as with the Poptastic palette, you will have to work that little bit harder to get the colours to blend.

There's quite a big difference in price between the two palettes, with the Electric Palette coming in at almost 10x the price... which leaves me with the question - Is it 10x better?

Packaging - Yes. The Electric palette has the most satisfying magnetic 'click' when it closes, it feels a lot sturdier and well made. The Poptastic palette feels cheap and flimsy in comparison.

Colour - I'm not sure if I can say the colours are 10x better, but they are richer.

Application - As a colour newbie, I did find the Electric Palette much easier to apply. There was less fall out, and they blended more easily. However, does that justify a 10x price increase? I'd say that it depends on what look you're creating. If you're after a really smooth bright eye look, you'd find it a lot harder to get the same look using the Poptastic palette. If all you're after is a simple pop of colour, then I'd save and pick up the dupe.

Both of these Palettes have positive and negatives, and are both welcome additions to my collection. However, if you're really looking to add colour to your life and I had to recommend just one palette, in this instance I'd say to splurge and pick up the Electric Palette as it's worth every penny. 

I'd love to hear your thoughts on these palettes! Have you tried either? let me know in the comments.

Em xxx

Learning to Love Colour #3

As a 'Pale Kid' there's nothing that frightens me more than colour. If you've seen my previous posts Learning to Love Colour & A Bold & Gold Make Up Look then you may have seen the start of my little exploration into embracing pale skin and bright make up and my feeble attempts to not wear a 'boring' nude lipstick and a black wing every day...

I recently picked up the Urban Decay Electric Palette and after just staring at it for what seemed like ages, I finally picked up the courage to give it a shot. I admit, as soon as I put the first colour on my eyes, I thought 'what have I done?' However, I stuck with it and created this look. I don't think I've ever worn such bright colours before, and I certainly don't have the courage just yet to wear it outside on a daily basis... but i'm learning, experimenting and trying new things. That's all that matters... I hope.

Here's the Product list of what I'm wearing

Foundation: Nars Sheer Glow - Siberia 

Concealer: Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer

Contour: NYX Taupe Blusher

Eyebrows: Anastasia Beverly Hills DipBrow Pomade - Taupe & Medium Brown

Eyeshadow: Urban Decay Electric Palette

Eyeliner: Bourjois Contour Clubbing Waterproof Eyeliner Ultra Black*

Mascara: Bourjois Volume 1 Seconde  Mascara*

Eyelashes: Eylure Texture 154

Lips: Bourjois Rouge Edition Velvet Lipstick - Pink Pong*

I'd love to hear your thoughts on this look! Let me know what you think in the comments!

Em xxx

First Impressions: A Cohorted Urban Decay Electric Palette

Sometimes a new product comes out that is both incredibly amazing and scary at the same time. For me, that product is the Urban Decay Electric Palette. I've seen so many breathtaking looks on various social media sites that have been created using this palette and let me just tell you, they are amazing.

I recently won a mini Twitter competition and recieved £25 worth of points for Cohorted. In case you don't know, Cohorted is a 'new type of social shopping' where people shop in groups to drive down the prices on products. To simplify, it means, the more people who want an item, the cheaper it becomes for everyone! Cool right?

The Urban Decay Electric Pressed Pigment palette usually retails at £38.00. However, I was on a bus on my way to SpaceNK and noticed on twitter the palette was up as a Cohort, so I did what any self respecting blogger would do... I shopped, on my iphone and joined the Cohort. I Bought in to the palette at £29.49, which was already at an almost £10 discount... and after using my £25 winnings It meant that the palette was mine for the amazing price of £4.49! 

Although it gets better... because I joined the cohort before it closed and spaces were still available... the price went down even lower... to £27.36. Making this palette the very best £2.36 I've ever spent in my life.

Let's talk about the palette. The click. It makes the most satisfying click when you open and close it. One cannot talk about this palette without mentioning that. The colours. I think I stared at them for a solid few days before I even dared swatch them. They're so bright, so vivid and crying out for crazy makeup to be created using them. The swatch. It's a case of love at first swatch for some of these colours. I have to say that my favourites on first swatch are Jilted and Freak. I'm not sure why, but those are just really doing it for me. This will probably all change as soon as they get anywhere near my face... so stay tuned to find out if my favourites change.

I'd love to hear your thoughts on this palette and see any looks you've created using it! Which swatch is your favourite? Let me know in the comments!

Em xx