This is one of the many reviews that were promised so long ago when I first went through the USA haul. I picked up several palettes overseas and this is one of them – the first one that I actually started to use during the trip. It was also the least expensive of all the palettes that I bought – I picked it up for about $5 at Walgreens.
The palette consists of 8 colors in earth tones. Again, it’s a palette for dummies because every shade has an inscription where it should be used – browbone, eyelid, crease and definer. Generally this means that they should/could be used in quads, but of course every other combination is also possible.
The packaging is nothing special which can be expected for this price, but it is sturdy enough to survive any travel. I also dropped it once already and it survived the experience unharmed.
The left side is the one I have used much more so far, especially since it’s a bit lighter and in my opinion somewhat more appropriate for summer.
The colors in the left side of the palette are absolutely beautiful. I was somewhat afraid of so much shimmer but everything seems to fall into place when using these colors. I don’t always use the definer (bottom) color, depending on the occasion. There is almost no fallout and all the colors are super pigmented – you only need to touch the darker ones with the brush and you’ll get more than enough product.
My only complaint regarding these four shades would be about the browbone color – I personally find this shade of beige it a bit too yellow and would prefer it to be a bit whiter. Still, the left side is getting a lot of use. The color I love the most is the eyelid color – a nice light copper tone.
On the right side, the colors are a bit darker and haven’t gotten that much use yet – these shades seem more appropriate for autumn and winter.
What really fascinates me with these shades is the undertones – you don’t really see them when looking at the palette, but when you swatch it you’re in for a surprise. Just check out the far right swatch (the definer) – while it looks kind of funny brownish-blue in the palette, it gives off a dark red-brown color which is perfect for some added definition.
The color I like the least in this right column is the eyelid – it is much lighter than it seems and also probably the least pigmented from all the colors in the palette. Still, it’s pigmented enough that you can layer it for a stronger look.
Generally, this is one of the best palettes that I’ve seen so far. For such a small amount of money, it’s an absolute bargain. I can’t wait to get my hands on the rest of the 8-color palettes from Wet n Wild.
Do you own this or any similar palettes? I would love to know your opinion!
Until next time, stay beautiful.
Maybelline The Nudes Palette
Although I spent the weekend working on a lovely post, my camera is still acting up and the photos are not good enough to be allowed into the world. Instead, I opted for a review of the new palette by Maybelline – The Nudes Palette.
I purchased this in the States a couple of months back and haven’t used it much until my last vacation. It’s the perfect travel size and offers many different shades to create different looks. The back of the palette also includes a possibility of combinations in which to use the shadows (in duos, trios or quads, which is a nice touch for such lame make-up users like me). All of these are the reasons why I thought I don’t really need to bring anything else as far as eyeshadows go to my holiday. Was I sorry? Read on…
So basically the palette includes a mix of matte, shimmer and velvety/satin colors.
The upper row is filled with a bunch of lighter shades and two darker ones – the fourth and last shade. These are also the only colors that are a bit more pigmented, while only the fourth shade (from the left in the upper photo, 3rd from top in bottom photo) could claim the prize for being highly pigmented.
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| Upper row – swatches from bottom to top as from left to right in the palette |
If I compare swatching these shadows with the swatches I did for the Chocolate Bar palette a couple of days back, I can easily say that there is no real comparison – I had to pull 3-4 times on each shadow to get a normal swatch. The loser in the upper row in my opinion is the 3rd color from the left (which kind of seems light pink) – I actually made a dent in the palette while trying to get a decent swatch out of it.
I was also disappointment with the last (very dark/black) shade in the upper row. I though it will be the perfect crease color for a neutral look, but it’s far less pigmented as it seems.
As for the row below, things are a bit better but not by much. I really like the middle two colors (shimmery gold and shimmery brown), while the rest are nothing to write home – or to you – about.
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| Bottom row – swatches from left to right as in the palette |
I was especially disappointed with the last shade – I was happy to have a really dark black shadow for the smoky eye, but it was a massive fail as you can see from the swatch. Also not really worth mentioning is the light shimmery color next to the black – it is almost identical to the first shade in the upper row.
If we take a look at the palette as a whole, I can say I was very disappointed. As mentioned, only two of the shades are of decent pigmentation and when swatched the colors are so similar that the palette could easily only be a 6-pan palette instead of the 12 colors. I was also not impressed with the way some of the shades were difficult to blend out – and don’t even get me started on what the outcome was when I used it without eyeshadow primer… 🙁
Although being very compact and therefore useful for everyday make-up purse or travel, I can easily say that I think this was a waste of money, even though it only cost about $10. I will probably keep this palette in my bag in case I need to correct any make-up, but I doubt it will get some serious use.
What are your thoughts on this palette? Do you have it? Use it? Love it or hate it?
Until next time, stay beautiful.
Chocolate bar palette
So while I’m enjoying my vacation you guys get to read about my oh-so-pretty and oh-sooo-expensive palette which I picked up while in USA. It’s the Too Faced Chocolate Bar Palette ($49 in Sephora online store, not available in Slovenia of course). The shades are made with cocoa powder which makes them smell heavenly. I am not joking either – every time I open up this palette I stand there for a good 10 second just smelling it. Weird? Don’t judge – you would do it as well, take my word for it. I could probably get away with eating this palette – the shadows are formulated without parabens, sulfates phthalates and all that other icky stuff.
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| You can see it’s being well loved, even though it IS a little bit dirty |
I was really hesitant to spend this much money on a single product but when I swatched the eyeshadows in Sephora I knew this babe was coming home with me. While the packaging leaves me quite cold (I would prefer a sleek palette with better closing patent, not a juvenile chocolate-bar looking packaging), it’s what’s on the inside that counts. I can also mentioned that I dropped this palette twice now from about 1,5m high and there were absolutely no consequences to the shadows or to the packaging, so the quality is obviously there (but I still need to work on being less clumsy).
Let’s get into it – first, some swatches of the two larger shades – the illuminators/highlighters. Mind the names of all the swatches – it’s another palette where they put a lot of thought into coming up with name ideas and I LOVE them.
White chocolate is the top larger shade. This I normally use under my eyebrows (on the browbone). It’s a soft white with a little bit of fallout (especially when using EcoTools brushes, so maybe I need to replace those), but still a nice illuminating shade. This color could also be used all over the lid as a primer for something more intense.
Let’s get into it – first, some swatches of the two larger shades – the illuminators/highlighters. Mind the names of all the swatches – it’s another palette where they put a lot of thought into coming up with name ideas and I LOVE them.
White chocolate is the top larger shade. This I normally use under my eyebrows (on the browbone). It’s a soft white with a little bit of fallout (especially when using EcoTools brushes, so maybe I need to replace those), but still a nice illuminating shade. This color could also be used all over the lid as a primer for something more intense.
The right one with the quite poor swatch (Champagne Truffle) is the bottom larger shade. This I use in the tearduct but I also used it as a cheek ilumminator and it worked just as well. It’s not too crazily pigmented which is probably why it works so well in any circumstance. View Post
Five product face
Although I would have never chosen this tag for myself at this because I am currently in the “more is more” mode when it comes to make-up, simply because I have sooo many new items to try. But as luck would have it, I got tagged to do it by Mateja from Fancy and schmancy. This really got me thinking back to the times when I could literally get really in 5 minutes and I still thought I looked all right. Would I use the same products now as I have before?
Probably not. Before, I would have gone for heavy foundation, big eyes and lips. Today however, the story has changed. So here are the five products I would wear on a minimal make-up day. Disclaimer: camera still down, mobile photos awful, so here are some generic photos for you, sorry for that… 🙁
So I still haven’t got the face that would need no concealer, to be sure. But I’d prefer to go for a lighter coverage just in the areas where I need it with my Maybelline Instant Age Rewind eraser.
Probably not. Before, I would have gone for heavy foundation, big eyes and lips. Today however, the story has changed. So here are the five products I would wear on a minimal make-up day. Disclaimer: camera still down, mobile photos awful, so here are some generic photos for you, sorry for that… 🙁
So I still haven’t got the face that would need no concealer, to be sure. But I’d prefer to go for a lighter coverage just in the areas where I need it with my Maybelline Instant Age Rewind eraser.
It’s just the right shade for covering all the spots that need coverage (which is especially true for my under eye circles) and at the same time light enough to do some very basic contouring. The formula is super smooth and I love the feeling of having that little on my face. I also often apply it on my chin and it’s the one thing that doesn’t seem to brake me out. Super happy I picked this one up, but at the moment it’s not available in Slovenia as far as I’m aware of. Surely, this will change by the time I use it up?
I debated for quite some time if I would choose a bronzer or a blush, but in the end I feel that the blush can come naturally during the day, while the bronzed effect cannot. So I would go for my Tarte Amazonian Clay bronzer, which is light enough to be used as a bronzer but can also be a useful contouring tool when needed.
I debated for quite some time if I would choose a bronzer or a blush, but in the end I feel that the blush can come naturally during the day, while the bronzed effect cannot. So I would go for my Tarte Amazonian Clay bronzer, which is light enough to be used as a bronzer but can also be a useful contouring tool when needed.
It doesn’t require a heavy dusting to reach the desired effect, it’s not heavy on the skin and doesn’t have an unpleasant scent to it. Overall, this is my favorite bronzer up to date, not available in Slovenia.
One thing that I would have never, but never, picked for my 5 must haves a couple of months back are eyebrow tools. But what some proper brow maintenance and sculpting can do with my face has been the discovery of the year, hands down. I would go with my NYX Eyebrow cake powder which you can buy here in Mojadrogerija.si . This product has all that you could need for some basic brow work and is at the same time super small and compact. I’m absolutely loving the effect that full eyebrows give to my face and I never leave home without using it. It was already included twice in my blog, also in my July favorites so I won’t bore you with another photo of it.
Maybelline Volum’ Express The Falsies is also quite a new find for me and my absolutely favorite mascara of the past years. I tried some pretty heavy duty (a.k.a. expensive) mascaras in my life, simply because it was the one thing I always made an effort to use no matter what. Well, they all fail in comparison to the Falsies.
One thing that I would have never, but never, picked for my 5 must haves a couple of months back are eyebrow tools. But what some proper brow maintenance and sculpting can do with my face has been the discovery of the year, hands down. I would go with my NYX Eyebrow cake powder which you can buy here in Mojadrogerija.si . This product has all that you could need for some basic brow work and is at the same time super small and compact. I’m absolutely loving the effect that full eyebrows give to my face and I never leave home without using it. It was already included twice in my blog, also in my July favorites so I won’t bore you with another photo of it.
Maybelline Volum’ Express The Falsies is also quite a new find for me and my absolutely favorite mascara of the past years. I tried some pretty heavy duty (a.k.a. expensive) mascaras in my life, simply because it was the one thing I always made an effort to use no matter what. Well, they all fail in comparison to the Falsies.
This is an absolute favorite of my and even though I’m also trying out new mascaras all the time, this is the one I go back to whenever I need to be sure my lashes will stay long and hold their curl throughout the day. Buy the Falsies here at Salma.si or at most drugstores. It comes in regular and waterproof version so make sure you choose the right one for your needs. I would definitely go for the waterproof version in the summer, but stick to the regular otherwise only because the waterproof mascara is a SOB to remove.
Last product I would choose on a light make-up day is something for my lips. Here, I cannot go without the Catrice Pure Shine Color Lip Balm in #60 Go Flamingo Go or #30 Don’t think just pink. I mean don’t you just love these names? But I love the moisturizing effect and the lovely colors of these sticks even more.
Last product I would choose on a light make-up day is something for my lips. Here, I cannot go without the Catrice Pure Shine Color Lip Balm in #60 Go Flamingo Go or #30 Don’t think just pink. I mean don’t you just love these names? But I love the moisturizing effect and the lovely colors of these sticks even more.
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| Third from the left – Don’t think, just pink. Third from the right – Go flamingo, go. |
Buy them here at Catrice.eu or in the biggest Slovenian drugstores. They mostly have a shiny finish and also smell quite nice, which cannot be said for some other drugstore lip products from drugstore brands – yes, L’Oreal, I’m looking at you.
So that’s it for my five product face – I daresay I would be willing to go out and about by only having these 5 products on my face, although to be honest, these days it’s more like 20 products with 15 different applicators, but that’s OK – more reviews coming your way any day now.
What are the 5 products you absolutely need to give you that skip in your step?
Until next time, stay beautiful.
So that’s it for my five product face – I daresay I would be willing to go out and about by only having these 5 products on my face, although to be honest, these days it’s more like 20 products with 15 different applicators, but that’s OK – more reviews coming your way any day now.
What are the 5 products you absolutely need to give you that skip in your step?
Until next time, stay beautiful.
July Favorites
The first real month of blogging went by in a flash. So it’s now time for my first favorites. This month, they are mostly connected to the the recent shopping activities.
First favorite definitely has to be the Bath & Bodyworks cande in mango coconut scent. I’ve really been looking for a candle that would have a summery scent and would make my evening routine even more pleasurable. This candle does all that and more, but is of course not available over here so I’ll soon be on the search for a new one. Until recently I was a real fan of Yankee Candles, but when comparing those to this particular candle they fail in comparison – this candle really gives away so much scent it’s ridiculous.
Next favorite has to be the Neutrogena naturals purifying pore scrub. This was an impulse buy because I just placed my Olay ProX into the basket and felt I needed to get something to use it with. I love the smell of it, the pilling is not too intense and it washes off easily compared to some other cleaning/pealing scrubs.
The third favorite of July is my Tarte Maracuja Brazilliance Self Tanner. A long name for a great product. This bronzer doesn’t take too much effort – I used it several times now and only did a scrub once before. No matter, it won’t stick to your elbows or knees. It contains maracuja oil which leaves the skin feeling incredibly soft and well moisturized well into the next day, but at the same time it only takes 10 minutes for it to absorbe into the skin – then you’re good to go!
Next favorite has to be the Neutrogena naturals purifying pore scrub. This was an impulse buy because I just placed my Olay ProX into the basket and felt I needed to get something to use it with. I love the smell of it, the pilling is not too intense and it washes off easily compared to some other cleaning/pealing scrubs.
The third favorite of July is my Tarte Maracuja Brazilliance Self Tanner. A long name for a great product. This bronzer doesn’t take too much effort – I used it several times now and only did a scrub once before. No matter, it won’t stick to your elbows or knees. It contains maracuja oil which leaves the skin feeling incredibly soft and well moisturized well into the next day, but at the same time it only takes 10 minutes for it to absorbe into the skin – then you’re good to go!
Application with the enclosed glove is super easy, because the product itself is pigmented to show where you’ve already applied it. This pigmentation of the cream also gives you an instant “tan” which is great if you’re just about to slip into your shorts and go out for the day. It has absolutely no smell which I know many of us connect to the bronzers we can stock up in our drugstores. View Post
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