Category Archives: Makeup

Empty Magnetic Palette Comparisons

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I have a post in this blog about creating DIY custom palettes, but today’s topic is for those trying to find good quality pre-made options at the best prices.

When discussing how many eyeshadows will fit, I am referring to the standard eyeshadow pan size of 26mm. Tax and shipping are not considered in the price listings.

COLOURED RAINE

Holds: 96 pans

Materials: Cardboard, Mirror

Price: $45 (bought for $22 during the Christmas sale)

This CR palette is the largest I own and also the thickest of the cardboard palettes. However, I can’t give them bonus points for durability because that extra sturdiness is necessary to bear the weight of all these eyeshadows. The bigger the palette, the stronger it needs to be. At the sale price I paid, this is almost the best deal out of all the palettes I have. The full price is decent but not better than the Juvia’s Place palette. CR added to the production cost by including a mirror, but it’s a useless feature because it isn’t practical to lift a palette of this weight and size up to my face to apply eyeshadow. The top lid can fold back into a tent position very well without sliding. The magnets inside are strong and I could hold this upside down without worrying about pans falling out. Overall, I’m impressed with the quality and recommend it to anyone seeking a huge palette.

“ADEPT” vs AUTHENTIC ADEPT

Holds: 48-55 pans (depending on the arrangement)

Materials: Cardboard, Mirror

Typical price range: $19-$23

I learned of this brand from BailyB on youtube. At the time, Adept’s marble palettes that she linked from Amazon were flat and not double-sided. When I saw the same thing with “minor flaws” on ebay for at least $5 cheaper, I purchased it from there. The one I received had a bent corner, which I didn’t mind. The problem is that the magnetic sheet looks flat to the eye, but it is raised in certain areas. Because the depth of the palette is extremely shallow, the top cover doesn’t close properly. For this palette to be useable, I have to arrange them around the bubbled portions, but the top layer of the shadows still leave an imprint on the inner lid and mirror. As I mentioned in the CR portion, a mirror in a palette of this size is useless. It’s made of the thinnest cardboard and is the only flimsy palette I own.

As for the legitimate Adept palettes, the cardboard ones come in the traditional and foldable shapes. The ones made of plastic are double-sided. The pricing for the plastic trademarked Adept palette seems reasonable at $34 to house 95 standard shadows inside, but I can’t verify the quality without seeing it in person. I decided to include them on the list because someone like BailyB endorsed them, but I can’t personally recommend them.

 

JUVIA’s PLACE

Holds: 40 pans

Material: Cardboard

Price: $15*

The retail price was listed at $20 when I originally purchased this, though I did get mine on sale for $10 a year ago. Funny enough, palettes of this size and smaller could benefit from having a mirror but this one does not. It’s made out of sturdy cardboard (much stronger than the Adept knockoff despite being smaller). If you can’t get the CR palette on sale, this is the one I recommend most. If you don’t want to use the link, just know that you have to type in the search bar “magnetic palette” for it to pop up on the site. For some reason, they don’t have a designated tab for it.

*As of January 31st, 2019, Juvia’s Place is having a 40% off sitewide sale! The current sale price of this palette is $7. It gets further reduced to $4.20 if you use the promo code: Valentine. I’ve been unable to find out how long this sale will last. There are no guarantees it will run through Valentine’s day. At a price like this, my guess is that these palettes won’t be restocked once they sell out. Four palettes, plus shipping, came to $23 which is nearly the same as a single Z-palette!

**EDIT: The sale lasted for one week (02/07/19). Juvia’s Place has sales regularly, so I suggest signing up for their emails to be notified when the next one occurs. Also, there is now a “Limited Quantities” sign on the page. One per customer.

For reference, it’s about the same size as the Morphe Jaclyn Hill 35 pan palette. I highly recommend this one!

Z-palette XL

Holds: 35 pans

Material: Cardboard, Acrylic

Price: $28-$32

Z palettes are generally not the most affordable options, but I included it in my list because it is arguably the most popular brand of custom palettes. Every Z palette, regardless of size, has a handy clear acrylic panel. This feature’s usefulness depends on the way it is stored. While the XL holds more shadows, the large standard sized palette is the more cost-effective option.

Large Z palette

Holds: 28 pans

Material: Cardboard, Acrylic

Price: $20

Sephora and Ulta have their branded versions of the Z palette but Ulta has the better deal when buying in bulk. I purchased mine when they had the “Buy 2 get 2 free” deal, which brought the cost down to $8 each when combined with a 20% coupon. The fact remains that one has to spend $32 to get the deal; while a single larger palette might be all the average consumer needs.

Z-palettes are among the least affordable options, even on sale. For example, Sephora sells Double-Sided Z palettes which hold 56 pans and have been listed “on sale” at $22.50 for at least three years. Again, I can’t account for the quality without handling it myself, but one of the biggest complaints in the product review section is that it has “weak magnets.” That is the last thing you’d want to hear about a palette where half the eyeshadows will be stored upside down. I recommend only getting a Z-palette if it’s heavily marked down.

MAC Pro Palette Large Duo

Holds: 30-36

Material: Plastic

Price: $8 (without inserts) $14 (with two 15 well inserts)

All empty MAC compacts cost $8 and all inserts are $3 each. I chose this particular palette because it holds the most and I like that it is fully encased in hard plastic, unlike the other MAC versions with the clear lid. This also has an acrylic divider in the middle which protects cream products if they are used on one side with powders on the other. It’s also good for preventing powder fallout from getting into other colored pans. Although I love mine, I don’t recommend this palette because of its limitations:

  1. MAC compacts have a metal sheet inside, not magnets. This means that magnetized pans and pans with magnetic stickers will not adhere to the palette because it’s like putting metal on metal. MAC compacts have the reputation of being “solely compatible with MAC products” because they are one of the only brands that attach actual magnets to the base of their pans. In theory, any pan with a magnet should work. MAC’s pro refill products are strong enough to stick to the MAC compacts without inserts, but slide a little in my regular magnetic palettes.
  2. Since I have very few MAC products, it was easier for me to turn my compact into a magnetic palette, rather than attaching magnets to every eyeshadow pan I own. I bought magnetic strips from my local craft store and hot glued them to both sides of the lids. This cost as much money as two inserts would, but this allows me to store 6 additional shadows from any brand (as long as they are magnetized). I did this over a year ago and have had no problems so far.
  3. MAC’s inserts are not limited to just eyeshadows. They also have spaces for standard size blushes, powder foundations, and lipstick wells.

COLOURPOP

Holds: 24

Material: Cardboard

Price: $10

Colourpop offers this palette free if you select one of their build-your-own bundle deals. It’s a great option if you’re already intending to buy any of their pressed powder products. They also have a pink palette that holds half the eyeshadows for $7, so the larger palette is the better price.

For reference, it’s slightly smaller than the Large Z-palette (as pictured underneath).

The cardboard isn’t as sturdy as the others palettes (though still better than the “adept” one). I made the mistake of folding back the lid too far and now the palette’s natural tendency is to stay slightly open. The two metal pieces on the inside don’t stick as well to the bottom magnetic rim. This issue has no impact on being able to securely hold the pans, which it does well, just that I have to be extra careful to ensure that it snaps shut when I try to close it.

HONORABLE MENTIONS

TARTE Tartiest Pro Custom palette – Holds: 30, Material: Cardboard, Price: $17 (on sale for $12 as of 1/31/19). This video here has more information.

MAKE UP FOR EVER XL palette – Holds: 45, Material: Metal, Price: $25.

You’ll find many outdated videos on youtube stating that the price of the MUFE palettes are $14, but this is no longer the case. The true XL palette is only available on the official MUFE website. It is very important to note that the Extra Large palette listed by Sephora for $2 holds six round shadows or three of MUFE’s new rectangular shadow pans and is not the same thing (though it’s nice to keep in a purse or for traveling).

Final thoughts

Juvia’s Place and Coloured Raines’s magnetic palettes are the best deals I’ve found (especially when on sale). I’ve seen other palettes from random unknown brands discussed by Youtubers but often times their links to Etsy, Amazon, and other places don’t work several months later.

So, I recommend sticking to reputable brands from authorized retailers!

❤ Lili

Full Disclosure: This is not a paid review or sponsored post and these are not affiliate links. Any ads shown are from WordPress. I generate no revenue from this blog post.

XL Beautylish Lucky Bag 2018 Comprehensive Review

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What is it?

This is the annual New Year mystery boxes modeled after the fukubukuro tradition from the online retailer Beautylish. The purchasing options have changed since my previous post on this topic. In 2017, they introduced the XL bags which are $165 (shipping included) for $350+ of products. The price of the regular bags are the same $82 (including shipping) for $150+ of products, however they’ve added two complexion choices: Fair-Medium and Dark-Deep. Customers have been asking for this change for years since products like bronzers, contour powders, blushes, and even lipstick shades can be unflattering depending on the skin tone. Beautylish does not put foundations or concealers in the bags, so if properly executed it could increase the likelihood of getting usable products.

How do you get one?

The 2018 Lucky Bags are no longer available but the 2019 notification list can be found here.

On December 23rd, Beautylish sent an email explaining that customers who spent $1,000+ in 2017 would get priority access on December 26th 9am PST. Everyone else who signed up for early access would get the sale page link on that same day at 11am PST and everyone else could order at 3pm PST.

What actually happened was that early access began at 10:00 am instead of 11:00 am. I clicked my email link at 10:04 and saw that no XL bags were available, so I think those bags sold out during the priority access time slot.

I remembered that in my earliest experiences with Beautylish I had a beauty rep, so I decided to reach out to them and was informed that the XL bags would be restocked in limited quantities at the original early access start time (11 PST). The restock sold out just as quickly, so huge thanks to the Beautylish customer service team! I would not have been able to get the XL bag otherwise.

Regular bags were delivered to those closest to Beautylish (San Francisco) on January 11th so there were already posts popping up on IG, Twitter, and Youtube but none of the XL bags shipped until the next day. My package was delayed due to weather conditions and arrived January 19th.

What did you get?

Sulwhasoo First Care Activating Mask  – $12, if priced individually.

I’ve looked at hundreds of photos of unboxed lucky bags via #luckybag2018 and #beautylishluckybag2018 on Instagram and 90% of the regular and XL bags I saw contained 1 of 2 possible Sulwhasoo masks.

Wayne Goss #19 Precision Blending Brush – $23.

This brush has been on my wishlist for months! Funny thing is that now that I have it, I realized I’ve had an identical brush all along: the Hakuhodo J146.

With this in mind, I’m still very happy to have what is essentially a backup of my Hakuhodo brush. I’ve been wanting to get additional smaller sized eye brushes so this is perfect.

Oribe Travel Essentials Collection– $98 ($124 if each item was purchased individually).

This set contains the travel size Gold Lust Dry Shampoo, travel sized Gold Lust Shampoo and Conditioner, the Rollerball Perfume, and the full size Balmessence Lip Treatment. The balm was another thing I wanted to try but not for full price, especially since I’ve learned how to make them myself. In fact, the texture is very similar to the first one I ever made. Mine contains yellow beeswax so it’s the slightly yellow one on the left and the Oribe balm is on the right.

I’ve had the chance to test the balm over the past 24 hours and I can say it has a hard wax-like texture that takes a little warming up with the finger to become usable. It feels like a lightweight and less greasy version of Vaseline. It doesn’t have much of a smell, which is fine by me. It creates a thin moisturizing barrier that I can feel when I touch my lips but I wouldn’t call it tacky/sticky. It helped soothe my dry lips but it has an average wear time. I wouldn’t spend $35 on it when my less expensive jar of Nuxe Reve de Miel works better. I intend to try the shampoo and conditioner at a later date and I’ll give the dry shampoo and perfume to a friend. For anyone who wants to try a set like this but not spend $100, just know that there’s an Oribe Gold Lust Set from Birchbox that’s $55 and contains the same size shampoo, conditioner, and lip balm. It doesn’t have the perfume or dry shampoo but it does have the Gold Lust Transformative Masque instead. *The links in this blog post are not affiliate links and not sponsored.

Skindinavia Makeup Finishing Spray – $29.

I haven’t tried this yet but I’m looking forward to comparing it to the Urban Decay All Nighter. Since Skindinavia produces both products, I’d love to see for myself if there’s a noticeable difference between the two.

Jouer Skinny Dip Lip Topper – St. Tropez $16.

This looks really pretty in the tube but I’m not going to swatch it. I’ll be giving it to a friend. I like shiny lips but not shimmer/glitter on myself.

Bioderma Cleanser – $6.90.

I’m keeping it in the bubble wrap because I’ll be giving it to a friend as well. I love bioderma, and they sent me the version that I can actually use, but I already have the full size.

Natasha Denona 28 Pan Eyeshadow Palette – Purple Blue $239.

This was the last item I pulled out of my box and I was ecstatic! I had an NP 5 Pan Palette in the past but I gave it up (which I regretted shortly after) because I barely used it. I’m so happy to have ND eyeshadows again! I’d forgotten how smooth the metallic shades were and the color selection of this palette is amazing! For the past few months I’ve been experimenting with different formulas/color combinations for making my own pressed eyeshadows. The purples and blues in this palette are exactly what I’ve been trying to create for myself because so few palettes have the colors I want!

Here’s an example of some of my works in progress for anyone curious.

The photo below depicts finger swatches without primer and in different lighting.

Creating my own eyeshadows has given me a bigger appreciation for the work that goes into a palette like this. Purples truly are a pain to get right, so seeing completed purples that work this well is #goals!

I’ll do a swatch post in a few months (I’m being realistic with my posting schedule, haha) and an updated review, but swatching these reminded me how much the metallics are above reproach but some of the pearls and mattes are problematic.

Final Thoughts

Maximum (individual pricing) Retail Value – $450

Actual Retail Value – $423.90

Actual Savings – $258.90

Practical Savings (price of items I like minus what I paid) –  $161

Even without the monetary aspect, I feel like my bag was a winner! I technically didn’t get anything that I already own. As far as I know, none of the items in my bag have been heavily discounted at other retailers, unlike the ABH, Becca, Kevyn Aucoin, By Terry products that were among the most common items in the boxes. I didn’t get anything complexion based, which was a fear of mine, and I also didn’t get products from controversial brands. That seems pretty lucky to me!

I did notice several changes between this year and past boxes. There were more skincare products this time. There were also more duplicates. About 10% of the boxes I saw didn’t come with an eyeshadow palette, which was quite shocking to see since so many of us expected that to be a guarantee. There were quite a number of items from last year that popped up again this year. Every XL bag last year had one of the ND 28 palettes so most customers were expecting a different large eyeshadow palette as the “big ticket item.”

With the deep-dark boxes, I was shocked to see so many Jeffree Star liquid lipsticks. Yes, it was in a flattering orange color and JS did apologize for his past racist remarks, but that doesn’t mean everyone has forgiven him and to have so many JS products in the deep-dark regular boxes was hugely disappointing to quite a few people. I was also surprised to see the By Terry Sun Designer Palettes and Charlotte Tilbury Face in a Look palettes which are advertised as being able to work for a wide range of skin tones but come now… how do you sculpt with a powder that’s lighter than your skin tone or smoke with a shade that is practically invisible?

Whether a bag is “good” or “bad” is subjective, but I saw a deep-dark bag that had a natasha denona body glow in medium. It’s the equivalent of giving someone with chronically dry lips a very drying ultra matte liquid lipstick. Anyone can literally put any makeup product on but it doesn’t mean it will look good.

I still think Beautylish’s lucky bags are by far the best mystery boxes on the US market (XL bags only ship to the US but regular bags are open internationally). However, I think I’ll continue the pattern of purchasing a bag every other year. 2020, here I come!

Thanks for reading.

– Lili ❤

Real Techniques Powder Bleu Brush Review

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Note: I live in SW Florida. At the time of me posting this, Hurricane Irma has not yet hit. Please keep Florida in your prayers. Thank you and stay safe! ❤

There’s nothing about cosmetics that gets me more excited than brushes and this year there have been so many amazing innovations! I discussed the Moschino + Sephora Brush Set in my previous post but the Real Techniques B01 Soft Powder Bleu Powder Brush deserves to be praised.

What Makes It Unique

Filaments in a natural hair brush have lined/flaked surfaces which gives powder products more areas to stick to, the way Pantene loves to illustrate in their ads.

Because synthetic bristles are whole and smooth they rely on the tip surface and the binding agents within powders itself to latch onto the brush before being dispersed on the face.

RT claims that their patent pending “FauxBleu” technology is what causes the brush to perform as well as blue squirrel hair. I don’t know what the “FauxBleu” process entails but I suspect they’ve found a way to alter the strand surface and/or create faux cuticles. This brush feels right up there with my finest natural hair brushes, and that’s saying quite a lot considering 4/5 were handmade (not machine cut) in Japan.

From left to right: RT B01 (synthetic), Smashbox Face and Cheek 02 (goat), Hakuhodo 5521 (blue squirrel/goat mix), Wayne Goss The Air-Brush (blue squirrel), Wayne Goss 06 (blue squirrel), and the Chikuhodo Z-3 Contour Brush

The Real Techniques brush performs exactly like my squirrel brushes but it’s not quite as soft. It falls somewhere between squirrel and high quality goat hair, which is still an impressive feat.

Pricing

Blue Squirrel is among the rarest of the squirrel brushes (and of natural fiber in general). Because the bristles are so difficult to acquire, the pricing of genuine blue squirrel brushes that are the size of my RT brush begin at $80. I was drawn to the Powder Bleu collection precisely because a natural version is so far out of my price range. Having an amazing dupe at $21 was quite the deal but how does it compare to other individually priced brushes? Below is a compilation of some popular non-squirrel brushes of a similar shape.

Green X’s = Higher in price. Yellow Check Marks = Same price or lower.

I’d ask myself, “Are the less expensive brushes the same quality, better quality, or are they functional enough that finding a better brush isn’t necessary? Are the more expensive brushes better or worse? Are brushes in general worth spending those prices?”

Recommended and Preferred Uses

RT states that this “combination of soft, long tapered + unique wavy bristles” makes it great for applying bronzers, highlighters, and powder foundations.  I don’t wear bronzer and I rarely wear powder foundations since I haven’t found a brand which makes my exact shade. I could use the brush with highlighters but because of its size I prefer using it as a setting/finishing brush. I use it to quickly set my concealer with the tapered tip, although I have to be careful not to poke my eye, and for setting powder all over the face. It doesn’t move around my makeup, I get an even application, it grabs onto product well, and because it’s large I can finish quicker. The rounder portion is great for sweeping softly across my face but I can pick up different amounts on the various sides of the brush.

Cleaning and Durability

I’ve been using it for nearly three months now and haven’t noticed any shedding or bleeding dye. I’ve been cleaning it with the beauty blender solid although my normal method is to mix a gentle shampoo or soap with a little facial oil and rinse it out thoroughly. I then squeeze out the excess water, lay them flat, or hang them upside down in my brush drying tree. It dries fast and has held its shape well so far.

Final Thoughts

Because of the creation of this line, I will no longer purchase natural hair brushes (regardless of whether they claim to be humanely gathered or not).

The remaining items in the collection are a Kabuki brush ($25), Complexion brush ($21), Finishing brush ($21), Shadow Brush ($13), and Powder Puff ($10). I would absolutely love to complete my collection but I don’t think that will happen. They are fairly priced (with the exception of the finishing brush) but based on their described uses on the website, I have plenty of those types of brushes. If the Powder Bleu Collection ever goes on sale, I know I wouldn’t be able to resist buying them. I did get 10% off my purchase for signing up to the email list but the shadow brush was sold out at the time of my purchase. US shipping is free for $40+ orders on the brand website and it is currently only available there and Boots. I asked RT on their Instagram if they would release them to Ulta but it was implied that they don’t plan on it. At least not anytime soon.

❤ Lili

UPDATE: As of December 8th, 2017 the full Powder Bleu collection is available in a bundle called Glam Girl for $80. Having purchased and seen the 02, 03, and 04, I still think the 01 is best brush to start out with if you’re looking to try just one product from the collection.

2021 UPDATE: Although this brush line is discontinued, I’ve seen many posts on social media still to this day discussing these brushes fondly and wishing they were still around. I wanted to update that a few years ago I did end up completing my collection when I somehow managed to get the final brush at TJMaxx.

I also want to clarify that since declaring, “I will no longer be purchasing natural hair brushes,” it was under the assumption that the Powder Bleu Collection would expand and I would get all my favorite brush shapes in this synthetic version and of this quality. Unfortunately, that did not happen as the line was discontinued and I have since begun to use natural hair brushes almost exclusively. It’s wild how much preferences can change over time!

Laura Mercier Translucent Powder in Medium Deep

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Many colorless setting powders produce flashback on me, but the original Loose Translucent Powder from Laura Mercier also left a visible gray cast in normal lighting. The brand released a new shade called Medium Deep, which I’m happy to say performs the same as the original but without the grey cast! It doesn’t pass the flashback test but it prevents my concealer from creasing, it prolongs the freshness of my foundation, and it blends smoothly!

Tip: I keep the original seals on my loose powder containers and poke holes in some of them to minimize powdery messes and accidents.

This product is translucent, not transparent, so it leaves some color on the skin. I’m between NC45 and NC50. Although the finger swatch shows that the powder is lighter and yellower than it appears in the jar, it’s still a tiny bit darker than my concealer. This isn’t a problem for me since I typically match my concealer to my foundation but anyone NC45 and below, who prefer to highlight the area under their eyes, could run into issues with this powder being too dark. In theory, yellow is supposed to brighten but it won’t do that if the powder is darker than one’s complexion.

Click Here for the full complexion compatibility chart.

For those who keep an eye out for specific ingredients, it’s important to note that this product is not paraben-free. Some may also question the $38 price tag over ingredients such as Talc and Zea Mays (Corn) starch.

For this reason, I created a comparison table using some of the top rated and bestselling loose powders based on Sephora’s search filters.

After making the chart, I’m even happier with the price since I’m getting 2-3 times more product for only a few dollars more. There is one other product I know about, but haven’t tried myself, which is a top seller among beauty lovers: The RCMA Translucent Powder. RCMA does list propylparaben as an ingredient and it may contain trace amounts of talc but $12 for 3 oz is an undisputed better deal.

If I compiled a list of Holy Grail products discovered in 2017 I would add Laura Mercier’s powder because of its silkiness, shade selection, and performance. Ever since I bought it in April it’s been the only powder I use!

My posts have been few and far between but I have discovered more holy grail products this year that have awoken my interest in makeup again. I intend to share more of them soon. Thanks for reading! 🙂

❤ Lili

*This review is not sponsored and the links provided are not affiliate links. I do not get paid if you click them.

Reusing Birchboxes (DIY Z-Palette Alternative)

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birchtowerIt’s been almost a year since my last post and during that time away from this blog I’ve been searching for ways to utilize and organize the mass of beauty products I’ve accumulated. I began to delve into the world of “upcycling” and although I no longer subscribe to Birchbox, I still have a gigantic collection of their pretty boxes that I don’t want to just throw away (in the recycling bin of course). I’ve always used them as gift boxes but most of the presents I give are too large to fit. I also use them as drawer dividers/organizers but I still have a tower of them left. So below are a few additional ways I’ve put my boxes to use:

Wall Art

birchwallThis one is straightforward. All you need are push-pins and a ruler to evenly space out your boxes along the wall. Although my design is different, credit for the idea goes to Tiffany Johnson on Youtube. I would not have thought of it otherwise.

Another great thing about it is that they can be interchanged as often as I like! I could have a day when I want to hang all the blue birchboxes or all the purple ones or only the geometics, only the flowered ones, etc.

Empty Magnetic Palettes

diybirchZ-palettes are a huge deal in the beauty industry and before their recent (now deleted) Instagram rampage on customers…

worstzpalette…I was already planning a way to create my own. When you really think about it, Z-palettes are just slim cardboard boxes with colored paper around it, magnetic sheets, and a thin acrylic lid. They can be easily duplicated and many cosmetic companies already have their own custom palettes. You can get them in metal or hard plastic instead of cardboard. Some versions have a mirror on the inside instead of a clear lid. You can also find some very inexpensive ones on ebay and amazon. That being said, none have the cute prints that are on Birchboxes and I still wanted to make my own. The only thing I had to actually buy was the magnetic sheet from Michael’s which cost me $2.99 without a coupon.needbirchdiyITEMS USED:

  • 1 Birchbox or any sturdy box
  • 1 cutting tool (scissors and/or x-acto knife or even a regular knife)
  • Tape (preferably clear and durable) or glue
  • 1 pencil
  • 1 magnetic sheet (strong enough to hold the weight of the eyeshadows)

ADDITIONAL ITEMS:

  • 1 ruler (I didn’t end up using it but it helps to create an even square on the lid)
  • glue (any strong bond type of glue will work)
  • 1 foam sheet (to add an additional layer of padding to the palette)
  • 1 piece of cardboard (for the additional layer of padding)
  • 1 sheet of plastic (doesn’t have to be acrylic but it should be thick, unwrinkled, and easy to clean/not stain)

*The foam I’ve had from multiple subscription boxes and mailed packages. The sheet of plastic I used came from hosiery packaging but additional household sources can be the plastic around products like my hot glue gun, markers, insoles, the plastic cover on bakery boxes, etc. It took me only a few minutes to find supplies around the house.

plasticsPart 1 (skip this step if you don’t want the added protective layer)birchbotsMake sure the piece of foam fits the dimensions of the box. Then use it to trace around the cardboard and magnetic sheet and cut those so they all are the same size. Then glue the foam to the bottom of the birchbox, making sure to spread an even layer (paying extra attention to the four corners).

zgluePeel off the backing of the magnet and attach the magnet sticky-side down to the cardboard. Use a little glue if necessary for extra adhesion power. Then apply glue to the other side of the brown cardboard in order to attach it to the foam layer already inside the birchbox. Now your custom palette has extra protection!

zstandPart 2

If you skipped part 1, cut the magnetic sheet to fit the dimensions of the bottom of the birchbox. Remove the paper backing and attach it to the bottom, adding extra glue if needed.

Now we’re moving onto the lid. In my example, I followed the pattern of the print but you can use a ruler and pencil to trace a rectangle underneath the lid and then cut it out to form a hole in the cover.

birchtopsCut the sheet of plastic to fit on the underside of the Birchbox lid. It should be large enough to cover the hole with a little extra room. When you tape or glue the edges of the plastic to the box, you don’t want tape lines to be visible once the lid is flipped over.

birchxAnd that’s it! I like how sturdy this feels (it can even be stored upward but give the glue a day to dry before use). If you find this to be too bulky you can always cut the edges of the lid and base by half and then line it all with colorful tape to hide any jagged edges. In fact, next time I will line the edges around the lid hole with solid colored washi tape before I tape the clear plastic underneath. birchzfinzstandsideThis has room for a minimum of 24 MAC sized eyeshadow pans.

24shadI have SO many Birchboxes left that I should start gifting these to my eyeshadow loving friends. And with all the different Birchbox tops just imagine the number of unique magnetic palettes you could create too!otherbirch

But really this could be done with any cardboard box, magnetic sheets, plus cutting and pasting tools. An ordinary box can be easily spruced up with printed paper or washi tape. 🙂

-Lili ❤

Natasha Denona and Viseart Palettes

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Some of the biggest beauty gurus on youtube say that these two brands make the best eyeshadows they have ever used. Although I am an eyeshadow junkie, I needed to do some research first before I invested in these products. And they are certainly an investment because you get a ton of product in each pan, which is ideal for makeup artists, but would last the average consumer ages. They’re also not cheap. The 5 pan palette was the most I was willing to commit to from ND’s line of shadows.

Natasha Denona Palette 04

ndpaletteThe single, 5-shadow, 10-shadow, and 28-shadow pans are available at Beautylish. Although ND has many other products for sale, the eyeshadows are the top sellers.

nd2nd3nd4bnd6I used finger swatches without primer in the photos above. When using the fingers, these shadows are unparalleled in pigmentation. The tiniest touch (not even a full single swipe) produced those swatches above.

ndclaimsThese are basically pressed pigments which are soft in texture, apply smoothly, and contain ingredients which maintain the shadow’s moisture while on the skin.

ingredientsAlthough Natasha Denona stands behind the use of parabens in cosmetics, she removed all of them from her eyeshadows to assuage wary customers.

The shadows are very long lasting on my lids. The photo below is after 8 hours of wear.

oxideeye3The video of the swatches going on and on, although true, is only practical for those who prefer to apply the eyeshadow with their fingers. Using the finger to apply it like a cream eyeshadow is actually the recommended method. If using a brush, Natasha Denona recommends one which is, “fluffy…thick and round, not flat brushes.”

roundfluffyI do not own her brushes, so I used natural and synthetic bristle brushes from various brands in the photos for this post. I also used the Too Faced Shadow Insurance in the primed swatches.

allbrushndPlease note that if used like any other eyeshadow, the color can be built up just as intense as the finger swatches. The brush demos were performed using one swirl of color, except Cool Plum. That shade required much more product to become visible at all on my skin. Here are some comparisons between my favorite and least favorite shades in the palette.

oxideallflashcplumallCool Plum perplexes me. It is so much stiffer, harder to work with, and less pigmented than the other shadows. Considering the effort required to work with it, I’d rather use a dark color from any other palette instead. I’m also confused by the fact that it looks matte in person but in the photos of the palette online, and the description of the individual pan on both the ND and Beautylish websites, it’s supposed to be a shiny pearl shade. I see sparkle in their pictures but zero in mine.

nd5From ND:

nd5panndcoolpFrom Beautylish:

ndbeautylishI spoke with a friend who bought this palette at the same time that I did and hers looked matte as well. Aside from that mystery, there are a few more things to know; when using multiple colors they don’t just blend. They mix and form a new shade, like paint. So if you want to keep each shade separate you have to apply and blend carefully. Cool Bronze was partially on the inner corner when I applied Aura on top and it created a yellow gold color.

shimeyeIf you have hooded eyelids you could run into the issue of color transferring from the lid to just above the crease. I have partially hooded eyes but this is the first time I’ve ever had this occur.

oxideeyeaThere may be as simple of a fix as using a different eyeshadow primer, but I would have to look into it. Although not necessary for some, ND recommends those with oily eyelids to still use a primer.

lastvislookOverall, the negatives aren’t enough for me to dislike this palette or ND’s eyeshadows in general. I think the shimmers are very nice and I can see why so many people have been raving about them. The way it looks in person is quite special and I’m willing to work on perfecting a technique in order to use the shadows exactly the way I want. Minus Cool Plum.

Viseart Eyeshadow Palette 4 Dark Mattes

darkmattesThis palette is also available at Beautylish but I purchased mine from Sephora.

The 01 Neutral Matte palette is what most people talk about but what makeup fanatic doesn’t already have at least one neutral palette after the Naked (and dupes) palette craze from 2014? There are seven of these 12-shadow palettes available and Viseart recently announced a new Rule of III collection of three half size (enfants) palettes coming soon to the makeup show LA.

For the rest of us, we can enjoy what is already available, like this Dark matte palette.

allvisI’ve never seen such a beautiful arrangement of colors from a premade palette. I absolutely love fall colors and I will still be rocking these shades all year long. I absolutely love the first two rows. The last one is patchier but I don’t wear blue or green that often anyway. And when you build up the color it won’t be much of an issue. They all feel the same texturally. Not buttery but not super stiff either. They feel like Lorac matte shades but most of these perform even better. Below are single brush swipes over primer.

top4vismiddle4visbottom4visAlthough the color and pigmentation is on the same level to me as Lorac mattes, the blendability of the Viseart mattes are insane. I’ve never seen mattes perform this way (minus the bottom row). Now, non-shimmers aren’t terribly exciting. Even if the colors pop, I always feel like something is missing without some shine on the lids.

rightvislooklornviseyeWhen I used an almost all Viseart eye look, I didn’t see what was so special about them at first. But then when I saw the pictures on camera it made complete sense. On camera they look ultra smooth/blended and just perfect. I’m certain a professional MUA can create even better looks with these eyeshadows than I can.

visinThese and Lorac Pro mattes share similarities but this palette is free of parabens, mineral oil, and other such ingredients. I have heard good things about Viseart shimmer shades as well but none of their colors grabbed my attention.

Final Thoughts on Viseart and Natasha denona Eyeshadows

In certain areas they do live up to the hype. I wouldn’t use either of these palettes alone and even together these two aren’t quite enough for me. Anyone looking for practical makeup for everyday use will likely find the difference in quality between these and other good palettes not quite enough to warrant the price. Those who take a lot of photos, make videos, or are MUAs may be more interested in testing and purchasing them. I do just enough for these to be relevant for me and to fit my needs.

❤ Lili

Decluttering: Lip Products

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lipcollectionThere comes a time when every makeup lover has to invest in better organizers or scale back on future purchases. I decided to do a little of both! I purchased a 36 slot acrylic lipstick holder and decided that I would only store as many lip products as I could fit on that tray. This meant I had to rifle through my collection and find the items that needed to be given away, sold, or tossed.

Lip Balms

balm1 balm2cThe amount of balms I saved is still excessive but if I had to keep only one it would be the Nuxe Reve de Miel Lip Balm. It creates a barrier which locks in moisture and reduces the appearance of peeling lips better than anything else I’ve tried. It has a hint of a honey scent and it stays matte. I keep this in my purse at all times. I should also note that I kept the Arrow Lip Balm although it isn’t pictured here.

Lip Tints

liptints1 liptints2Every one of the tints I’m keeping were from subscription boxes. My favorite in this category is also the newest. I got it in my Birchbox and it is the TonyMoly Delight Tony Tint. Some people say it doesn’t produce enough color, but it shows very well on my lips. The best part is that the color doesn’t skip! It lasts quite a long time as well.

Lip Glosses

glosses1 glosses2The majority of my glosses were gifts from friends or from subscription boxes. I can’t remember how I got the BareMinerals Marvelous Moxie Lip Gloss in Maverick. It’s a shade I never would have purchased for myself but I’m happy to have it. It’s a brownish pink gloss which looks lovely on my bare lips and on top of light pink lipsticks. In fact, whenever I get a lip product that is too light, I apply Maverick over it to see if it can become more wearable. My favorite glosses are swatched below.

zglossesswaLip Liners

lipliners1liplinerswaSince my lip liners are different shades, I decided to keep them all. I purchased the Palladio liners purely for their affordable price but they’re actually very good! They are also on sale at Ulta fairly often. I prefer the retractable (as opposed to the regular pencil liners) because it’s more convenient.

The Nars lip liners were from Sephora’s free Birthday Pack last year. Because Rikugien has a creamy texture, I enjoy using it all over my lips like a gloss.

Stick and Liquid Lipsticks

liquidlip1 liquidlip2I’m fairly new to the Jeffree Star Velour Liquid Lipstick scene. The only shade I own in the collection is Unicorn Blood which I felt compelled to get as soon as I saw it on NikkiTutorials from Youtube. Unfortunately, I forgot that lip products look different depending on the natural lip color. I still like the shade but not quite as much as how I wish it looked on me.

*UPDATE: This post was before I knew who Jeffree Star was and before I learned about his past controversies.

Tube Lipsticks

lipstick1b lipstick2In the process of reducing my lipstick collection and working on this post this week, I still managed to buy another lipstick!

gwenThis is the only Urban Decay Gwen Stefani Collaboration item that I bought for myself (I bought Spiderweb for a friend and kept Rock Steady).zgwen2

My initial thought is that I like the color but I haven’t worn it enough to give a full review.

Extra swatches: Ravishing REDSzredswa

Extra swatches: Pretty PINKS/CORALzpinksswa

Tutti-Cutie is the only coral color I kept in my collection. As much as I love corals, they’re too light for me to rock comfortably. This one works because the sheer peachy-coral color enhances my lips without becoming too bright.

Another shade that is extremely light for me but still works is the ModelCo lipstick.

Extra swatches: perfect PURPLES/BROWNzberriesswa

Reds were my favorite color range in 2014. In 2015 it was, and still is, the berry family that I favor most. One such favorite is Glam Life from LOC which is an very comfortable matte shade.

Another color which truthfully fits better in the red category, but looks very purple in the tube, is Frank-N-Furter. For the longest time I kept it as a collector’s item but in doing this post I realized I needed to either sell it or use it. No more hoarding! As you can tell, I decided to keep it.

It saddens me to say that one of my favorite natural-looking lipstick shades, Shiraz, is no longer available. Bite Beauty Luminous Crème Lipsticks were discontinued this year in favor of the Amuse Bouche line. On the bright side, I’m crazy for this new release but I will discuss that at the end of this post.

Picking Favorites

top14I was able to narrow my favorites to a Top 14…then 10…

top10ztop10favbMy Top 5 was extremely difficult to select-

top5-but Top 3 was impossible to rank. Below are my favorite 3 lip products in no particular order.

top3Shiseido Lacquer Rouge in Nocturne is just a deluxe size sample but it has lasted me quite a while. It is a flattering and very opaque classic red. It goes on smooth and is long lasting.

zshiseMake Up For Ever Artist Plexi-gloss in 406 Burgundy is a shade I talk about frequently. As demonstrated in swatches further above, the shade and intensity is dependent on how much product is applied. It is an opaque high-shine gloss which I can be seen wearing in several youtube videos, my current youtube channel photo, and my “About Me” photo here.

headshotMy newest favorite to make Top 3 has been kept secret for several months (even in this video)! Now that it has appeared on the Sephora website, I think I’m finally allowed to talk about the Bite Beauty Amuse Bouche Lipstick in Jam. A friend of mine gifted this to me before the official release and I’ve been in love with it as soon as I got it! It is so gorgeous and hydrating with an intense color payoff (almost staining). As a citrus fan, I’m obsessed with the fruity-citrus scent of these new lipsticks. Like the MUFE lipgloss, this also looks slightly different depending on how much is applied. It also differs based on lighting.zbiteamuse

The darker purple is closer to how it looks in person.zbitejam

The full collection isn’t available for purchase yet but I cannot wait until the rest are out! I believe Bite Beauty fans are going to love this formula as much, if not more, as the previous line.

Happy Valentine’s Day!

zlipprint

❤ Lili

Arrow, a New Beauty Brand

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birstufYou may have heard of Birchbox’s first cosmetics line called LOC (Love of Color) which launched in 2015. They partnered with Tati the GlamLifeGuru in their initial release of lip crayons and eyeshadow sticks. This year, Birchbox created their second brand called Arrow, which has nothing to do with the CW Television show or DC comics.

arrowmemeWhat makes this one so special is that all the products in the line are vegan, paraben-free, cruelty-free, and gluten-free.

I purchased the starter kit as soon as it was available on the Birchbox website. Everyone received a $10 off promo code from their December Birchbox and I had 100 points on my account. That means I received this kit plus the mystery pack for only $16!

 ARROW BOOST Color Enhancing Lip Balm

lip1Price: $14

In my early high school years, I was obsessed with mark Glossblossom Ripening Lip Tint. A clear gloss came out of the tube but turned pink on contact with the lips. The ARROW balm brings me the same joy but is prettier and has much better ingredients. To quote the product page, “Formulated to adjust to your unique pH, it enhances each wearer’s natural lip color to create the perfect, just-for-you hue. Nourishing ingredients like mango seed butter hydrate and protect lips, and the lightweight, subtle formulation allows it to go wherever you do…”

I put this on and went about my day, which involved eating, drinking, and licking my lips (the lippie isn’t flavored). The actual balm wore away after a few hours but the color stayed put for the rest of the night! And since my lips weren’t dried out, I didn’t feel the need to reapply. I was very impressed by the performance of this balm and it has become a new favorite! It brings out the natural pink in my lips!

drylip

ARROW REVIVE Cooling Cheek Tint

cheek3Price: $18

This line caters to people on the go, and this is why the creators decided to put this cheek stain in a clickable pen with a brush. The concept is smart but the packaging…

Pros: The actual cheek stain is fantastic quality. It glides over the skin, is buildable, and long lasting. The formula isn’t sticky. It comes in two colors: Pink Punch and Berry Flush. The one I bought is Berry Flush. It can be used under the ARROW lip balm for a bolder lip shade. It does feel comfortably cool on the skin. When it comes to the actual stain, I love it!

Cons: On the first day I used this, I only clicked until a tiny dot was visible on the brush.

noclickclickThat tiny dot grew to the size of a nickel which is way more product than necessary. Part of my Instagram photo (pictured above where I listed the price) shows how much came out from holding it upside down for just a few seconds. I chalked it up to first time use, wiped the tip of the brush until it was clean, then put it in my blush drawer.

The next day I opened the cap to find this.

insideAgain, I thought it was a fluke and wiped the top but I noticed it continued to pump out gel without any clicks at all. I put it on the counter in the upright position and it continued to come out. That’s when I realized there must be a problem with the inner mechanism of my product. I don’t know if it happens to be just my pen, or if all the cheek tints are like this.

I continued wiping until the pen went a solid ten minutes without leaking. That’s when I tried my last test. Whereas my other pen products only require 2-3 clicks, this one needs at least 6 before it starts to drip. And it drips at a snail’s pace. The drip is far too slow to be practical. So then it takes an additional 3 or more to get a tiny dot. By that point, the same overflow issue happened again. I took a five minute video to show the progression of the leak. Some stills are below.

zoom1zoom2zoom3zoom4zoom5This is a very big issue for someone on-the-go to deal with a cap full of blush stain. Where should they put the excess product? That style of brush is good for packing on color, which isn’t what most would want to do with a stain. So the packaging is a fail but the actual gel was worth saving for me. So I took one of my sample jars and clicked out all the remaining product.

fullstainI don’t know how long my little jar will last me before it potentially dries out but if I kept it in the pen, I wouldn’t use it anyway. Now, it’s exclusively a lip brush!

endARROW PROTECT Aluminum-Free Deodorant

deo2 Price: $9

Finding the right deodorant is a very individual experience. Some sweat more than others. Some produce stronger odors. Unfortunately, I require heavy duty deodorant. So when I say that I went two hours with solid protection but needed to reapply after 3-4 hours, that happens to be my personal experience with it.

Less subjective comments about this deodorant is that it looks clear in the tube and applies clear as well under the arms. It’s made without alcohol and aluminum. It does have a fragrance which reminds me of an Arnold Palmer beverage, which I love. The actual notes are pink grapefruit, mint leaf, ginger flower, and sea spray.

I should also note that it’s the same size as the $8 travel size of LAVANILA. I like the scent of the ARROW deodorant better, although the actual performance is nearly identical.

deoARROW Makeup Bag

bagPrice: $12

My bag smelled like a mix of chemicals and gasoline. I’m accustomed to Ipsy’s bags occasionally smelling like this, so I immediately put it in a corner to air out. It should take several days before the smell dissipates. I believe it comprises of a vinyl water-resistant material. One could easily find a larger, cuter, and cheaper makeup pouch but the water-resistance is what this bag really has going for it.

There are additional products coming to the Arrow line. The one I’m most excited about is the facial mist, since I’m looking for something which can replace my beloved Aloe Water Mist from The Skin House. Overall, I am still happy with my purchase. The Arrow lip balm is a sample choice option for February’s Birchbox, so you could potentially try it for yourself if you’re a Birchbox subscriber!

❤ Lili

Note: The link provided is a referral link, not an affiliate link. This is not a sponsored review.

Beautylish Lucky Bag 2016

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BL1WHAT IS IT?

Beautylish is an online retailer which I use to purchase from overseas brands like Wayne Goss and Chikuhodo. They have an annual grab bag where you spend a specified amount of money and receive full size items worth an even greater retail value. This year, the bags were $80 ($75 plus $5 shipping) with the promise of at least $150 worth of products. Canadians had an extra duties fee, making their total $95.

If you hadn’t heard about these bags, I would not be surprised. It never made the front page of their website. On Dec 22nd, Beautylish’s email subscribers were sent a link to sign up for early access. I am subscribed under two different emails, and ironically it was the account I did not sign up on which was sent the purchase page link. I was informed by a few other beauty lovers that they did not receive the email either.

IS IT WORTH IT?

$80 is a lot of money to spend blindly on beauty products. It may not work with the buyer’s complexion or skin type. They could get products they don’t use or products they already own. I keep a list of items I’m saving money to purchase. So I had to decide whether or not I would be happier just buying a Viseart palette outright, or two $40 items I’m guaranteed to enjoy. I compared the Lucky Bags from 2015 and instead of a random sampling, last year’s participants had to choose between a Natural, Bold, or Makeup Artist themed bag. With the exception of the MUA bag (the first to be sold out), I was not impressed with what I saw. However, Beautylish is a company that strives to make their customers happy and I was willing to bet the 2016 edition would be much better.

gambleWHAT DID YOU GET?

BL1bBenjabelle Tulip Brush Tree

bl3bbl3cbl3Price: $24.95

Last year, I bought myself a brush tree dupe from Walmart and since then I’d been considering getting a second one. Now, I don’t have to and it’s such a cute shape! Drying brushes flat on their side is good but I find that hanging them upside down works best.bl3d

Charlotte Tilbury LTE Luxury Palette in Fallen Angel

bl8bl8b2Price: $65

I’ve been itching to try Charlotte Tilbury products but the price deterred me. I’m always looking for deals and CT is a brand I only see at full price. The other Luxury Palettes are $52, but because this one has limited edition shades and packaging, it’s even pricier. I only received my bag two days ago, so I would like to play with these shadows longer before I make a judgment but I really like them. The colors are beautiful but I would have to pair them with another palette if I wanted to create a look that really pops.

bl8cCTeyesb

The lightest color is under the brow and on the inner corner. The lid is a mixture of both lighter colors. The brown shade is in the crease and I added a touch of black on the outer corner.

CTeyescI love this shimmery neutral look!

Kevyn Aucoin The Creamy Glow in Patrice

bl6bl6bPrice: $26

A huge percentage of buyers received either a KA blush or bronzer. I don’t wear bronzer so I feel lucky that I got a blush. Patrice appears to be the only shade in the collection that I could pull off, so I was relieved to see that one in my bag. I am a fan of the KA brand so this was another hit for me. The way it blends reminds me of the Make Up For Ever HD blushes, but I do think I prefer MUFE’s over this one. It is still nice though.

bl6cIt Cosmetics Universal Brow Pencil

bl7bl7bPrice: $24

Again, I was glad to see this over the mascara option because I have a box full of unopened mascaras but I only own one brow product. This twist-up pencil is supposed to work for everyone. It is a cool toned shade that creates a shadow under the hair which makes the brows appear filled without adding additional color. At least that’s been the result for me.bl7cI consider myself a brow beginner so this product is actually perfect for me. I wasn’t as precise as I could have been when testing this out, but it takes a lot of effort to overdo it haha. I can see myself using this for everyday looks!

Becca Ever-Matte Poreless Priming Perfector

bl5Price: $36

I’ll reserve this primer as something to gift a friend. I have heard great things about this product for those with combination/oily skin. Because mine is dry, I can achieve and keep a matte face quite easily. Testing this out myself would be a waste so I’m keeping this unopened.

Bioderma Sébium H2O

BL2Price: $6.95

This is a stock photo from the beautylish website. The one I received is bubble-wrapped and I’m keeping it that way for a friend who could use this. I love Bioderma and already have 1.25 liters worth of the Sensibio version, so it would be a waste for me to try out this one.

WHAT COULD YOU HAVE GOTTEN?

Based on what I have seen on Instagram #luckybag2016 I’ve compiled this list. It is not 100% comprehensive as I’m sure I missed a few.

Bioderma: Sensibio and Sebium

It Cosmetics: Universal brow, Mascara, Pores no More

Becca: Backlight Primer, Ever-Matte, The One Perfecting Brush, Undereye concealer, Shimmering Skin Perfectors (Pressed, Poured, Liquid), Ombre Eyes Palette

Kevyn Aucoin: Blush, Bronzer, Eye Pigment

Charlotte Tilbury: Eyeshadow Palettes, Lip Pouch, Filmstar (Bronze & Glow and Killer Cheekbones), Charlotte Tilbury x Norman Parkinson Items

Benjabelle: Brush Tree

Beautylish Gift Cards: $20

Wayne Goss: 05 Brush, Brow Set

Chikuhodo: Sakura Set (VERY FEW)

Natasha Denona: Eyeshadow Palettes

TooFaced: Eyeshadow Palettes (Natural Eyes, Sugar Pop, Chocolate Bar, Boudoir Eyes)

Viseart: All Eyeshadow Palettes

rms: lip2cheek, eyeshadow

Glamglow: cleansers and treatments

Nudestix: (something in a case)

By Terry: Gold Baume de Rose Parure

Bliss: Lean Machine (VERY FEW), hand cream, spray, cleansing milk, 15-minute facial, cooling gel

Sugarpill: False Lashes

Jeffrey Star: Lip Scrubs, Velour Liquid Lipsticks

Korres: Lip Butter, Black Pine cream, Sleeping Facial

Anastasia Beverly Hills: Self Made Palette

FINAL THOUGHTS?

blgbsmallerBeautylish sent out prestigiously branded, high quality items. Many of them are best sellers! The total retail price of my bag is $182.90 but it is only as valuable as the products I can actually use. Since my favorite items would have cost $140, the $60 savings is something I am extremely happy with! That being said, I’m not sure if I will take the gamble in 2017. The number of items I saw on Instagram which I already have made me feel like it was pure luck I got products I’ve never owned. If I had a guarantee that my account profile photo would ensure that I don’t get complexion products too light for me or bronzers I couldn’t use, then I would sign up in a heartbeat!

But let’s be real…the lure of potentially getting another fantastic bag will make me participate again next year. 🙂

❤ Lili

Too Faced Vegas Nay Stardust Palette

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mainstarvnayThis Ulta Exclusive is really a pack because it includes a mini Better than Sex mascara, Shadow Insurance Eyeshadow Primer, 6 tutorial cards, and Glamour Dust loose pigment. cardsfrontcardsbackThe extras are worth at least $18 at the most competitive pricing. This puts the palette itself at around $27. I think the Stardust palette is worth the price although there are some major flaws, depending on your preferences.

Row 1

1Star1starsChandelier looks stark white on my hand but I was surprised to see it wasn’t too light to use as a highlight shade. It looks completely matte but upon closer inspection in the pan, it has a little shimmer. Millennial is a peachy tan matte shade which I also find works nicely as a highlight shade. Girl’s Night is a rust colored matte shadow and a little inconsistent in swatches. Sometimes it comes off as a little more orange, or more red. At times the brown looks in a way I can only describe as “dirty” and other times it’s bright.

girlsnightI still like this as a transition color, although it can be tricky to make each eye the same shade when using it. All three of these are well pigmented, blendable, and soft in texture.

Row 2

2Star2starsb#selfie is essentially Chandelier with much more shimmer and a metallic finish. Showgirl is another metal and the most impressive shadow in the palette. It’s a beautiful golden shade with a smooth texture, well pigmented, and no fallout. Jackpot is a deep brown with gold glitter and good pigmentation but the amount of kick up is the worst of any palette I’ve ever owned. JackpotFailIt’s one step away from being a loose pigment. Jackpot, The Strip, and Golden Nugget are the eyeshadows with the loosest formulation.

Row 3

3Star3starsThis is the least exciting row for me. Pink Pearl is a pale pink with slight purple tones and minimal fallout. The Strip is the color that made me realize just how similar these light shades are. lightsIn the pan, The Strip looks like someone mixed #selfie, Pink Pearl, and a ton of glitter. If you apply your foundation and concealer before doing your eye makeup, I hope you have the best glue-like shadow primer to keep the fallout away. lidandinnerright eyeI wear contact lenses so this shade is particularly nightmarish because of how easy it is to get glitter in my eyes. I used it as an inner corner and lid color for two of the suggestion cards and it looked like no pigment, just sparkle.

Insta-Star

InstaStarbComment Queen

CommentQueenI was afraid to put The Strip on the inner corner again, so I put #selfie instead. The strip is on the lid though.

Jackpot is messy but at least it shows up on my skin, unlike this one. Even with a pencil brush, the inner corner looks messy. Follow Me is a pretty violet purple shade with only minor fallout. I haven’t experimented with this shadow as much as the others but I imagine I can use it for the same purpose as Sugared Violet from the Too Faced Sugar Pop palette.

Row 4

4Star4starsI can’t tell if the shimmer on Double Tap is supposed to be there or if it’s just glitter from another shadow, especially because it looks mostly matte in swatches. It’s a burgundy shade with dark brown tones. I wish there was more purple in it, because when I apply on my eyes, I only see brown with a touch of red. It’s the lid color in my custom eye look photo.

Custom

TFVNCustom I use both Double Tap and Girl’s Night as crease colors or for the outer V, and I don’t see an instance when using one would be better than the other. If Double Tap was a truer burgundy, I wouldn’t feel like this shade is redundant.

browntonesGolden Nugget is a stunning yellow gold color but that beauty is spoiled by the same fallout-heavy formulation as The Strip. Too Faced makes a glitter insurance primer and considering how many of these shades perform like loose pigments (plus the inclusion of the glamour dust) I have no idea why they didn’t include that as the mini primer instead. In my custom eye look, I tried to use Gold Nugget as an inner corner shade but nothing stuck to my eyes. I attempted to use water and it was still unsatisfactory. This eyeshadow was one of biggest reasons I wanted this palette, so I am willing to try switching to my usual primer (Lorac) to see if it will work better. Sin City is a matte black (when glitter from other shades don’t get into it). It’s soft and blendable. I do wish it was more intense, but it’s still darker than Licorice from my Too Faced Semi-Sweet Chocolate Bar Palette.

I kept pushing back the date of this post because I wanted to ensure I tested this thoroughly and gave this palette a fair review. Despite having this for 6 weeks, I haven’t tried every possibility. I could buy another primer and see if it yields better results. I know that using a finger in swatches held the pigment better in place, so I could apply the sparkly lid colors with my finger in the future. I could use all the colors wet to see if they would adhere more intensely and stay put, but for the time being, I have no more desire to try and make this palette work. Not when I have the Vice 4 which is better formulated and has more variety.

❤ Lili