Category Archives: Makeup

Lisa Eldridge Lip Product Collection and Reviews

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Not pictured, but included in the review, are Lisa’s new balms and newer lip pencil.

I don’t know how my lip collection from this brand grew to be so large, considering I’m pretty basic when it comes to what I use on my lips. Lisa Eldridge just has a knack for making everything sound glorious and I can’t help but be curious, even about products that don’t typically suit my makeup preferences. Today, I’ll show all the lippies I own from Lisa Eldridge, discuss my experience, and reveal which line is my favorite.

It figures that I would have this review ready to go, only to find out five days prior to the publish/posting date that Lisa Eldridge would be launching a new lip balm line. So, I decided to postpone this review until I could add the additional items.

Velveteen Liquid Lip Colour in Muse

I appreciate that this is a liquid lipstick that doesn’t feel like every bit of moisture gets sucked out of my lips. I agree with the brand that it doesn’t crumble or get chalky, and I guess it’s technically smudge-proof, but it’s definitely not budge-proof for me. The color clings very well to my lips, but it still transfers. That being said, it was good enough for me to wear on my wedding day in combination with other lip products.
It layers well between applications. The dry down color is a bit darker than how it first looks when applied, but that works in my favor since I would not be able to wear other iterations of the shade Muse because (based on model photos) it appears too light to look flattering on me. Overall, this Velveteen Liquid Lip line isn’t for me, but I don’t regret getting one to try out. I continue to use it periodically.

True Velvet Lip Colour in Velvet Sorcery and Velvet Affair

I reviewed one of these before, and my opinion hasn’t changed. The True Velvets are comfortable feeling all day, which is an achievement for matte lipsticks, and quite a bit is able to linger on the lips after a meal. However, despite it not giving me the sensation of feeling like my lips are getting dried, my lips are still sensitive enough that they get a tad drier after wearing them. The various colors are pretty and they stay put on the lips so that lip liner isn’t technically necessary. However, I recognize that this isn’t the right formula for my skin type nor preferences. The Luxurious Lucent line is though.

Enhance and Define Lip Pencil in Sorcery

Sorcery’s Lip Pencil is a bit lighter than the lipstick, which is an interesting choice. This comes from the Enhance and Define line, as opposed to the newer Sculpt & Shade lip pencils. I have to say that I had such a hard time sharpening this one. My Nars sharpener, which hasn’t given me issues with any other pencil, nearly destroyed this one. It constantly kept making sharp edges and never smoothed out no matter what I tried. In order for this pencil to be usable to me, I had to buy the Charlotte Tilbury sharpener. I was happy that I could finally sharpen this thing properly. Of course, I had no idea that a mere few weeks after buying the CT sharpener, the brand would release a new line of pencils that come with a sharpener. I can confirm that the Lisa Eldridge sharpener does also work for the pencils in this line. Thank goodness!

I like the way this pencil glides smoothly around my lips, but then quickly becomes budgeproof and waterproof. The sharpening problem really turned me off to this product because it was unusable for so long. However, I now like it enough again that I considered buying more. The main reason I don’t is because I prefer my Coloured Raine lip pencils and would rather save the money for something else from the brand that’s more unique of a product. It’s easy to get a nice lip liner from plenty of companies.

Sculpt & Shade Lip Pencil in 3W

My, how things can change in a matter of weeks! In the previous paragraph, I said I would hold off on buying more lip pencils from the brand, but here I am updating this post! So, I purchased this right after watching Lisa’s YouTube video showcasing the Baume Embraces. I figured, let’s just put this curiosity to bed.

I had assumed the formula between this pencil and the previous line of pencils were different based on the Sculpt and Shade pencils looking like standard wood ones and coming with a sharpener versus the Enhance and Define having a gel formula. I can say now that this one feels less dry on the lips and I can achieve a blurred soft-matte look to my lips, but it’s not budgeproof. I had it on for about fifteen minutes and then rubbed my finger across it. Even though it didn’t completely wipe away, it still smeared. It’s a formula that can survive even through eating one meal, but it’s more prone to being moved around than the Enhance & Define ones due to it’s more moisturizing formula. When I did a swatch comparison on my arm to test how easy or not they stay put, the Enhance & Define swatch was way more difficult to remove even with Micellar water.

Having tried both lines, I like how well the Sculpt and Shade pencils blend into other lip colors and I like the natural tones, but I prefer the spreading ease and smudge-resistant nature of the Enhance & Define Lip Pencils instead. However, if I want to fill in my lips completely before adding another lip product on top, the Sculpt and Shade formula is kinder to my dry lips. I can use them both, but if I had to only choose one, it would be the Enhance & Define.

Luxuriously Lucent Lip Colour in Meet Me in Berlin, Spirited Away, and Painterly

This is one of my favorite lip lines from Lisa Eldridge and the one I’m constantly tempted to purchase more of! For starters, it’s moisturizing. It feels good on the lips. I like shiny/satin lipsticks, so the finish is right up my alley. It’s not that I’m interested in sheer lipsticks per say. I like the kind that deposit color that soak into my lips and doesn’t have the color sitting on top of my lips. It’s hard to explain. It’s as if I applied a lip stain to my lips that got soaked up, but then added a shiny balm on top. Normal lip stains or tints dry out my lips too much though, which is why some semi-sheer/buildable color lipsticks are what I prefer to use to achieve this type of look. Often times, if something is colorful with a balmy texture, it has trouble showing enough of that color on naturally more pigmented lips like mine. There usually isn’t enough color in the balm itself. With the Luxuriously Lucent Lip Colours, they’re pigmented enough to look like separate distinct shades on my lips with some of my natural color peeking under. It’s the “your lips but better” type of situation on me. And though it’s emollient, it isn’t so much that it smears everywhere. There’s still a little grip to it on the lips.
They remind me of the Urban Decay Vice Lipsticks in the sheer formula I used to be crazy about before they were discontinued.

I should note that after about five hours, it loses most of its shine and then starts to feel a bit drier from then onward, but it’s still comfortable to wear. It goes from looking like a strongly colored balm to a traditional creamy lipstick finish.

I’m continually tempted to buy the shade Rose Official to complete my collection (out of what’s currently available), but I fear it might be too similar to Spirited Away on me. Plus, I’d like to get more use out of the three I currently have, so I’m holding off.

Gloss Embrace Lip Gloss in Rain and Blush

The two shades I purchased have been categorized as “light natural pigment level,” which explains why they look so similar just with different undertones. There are currently six glosses that have stronger opacity levels than mine.
I purchased Blush first, but realized that a shade with a warmer undertone would look more flattering on me, which is why I purchased Rain.

These live up to the claim of being nourishing, as it’s a bit like a makeup-lip care hybrid or a lip oil and gloss hybrid. It leaves a sealed hydration effect on the lips, even after the top layer of the gloss is gone. They’re not super sticky, but they aren’t all that lightweight either. I don’t forget that I’m wearing it while it’s on. I reviewed one of these before in December of 2022, and since that time I have found colorful glosses that are slightly more conditioning (like Suqqu’s Treatment Wrapping Lip and Too Faced’s Hangover Pillow Balms) or both conditioning and glossier, such as the Ami Colé Lip Treatment Oil. The Ami Colé ones specifically are why I stopped buying the Gloss Embrace, but I can at least vouch for these being nice and that I still use them from time to time.

Baume Embrace Melting Lip Colour in Sweet Fig and Red Curve

And now for the newest release! As I mentioned in the Luxuriously Lucent Lip Section, I like having color on my lips if I can still get moisturizing benefits and have not be fussy with the color sliding all around. Tinted balms usually don’t have enough pigment in them to show up as a different color on my lips, so I was extremely curious to try out this formula. Lip care is even more important to me than showing color because of how sensitive my lips are to drying out. I sometimes use the Lisa Eldridge Treatment Cleanser as a mask for my lips, and have wished I could keep that product on my lips for an extended amount of time (it doesn’t cling to well enough to be able to wear it like Vaseline or something). Considering this product has Meadowfoam Seed Oil that’s also used in the cleanser, plus different butters that work fairly well for my lips, I was too impatient to wait for reviews and felt compelled to buy them right away.

I wore these every day for a week, and I’m quite pleased! I bought Sweet Fig to have as a “my lips but better” option, which turned out exactly as I hoped. I rarely wear a bold red lip, and the ability to have the barest tinge of red using Red Curve was super appealing to me. I love how it looks in a light layer! When it’s built up, it’s like a warmer version of Tarte’s Maracuja Juicy Lip Balm in the shade Strawberry. They both look beautiful paired with Lisa’s lip pencils.

The consistency is even more balmy than how the Luxuriously Lucent Lip Colours feel. It’s more moisturizing, hydrating, and shinier. The shine lasts longer. The color takes a minimal amount of pursing of the lips and working it in to look smooth and even. I was impressed how nicely it looked, even in swatches, without needing to blend it by rubbing back and forth with a finger or lip brush. It’s nowhere near splotchy like Fenty’s Cream Gloss Bomb formula or Tarte’s. I am very glad that even when I wear a light layer, the product lasts on my lips until my next meal. If I wear it before bed, it is gone by morning, but at least the hydrated effects continue and I wake up with less peeling/chapped lips than usual. It’s not the most moisturizing product in my collection, but it does a great job. Plus, it’s the most color in a product I’ve been able to get on my lips without dealing with dryness that usually eventually comes with it. An even better bonus is that my husband, who hates kissing me when I’m wearing sticky or creamy lip products, admitted he didn’t mind it when I wore the Baume Embraces! He’s happy that even though it transfers, it’s sheer enough to not be noticeable on his lips, and that it’s not sticky or wet feeling (at least not in the amount I use).
If I take sips of my drink repeatedly and have only worn a light layer, or if I’m extra dehydrated, I have to pack on many more layers for it to last a long time before requiring a normal amount to reapply with.

These balms don’t contain fragrance, but the ingredients used have their own natural smell which is mild and pleasant (light Shea Butter smell plus the tiniest bit fruity).*

*UPDATE DECEMBER 12, 2024: I just wanted to include the note that five months after I started using these, the nice natural scent turned into a “makeupy” smell. It smells like a waxy lipstick, which is not as pleasant as before, but I try to ignore it because of how much I like the formula.


The components of the balms are longer, but skinnier, and contain a little less product than the normal lipstick tubes. It closes with a click instead of magnets. Some people don’t like this change, but I theorize that the tradeoff for having a slightly less expensive tube is getting the more skincare-rich lip product. Skincare formulas tend to be more costly than makeup formulas. I imagine adding more skincare to the line, for nearly the same price, required cutting packaging costs. The metallic gold still feels substantial and not cheap, so I don’t mind the change. I can’t pretend it’s not still expensive for a balm though. In my case, with my lips being so temperamental, I don’t regret these purchases at all. Once the brand expands the range, I might be in trouble wanting to buy them all!

I held off on posting this review not only to include the newest purchases, but also because I heard of a product that’s supposed to be very similar to these Baume Embraces. However, they didn’t arrive until two and a half days ago, so I need more time to test them. From the first impression, they’re not a close enough dupe. So, I decided to save that comparison for another time.

My holy grail lip product right now are the Ami Cole lip oils. They condition my lips better than these balms, but this is still a good product and one I will use a lot more since my hubby prefers these. That doesn’t mean I will stop using the Ami Cole product, just that the Lisa Eldridge balm is a nice compromise if I don’t want to wipe off my lip product before I see him.

I feel it’s too soon to decide if I like the Baume Embraces more than the Luxuriously Lucent Lip Colours. I can at least say this is a favorite from the brand. It feels like the answer to me wanting a more moisturizing version of a Lucent, and with more control in building up the color as well!

It has long been debated whether high end and luxury lipsticks are worth buying over drugstore options. I believe that the packaging (in color, weight, magnetic closure, etc), bespoke components (like the lipstick bullet designs), and ingredients justify the prices of these lipsticks, balms, and glosses. I’m not as certain about the lip pencils though.

It’s no surprise that the Luxuriously Lucent Lip Colours and Baume Embraces are my favorites, but I believe everything from Lisa Eldridge’s line has objectively good quality and performance. It’s just a question of whether the brand carries something that suits your particular needs and that can’t be found elsewhere. Only you can answer that one!

By now, there is only one Lisa Eldridge lip formula I haven’t tried: Insanely Saturated Lip Colours. I don’t believe this line is intended for me, so I have continued to skip it.

Thank you for reading!

-Lili ❤

Oden’s Eye Palette Ranking

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Not pictured above, but will be included in the rankings, is the Stone and Rock Palette.

I unofficially started an eyeshadow ranking series for the brands whose palettes I own the most of in my collection. So far, I’ve done this with Pat Mcgrath Labs and Huda Beauty. Today, we’ll be doing it with one of my top ten favorite eyeshadow brands: Oden’s Eye.

From Best to “Worst” the ranking is as follows:

  1. Merry Christmas
  2. Red Dragon
  3. Urd
  4. Christmas Eve
  5. Norn’s
  6. Hela
  7. Hummingbird
  8. Giant Wolves
  9. Flora Story
  10. Trick or Treat
  11. Stone and Rock
  12. Solmane II
  13. Cat’s Breath

Each of the thirteen above (excluding #11) are linked to their previous reviews. I did many eyeshadow looks already, so anyone looking for that kind of inspiration specifically can click there.

I’d also like to note that even though there has to be something that falls in the worst category, the quality of these palettes is so good that I don’t hate any of them. #13 is there purely for preference reasons, and if I had to assign a grade for #12 in the USA grading system, it would be within the B- range, which is still quite good.

Disclosure: I am not affiliated with this brand/company. All opinions are my own and every palette was purchased by me with my own money. The links in this specific post are regular non-affiliated ones.

Top Three

I mentioned in my October 2022 low buy series what my top four were, and my thoughts haven’t changed. For a while, numbers one and two were nearly tied, but by now I have solidified my opinion on how they rate for me.

Merry Christmas Palette (Original Release Holiday 2022)

Because I typically use this palette in conjunction with Clionadh singles, I didn’t have many eye looks showcasing using this palette by itself, so I decided to add some here.

Looking at the state of my palette, it’s clear that I reach for specific shades mainly: the entire first row, Snow Man, Best Wish, Little Star, Gingerbread, Happy Ending, and Santa Star. The greens, duochromes, and neutrals in here allow me to create some of my all time favorite looks. Colors like Best Wish aren’t prevalent in my collection, so I have some unique options, and the palette layout’s color combinations inspire me. In addition, this is the brand’s best quality with no duds. The number of times the brand had to bring this and the Christmas Eve palette back is a testament to how good they are and why they’re so sought after.

In the purple eye look photo, you’ll notice I have a purple matte in the crease that I created using a blue and red shadow. That’s one of the things I love about Oden’s Eye, that their shadows are so blendable and layer well with each other, that I can do certain tricks to get even more use out of this palette. I really can’t stress enough how much this palette inspires me and how often I think about using it, even while testing other palettes and wishing I could incorporate some of the shades into whatever eye look I’m creating at the time.

I don’t think I ever want to have to rank my entire eyeshadow collection, but I know that if I did, this palette would place within the top ten. I don’t know where exactly it would fall on that list, but it would be somewhere among the cream of the crop!

Red Dragon (Legendary Diversa Group 1 Round 1 w/Judy)

Considering the number of beautiful greens, neutrals, and specialness of the duochromes that make up this palette, it’s no surprise why this was such a close contender for first place. I don’t care so much for Fire or Dragon, but everything else is a color I continually reach into this palette for. I’m a colorful eyeshadow lover at heart, and this palette gives me soft and more toned down colors than the Merry Christmas palette, which is why it took second place. It’s my dream version of a neutral palette, but slightly less inspiring. I can name a lot of other neutral palettes (or neutral palettes with pops of color) that I love, so it’s the shimmers in particular that helps this one stand out from the pack. Solar Flare is a particularly stunning shadow, and I really like Luna as well.

The quality is once again top notch. It’s not a perfectly performing palette since Aurora is still hard to layer with the other shadows and if I don’t want the look to be too soft, it takes some time building up the mid-tone shades. However, softness is a preference thing which could make the palette closer to perfection for someone else than it was for me.

The Urd Mini Palette (Norn’s Collection)

Following the theme, I love greens and I like having a neutral shade in the crease or to deepen up/add smokiness to the look (which is fulfilled by Past). This is why this palette is in third place. I love the shimmer level of Luxury and the tone of that dark green. Nostalgia is the kind of murky green I like, similar to Matcha Cookies in the Merry Christmas Palette and Jade from Red Dragon. I’m not usually one who likes pastels, but Memory works well. I rarely use the shades in the center, but they are additional options.
At one point, this was my most used Oden’s Eye palette that I enjoyed bringing along while traveling. This was my ultimate small mini green palette for years until it got upstaged by the Natasha Denona Mini Gold palette. Since I got Mini Gold, I rarely use Urd anymore.

Because I can technically get a similar look from the two previously discussed Oden’s Eye palettes, and those other ones have extra shade options, I had to rank them higher. Also, the quality of Urd is very good considering this is technically the brand’s “older” formula. Their newer formula is a bit softer and a touch easier to blend.

Christmas Eve (Original Release Holiday 2022)

At first glance, this doesn’t look like the kind of palette I should like because of the number of cool toned shadows, especially the blues. However, something about the arrangement of the colors is very inspiring. It still has a green and some neutrals to appeal to me, but it also has those stunning golds and purples. This is the palette I think of in the rare instance that I actually want to incorporate some blue into my looks because I’m more likely to use deep blue or duochromatic ones, both of which this palette has to offer. When I feel like I’m wearing too much of the same look, I have this palette to break me out of that.

Again, the quality of this and the Merry Christmas palette have yet to be topped by any other Oden’s Eye palette. This is why, despite it not being my usual preference in colors, it deserves to be in the highest percentile for the quality. Because I use the Natasha Denona Mini Gold palette more than the Urd palette, it left room for Christmas Eve to be more used by now than Urd!

Norn’s (Norn’s Collection)

This is a bit nostalgic because it’s the color story that enticed me to try Oden’s Eye products in the first place. It’s no surprise that I like it considering the whole bottom row of duochromes, it having Pink Chameleon as a multichrome, there being greens, purples, and neutrals. It has so much of what I love, which is ironically a partial hindrance. It’s easy enough to mix colors with neutrals, but if I want to use two different color families or a two-tone look, these colors don’t all go together. I’ve done blue-purple looks and red-orange looks, which sound like they should work, but I didn’t like how they turned out. In addition, even though there are many colors I like, if I want to do a monochrome look there aren’t enough purples to complete it the way I would want it to look (unless I do some mixing like the photos seen below). For my green looks, I’m missing a midtone green shade. As sparkly and pretty as Amber Palace is, I’d prefer a smoother and less flaky gold shadow so I could use it in my inner corner. So, I love the colors and it’s a good quality palette, but it is a bit challenging to think up cohesive looks in the beginning. By now, I’ve used it enough times that I have my go-to looks for this palette.

Also, even though it doesn’t look the most used, it’s simply a matter of needing to test other palettes and being unable to use this more due to time restraints. This is not a palette I’ve ever forgotten and at least every few months I say to myself, “I should use Norn’s again.” For all these reasons, it had to rank highly.
I even bought the updated formula so I could have it here when I moved! That’s why I chose to do eye looks below in order to test the quality and make sure that I liked it as much as the old one, if not better. Thankfully, it is a little bit of an upgrade, though Outsider is still not the easiest to blend.

Hela (Oden’s Eye x Angelica Nyqvist Round 1)

This palette has greens, but they lean a lot more yellow or blue toned than standard greens, which makes them less my preference. However, they’re still pretty. Goddess is a shade I rarely use, but in combination with the other shades, I’ve been able to make some really pretty looks. This color story makes me think partly outside the box and partly within my comfort zone, which I can at times appreciate. Angie intended for Hela to benefit both color and neutral lover’s alike, and I think she succeeded in that. It explains why this palette appeals to me so much, though I can get intimidated by the color story and sometimes don’t want to rise to the challenge in coming up with a look. The quality is fantastic, but because it’s 50/50 whether I want to use this palette or reach for another one instead, it’s place in the middle of the pack seems about right.

Hummingbird (Legendary Diversa Group 1 Round 1 w/Tina)

Visually, this palette stands out the most and is what I consider the “fun” one. It’s colorful and tropical with that beautiful multichrome called Fancy. I don’t choose this palette as often as the others because a fourth of these shades are blues, which I rarely use, and I don’t like how the Star Apple shade is formulated and looks on my eyes. It’s the only eyeshadow that is time consuming to blend, whereas all the other shades are really great quality. While I appreciate the vibrancy of the shadows, it’s hard for me to use this as a standalone palette. This is a major factor as to how I like it so much, and why I recall it so fondly in my memory, yet it still managed to rank at 7th place. I think a palette like this is useful to have in one’s collection, even as a companion palette. However, if I’m ranking things based on each palette’s own merits, I can’t position it any higher.

Giant Wolves (Legendary Diversa Group 1 Round 1 w/Annette)

To this day, I still have mixed feelings about this palette. The quality is fantastic, minus Hati which was the shade that needed to be repressed because it was impossible to get product out of that pan. This color story is appealing to me visually, but not as much to actually use. I’ve been able to make interesting and pretty looks in the past, but they’re a bit edgier than I’m into now. The top row and Desolate are the main reasons I reach for this palette, but I just keep using Merry Christmas or Red Dragon’s greens instead and forget I also have green options in this one. If I want a bright pink, I reach for the Hela palette instead of Ablaze. I don’t want those blues in the bottom row and I have plenty of grungy greens like Antipode by now.

The first four shades in this palette are similar to what’s in the Stone and Rock palette, but I can at least say I’d choose to use Giant Wolves’ version over Stone and Rock. I still like Desolate more than Cheer, and Sköll is like a way more exciting version of Splendid as a deep plummy blue-purple duochrome rather than dark gunmetal.
So, although this palette is a little less unique, it’s still different enough to be worth keeping. I don’t think I’ll be getting much more use out of the palette, but I’m not ready to give up on it just yet.

Flora Story (Legendary Diversa Group 2 Round 1 w/Amanda)

The eyeshadows in this palette feel a little different from the brands other eyeshadow formulas I’m used to, and this could be at the request of Amanda/MakeupJustForFun who Oden’s Eye collaborated with on this palette. I discussed this palette and each shade at great length in the original review. To sum it up, this palette is full of soft tones that are still pigmented. The textures are a bit different, the two matte greens look similar on my eyes, and Orchid isn’t formulated in the way that I’d like in terms of how it appears on the eyes.

As I started working on this blog draft, I realized that the eye looks I created in the Merry Christmas palette are just a warmer version of the looks I created for my Flora Story review. One of the things I praised this palette for in the past is that it added something different to my Oden’s Eye collection, but since I figured out how to recreate those looks, it dropped down to 9th place. I also would have said I’d keep reaching for this palette in the future, but I have my doubts now. I don’t think I’ll be bringing it back to Germany with me.

Trick or Treat (Oden’s Eye x Angelica Nyqvist Round 2)

This is a nice performing palette, even better quality (in my opinion) than the Flora Story palette. The only reason it’s ranking this low is because the colors I like in here are close to some of the shades in the Merry Christmas palette, but in the tones I prefer less. Because I have the Merry Christmas palette in a color scheme more my style, I will reach for that over this one every single time which makes this almost pointless to have in my collection. Admittedly, I wanted it for the palette artwork on the cover, plus to support Angie after certain individuals were being unnecessarily mean rather than constructive about this holiday release. I won’t get into it here as I harped on it quite a bit in my original review. There are some pretty shades in here, but I’m more confused rather than inspired by this color story. Since I prefer the Merry Christmas palette, I don’t see myself using this again unless something happens to my Luxury shade from the Urd palette. Then Crypt Keeper could be a substitute.

Stone and Rock Palette

There are so many Oden’s Eye palettes with phenomenal greens in them, which is why I only allowed myself to purchase this one if it went on sale during Black Friday (which it did and so I had it shipped to Germany). I thought that this would become my go-to green palette, but once I saw how they looked on my skin, I realized these aren’t the tones of greens that I love.
Madness, Exuberance, and High Spirits are right up my alley. I still have to build up Madness quite a bit for it to be visible though. Cheer, Dreamland, and Frenzy make a nice combination as they share a blue undertone, but as I mentioned countless times that isn’t my preference. Frenzy needed to be applied damp in order to get on my eyes smoothly, and Cheer is a dark blue-green that’s easy to blend unlike Outsider from the Norn’s palette. Jubilance is pretty, but blends in too much with my skin tone. Gleefulness is beautiful in tone, but it’s not my favorite to use because it’s so flaky (and strangely wet feeling in the pan compared to the other shimmers). Passion is slightly smoother, but still a little flaky. Cheerfulness looks light green in the pan, but the tone is more blue than I expected! It’s a smooth shimmer, but with some shimmer particles that are randomly bigger than the others. I didn’t need to apply Cheerfulness or Lightheartedness damp, nor High Spirits which was bound to be different since it’s a multichrome. High Spirits is truly smooth in texture and reminds me of Clionadh’s Jeweled Lite multichromes (based on photos online). Splendid is more like a traditional shimmer. It’s not as fine in shimmer as High Spirits, but it’s not flaky like most of the others.
All of these shimmers have the amount of sparkle I like, but the downside for me is that they’re sheer. I can see my skin from beneath them unless I put a matte shade on the lid first. I tend to not like shimmer topper eyeshadows, and though these aren’t technically “toppers,” they’re still less opaque than I want. I also don’t get a strong enough green tone in them, considering this is a green palette, unless I put High Spirits on top.

I like that there are neutrals in here and a gradient of options from light, medium, to dark. That makes it a cohesive palette. This palette leans more cool than warm, which is not my favorite choice, but I’m sure many people would love that aspect. Elevated works nicely as a deepening shade, which I prefer over Passage. Black shadows can be tricky to find a balance between making an impact, but being buildable so it doesn’t immediately overpower a look. Passage isn’t the best, but it’s not the worst either.

Since this palette is said to be “richly pigmented” but also can be “…soft and natural,” I’m going to assume the sheerer shimmers was an intentional choice and not a downgrade in quality. The overall performance is pretty good, but I couldn’t help feeling disappointed by my own mistake of not realizing this color story of greens is intended for cool toned green lovers and not me. Among my entire eyeshadow collection, this would probably fall in the middle. It’s only because there’s such tough competition among the Oden’s Eye offerings that it landed this far down.

The Bottom Two

Solmane II is an admittedly very pretty color story. The pastels work well for me, which isn’t easy to accomplish on those with dark skin. However, I’m still not the biggest fan of wearing blues on my eyes, so the entire first row is a miss for me. The darkest shades in this palette are a little harder to blend than the usual Oden’s Eye quality I’m used to, but they get a passing grade. I like warm purples rather than cool purples, so even the middle row isn’t my favorite. Ironically, the oranges are my favorite aspect of this palette. It’s ironic because Oden’s Eye tends to do too straightforward of oranges for my taste, without much nuance, yet this is the palette in which I think they did oranges better. So, because the quality is alright (rather than fantastic) and the color story isn’t fully my preference, this is why it’s nearly last in my collection. I still don’t think it’s a bad palette, and if someone wanted to buy it, I wouldn’t dissuade them. I’ve certainly had worse from other brands. This one just isn’t for me and I don’t plan to use it again.

Cat’s Breath is in the bottom because I just cannot get myself to use this palette! I’ve only done a few looks with it and didn’t even complete a wear test because I didn’t like how they turned out. We’ve got the blue, a pastel, light cool toned silvery shimmers, and a standard orange: all things I dislike for eyeshadow colors. White Peach and Cat Hair are the only two colors I like, but Cat Hair is a tone of brown that doesn’t show on my eyelids. So, I haven’t been motivated to give this a thorough testing despite owning it for well over a year by now. I just wanted it for the adorable art design. This palette is also in Oden’s Eye’s older formula. It’s discontinued, so I especially don’t feel a reason to properly test this palette. It’s a collection piece and nothing more, which is why I had to mark it last.

And that is the end of this ranking post! If I was forced to do some spring cleaning, I would keep everything in the top 8 and declutter the rest. Of those at the top, I still need to bring over Hela, Hummingbird, and Giant Wolves. If it wasn’t for the baggage weight limit, Hela at the very least would come with me in the move.

Thank you for reading!

-Lili ❤

Dior Forever Glow Star Filter and Glow Maximizer Review

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Charlotte Tilbury was ahead of its time in popularizing the concept to everyday makeup wearers that specific types of liquid highlighters could also be used as glowy primers, used alone or mixed with foundation, etc. Dupes have been released since then, but in 2023 and onward there was a boom of launches from seemingly every brand trying to make their version of the Hollywood Flawless Filter. Since I don’t use liquid highlighters enough, I professed in past reviews that I would not purchase anymore of these types of products. However, my skin became excessively drier since moving to Germany from Florida. Foundations that would normally give me a natural or slightly glowy finish were suddenly looking matte on me and staying that way all day. I want a product that gives a healthy shine to my skin so that I look less dry. Considering how much I’ve grown to enjoy Dior products, I decided to give the Forever Glow Star Filter a try when it was conveniently on sale on the Douglas website. I had a sample of the Glow Maximizer from a previous Dior order, so I’m including a review of that here as well.

The Star Filter color I purchased is 5N. This shade is a tad darker than my natural skin tone, and a little warmer, but it’s the closest match I have. I’m always in-between shades with Dior’s complexion products. 4.5W that I tried in the older formulation of the Backstage Face and Body Foundation was very much too light. I’m even between shades in their bronzer range (7 and 8) as well as powder (4 and 5). So, I always just settle for the closest one.

As seen in the picture above, no shimmer particles are visible on the skin under natural light. It just looks like it has a sheen, which is my ideal outcome. Under warm light, it has a natural, yet slightly shimmery look to it. Under white light, the shimmer is much more evident by comparison, but still quite refined. I would prefer if it looked dewy rather than shimmery in every kind of light, but I’ll take what I can get. So far so good!

Cloudy moment in front of the window versus some sun shining through. The Star Filter is the only makeup worn in both photos.

I tried this on bare skin just in the highlighter spots. Because of the shade option, it has a slightly dark cast when viewed at angles not hitting a light source, but I don’t plan to wear this without any other makeup anyway. I just wanted to see and show how this product looks in the most minimal makeup situation and test if it dries down, which it does.

The next thing I wanted to see was how it would look if used alone (one the side of the face with the yellow arrow in the photos above) versus the other half that was devoid of any foundation. The darker color was apparent. I used a small amount when taking the photo, so it didn’t look as glowy as I’ve seen it can get when more than one pump is used. It gives light coverage, which was still more pigment than I was expecting. Although it looks pretty when used this way, it’s a bit much for what I’m trying to achieve. I want specific areas to look radiant and healthy, not for every inch to look shiny as though from sweat.

When testing how this product looks as a primer underneath foundation, I chose to pair it with the Hourglass foundation because that one notoriously looks dry and unappealing in the beginning, but looks much better after several or more hours when my natural oils start producing and mixing together with it. I wanted to see if the Dior Star Filter would help me look radiant from the very start and not have to wait 2-5+ hours.
Well, I could see tiny mica particles still underneath, but the foundation took the actual glow away when used on top of the Star Filter. It still looked better and less dry, but I suspected it wasn’t a necessary step, and that I could achieve what I wanted without using it all over the face, just in specific spots.

Adding the Star Filter back on top of the foundation in the typical highlighting spots confirmed again that it’s a little too dark on me. The shimmer itself isn’t too dark, just the base pigment used. From the frontal profile view, it looks a bit like a bruise on the other side of my cheek that didn’t have the Star Filter as primer under foundation, just as a highlighter over foundation. From the side profile view, as seen in the left photo below, that cast isn’t visible because light is hitting that spot and reflecting to make it look lighter. I could try mixing the foundation and Star Filter together to lighten the base color, but there’s too much coverage in both products, so I’d get a better color at the expense of diluting the glow. It would likely give me the same effect as the primer under foundation, which is not the finish I want.

Additional testing days confirmed that I could use this product as a liquid highlighter to make my skin look glowier, without putting it everywhere. However, I also realized my concealer placement was crucial because of the color depth differences and different finishes. Because my concealer is matte and the product looks shimmery, the spot where they met looked a bit harsh. So, I learned that I should add a little bit more concealer back on top to help blend the two products into each other.

I also felt that it looked better if I placed my blush on after using the Star Filter as highlighter instead of using it in the order I usually do (bronzer, blush, then highlight last). This way, the matte blush would have more of a blended gradient between the matte zone and where it turns dewy looking. I’m very glad this product dries down and can be applied with fingers or a brush (I didn’t test it with a sponge) and it blends in just fine and doesn’t disturb my makeup underneath (not even the KVD Concealer that usually breaks down quickly if other products get on it). So, as long as I wear blush and get creative with the placement of adding complexion products sparingly around the edges, the slightly darker base color isn’t as much of an issue. This product also works just fine when I add a powder highlighter on top of it, and helps hide the darker color even more.

Texture is emphasized a little bit more, but not as intensely as most other highlighters would make it.

I’ve done multiple wear tests, with one such example seen below. In that picture, at the five hour mark after sweating a lot from doing housework, the glow was just absolutely more than I wanted. It was very sweat apparent on the side where the Star Filter was used also as primer. On the other side, I was a bit less glowy. However, I didn’t mind how it looked in the areas that I used the Star Filter. The parts that had too much were from the foundation itself.

I fused two different pictures together with light shining on each side so it would be a fairer comparison.

Dior versus Charlotte Tilbury

Shade 5N from Dior compared to 6.5 from Charlotte Tilbury

I still had my mini of the Hollywood Flawless Filter in the US, but I decided to order another mini here, just to make sure my comparisons of the two were accurate. It’s a good thing I did because this was not how I remembered! For some reason, the facts got morphed in my head thinking that the Charlotte Tilbury product had a slightly metallic sheen. This is not the case! The Auric Glow Lust that I reviewed at the same time HERE is the one that had a pearly/almost metallic kind of shine. In fact, the CT product is the one that looks dewy and wet rather than shimmery. This is more of what I wanted, except that it’s too much in that direction. It’s easy with this product to overdo it and look greasy instead of glowy. In addition, the Charlotte Tilbury product dries down 70-90% depending on what products are used underneath like a dewy primer or later in the day after the foundation breaks down a little and natural oils are produced. It’s also more transfer prone than the Dior Star Filter. The Dior product sets from 90% to fully dried down on my skin with little to no transfer. This is at least how it stands based on the various combinations of products I’ve tried. It is possible that the performance could worsen in a more humid climate, in hotter temperature weather, and when using other products.

The photo above shows how I used the Charlotte Tilbury Hollywood Flawless Filter on my nose and the top of my cheekbones sparingly. I do like how it looks. Ultimately though, I prefer something that sets more. This is why I stopped using the CT product, whereas I like Dior’s and will keep using this one when I want to look less dry.

A few other things to mention is that like everything I own from Dior, the Star Filter has the signature Dior scent that smells slightly powdery, floral, and soapy. I use so little product that I usually can’t smell it in the air or when it’s on my skin. Charlotte’s just smells like makeup.
The textures of both products are similar in the sense that neither one is a runny liquid. They have the consistency of acrylic paint, except that CT’s feels like it has more slip to it. The times that I’ve applied these with my fingers, Dior’s felt like applying a normal liquid foundation whereas CT’s felt like applying a cream-gel hybrid moisturizer.

For curiosity’s sake, I mixed a little of the Star Filter with a bigger portion of the Flawless Filter to see if I could lighten the 5n color that way. It worked, but it took on too much of the Flawless Filter’s consistency and remained partly dewy to the touch (though with less transfer). So, I still prefer to use Dior’s Star Filter by itself so it can set down. As long as I wear a blush with Dior’s product, the slightly darker and warmer color isn’t as much of an issue because the shimmer itself is light enough.

Dior Forever Glow Maximizer (Sample)

This product reminds me of the Star Filter in the consistency of the liquid, how it feels on the skin, how long it takes to set, and how well it blends into the skin. Where it differs is that this has more of a metallic look to it rather than the shimmer-sheen. The shade Rosy looks a bit strange to use as a highlighter on my skin tone, but it works if I pair it with a red blush like MAC’s Desert Rose or even Dior’s Rosy Glow Blush in Bronzed Glow. Rosy is also dark enough to use by itself as a shimmery blush shade, as seen in the photos above where I am not wearing another blush or highlighter with it (just bronzer).

Since I just have the sample, I’ve been limited in the amount of times I could test it (four times before this review). However, I can at least confirm that it’s similar to the Star Filter. For my own preferences and what I’m looking for (dewy looking and less like an obvious liquid highlighter), the Star Filter is a better product for me. Someone wanting a more traditional liquid highlighter that can be sheered out or used in a more impactful way that also fully sets/dries down will likely prefer the Glow Maximizer.

That’s all for today! Due to the price, I don’t think I’ll be getting more of either product. I’m just going to make do with the 5N shade rather than trying to buy 4N and just hope it won’t have the opposite problem of too light of a cast or having to deal with mixing the shades. There’s also just so much product in these bottles, more than I could ever use up, so it would feel wasteful. Since what I own is good enough to deal with my dry looking foundation problem, I can get back to my assertion that I don’t need anymore liquid highlighters after this.

I hope you enjoyed reading this review and that you’ll pop back in next week!

-Lili ❤

Clionadh Deep Sea Treasures Palette

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This is more of a showcase than a review because I’ve talked about Clionadh eyeshadows so many times on this blog and the quality is always consistent. These are the same performance, pigmentation, and shine I’ve come to expect from the brand.
A few things to note is that Clionadh has a few notices on their website regarding some of the shades. Kelp Forest and The Bends may cause staining. Also, S.C.U.B.A contains silver powder so, “Avoid contact with broken or abraded skin.”
It’s like one time in a thousand that I ever notice staining issues on myself from eyeshadows I’ve used (and not yet from Clionadh), but it could be because of my skintone that I don’t see it and/or that I always use primers. I figured it’s still important to relay this information.

Also, Shipwreck is the smoothest shade that I can apply directly to my eye area with my fingers. Saltwater Pearl, Fool’s Gold, and Kelp Forest are fairly smooth as well. However, S.C.U.B.A. is semi-flaky. The extremely flaky ones are The Bends, Ring of Fire, and Cephalopod, so I have to apply them with a damp brush to minimize fallout and prevent making a mess everywhere under my eyes.

Of the three eye sets above, the first set shows Saltwater Pearl whereas the second and third are The Bends in slightly different lighting.

In the picture above is Fool’s Gold and the green shade is Kelp Forest. In the picture below is Ring of Fire in the top set and Cephalopod in the bottom set. I used a matte shadow from a different brand in the crease of the Cephalopod shade.

Below is the photo of Shipwreck at various angles.

The last photos are of S.C.U.B.A.

In saying that these are the Clionadh quality I’ve come to expect, they match some of the less dramatic lines. So, these aren’t as shifty as the Jewelled Multichromes nor intense and sparkly like the Glitter-Vibrants. They’re still pretty though. I truly only wanted Fool’s Gold, Cephalopod, and Shipwreck, but couldn’t buy them separately. Perhaps in the future they will be released as singles.
I bought the palette on sale, but since Clionadh (at this time) doesn’t collect VAT, I was hit with a surprise 19 Euro fee that was demanded of me upon delivery to Germany, making the total more expensive than if I made the purchase to the US at full price. Thankfully my husband was home early from work because I didn’t understand what the DHL worker was asking, why he kept trying to walk away with my package, and that my husband had the exact amount in cash (the man refused to offer change back). I was still new to the whole VAT and international shipping thing, so for anyone in a similar situation, just know that there could be issues buying outside of the US and Canada.

That’s all for today! Thanks for checking this out! I hope this helps!

-Lili ❤

Guerlain Météorites for Spring 2024

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Ever since getting my 2015 Guerlain Météorites, I’ve been searching for some that aren’t as old to replace it. Unfortunately, no others from Guerlain have been able to fill that void. This brings me to the reason I purchased their newest Météorites, in yet another attempt to find something identical.

Well, this has certainly been the closest I’ve come! The older Météorites have an intense violet scent, whereas these new ones have been tweaked to smell of violets, sandalwood, vanilla, and musk at the same strongly lingering intensity. I prefer the original, though the new one is still okay. I don’t detect any of the vanilla, but the woody note mixed with violets is very present. Since they changed the scent anyway, I wish they toned it down so I wouldn’t smell it for so long while wearing it on my face and so the scent wouldn’t remain in my brushes either.

As for the color, Amber is subtle on my skin tone. I think going a shade lighter would have had the unfortunate effect of the pearls looking too cool for my warm undertone, and therefore ashy. The permanent Météorites have always been subtle, but my limited edition one had extra shimmer, which is the only thing I’m missing from these new ones. So, rather than using it as a highlighter, I can actually use these all over the face as intended as a finishing powder. When I think about it, I shouldn’t be searching anymore for subtle highlighters since I already have plenty I love.

When I use these Météorites, they’re impossible to detect on my camera when I take photos. I can see the slightest effect in person, and it’s pretty, but I actually prefer the sheen I get from using the Dior Powder No Powder over this one. So, once again, I think it’s time to end my search. I have other products by now that do the two functions I want, albeit separately, but have an even prettier effect than using the Guerlain product alone.

Considering this stunning packaging and having a layerable product, it’s still worth it for me to keep for the time being. However, I’m not sure that it would necessarily be worth it to others. I think perhaps this is just best for luxury lovers and not those who prioritize performance of makeup over everything else.

That’s all for today! Thank you for reading!

-Lili ❤

The only digital edits in the photos were to blur the background and remove moles which can be distracting for review purposes. The lighting in the first photo was the result of artificial light overpowering the natural light that was lacking during a cloudy and rainy day. I kept that one in this review since the tiniest of the meteorite particles were slightly more visible.

Lisa Eldridge Seamless Skin Tint and Foundation Reviews

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In today’s post, I’ll be talking about both base complexion products from Lisa Eldridge, but I’ll start with the process of getting the tint first.

I utilized the brand’s shade finder based on their foundation I use, which is Shade 27, and my results for the best matches were T13 and T14. Had I not used the shade finder, I would have estimated that T13 was my closest match anyway, so I purchased that one. T14 appeared too dark and too red toned, which was pretty much confirmed at a later date.

Photo Credit: us.LisaEldridge.com

The packaging is cute and lightweight, making it great for travel. It looks more luxurious than it feels in the hand, but the price for this is lower than the foundation, so it’s perfectly acceptable to me. The consistency is very fluid and runny compared to the foundation. I understand why the directions say to shake well with every use, in addition to being able to hear an agitator/mixing ball inside the packaging.

Even though T13 was my best match, I did not expect it to be so much lighter! When I compared samples, I could see that it’s actually a hair lighter than even foundation shade 25, though the comparison photo below is between T13 and 27.

My undertone, though it can look more red in photos with incorrect lighting, is yellow that leans a little golden (basically yellow-orange but not too orange). Shade 27 in the foundation is described as having “neutral red undertones” but the actual color of the liquid is orange, which is why it still worked. Granted, it has stronger orange tones that I like, but it was my best match in the range. Shade 25 had the right undertone, but was too light. Shade 26 was too light and matched even less because it was neutral rather than golden.

In the photo above, I have the skin tint on one half of my face. In the photo next to it also above, I have the tint and foundation mixed together. The photos below were taken February 2023 when I was showing my friend what my shades looked like based on the brand’s sample card that I received with my order. Clearly 27 was the best of the bunch.

Another comparison source is on Instagram from daps_makeup who has shade 13 swatched on her neck with shades 25-28 of the foundation in comparison to her face.

Color aside, the Skin Tint wasn’t quite what I was expecting. It’s advertised as a, “fresh, luminous and light coverage tint in a feel good formula made of 78% skincare ingredients, for replenished, healthy and plumped looking skin.” Considering my dry skin issues have been exacerbated since I moved, I’m looking for some extreme hydration. The combination of luminosity and skincare sounded great, and it looks slightly hydrating on the skin when I first put it on, but once everything has been blended in and settled, my skin looks matte. I’ve tried various hydrating primers and skincare, but my skin looks barely on the cusp of being a natural finish product at most. So, that was a bit disappointing that it just wasn’t enough for my skin type. I’ve heard others that don’t have dry skin saying they loved that they were able to get a glow without greasiness, so perhaps people with normal, combination, and oily skin will especially like this skin tint. I will say, it also has a decent amount of coverage if you use more than the suggested two drops. I also had no issues with longevity.

The brand commented on my Instagram post and I spoke with a lovely rep via DMs. Essentially after seeing my photos they agreed that even if I tried another shade, T14 would be too dark for me. Although I didn’t ask for it, they offered to refund me because the tint couldn’t stretch far enough to match me, which was so nice of them to do! The Lisa Eldridge customer service team continues to be top notch!

Moving onto the foundation, I still very much like it even though it’s not completely perfect for me. I’m wearing it (built up for more coverage and not mixed with the skin tint) in the photo below.

The packaging is extremely luxe and beautiful. I wish the bottle could stand up by itself, but it has a cool shape. Although the consistency is thicker than the tint, it’s still not the thickest foundation in my collection and it’s not heavy on the skin. It has medium buildable coverage and in Florida I was able to get a natural finish, but with my bone dry skin in Germany it looks a lot closer to matte. I have to prep my skin to the max to prevent it from looking too dry. I’ve considered purchasing the Elevated Glow Highlighter as a glowy base product, but I’m not sure if or when I will. I’m still waiting to try a few other products first (such as the Danessa Myricks Yummy Skin Moisture Repair Balm Serum or repurchasing the Charlotte Tilbury Hollywood Flawless Filter or Auric Glow Lust) to see if they will be enough to do the trick.

I like that neither the tint nor foundation have added fragrance.

I’ve been using the foundation on and off since July 2023 and will continue to use it, but I’m not sure what I will do with the skin tint. Perhaps I can just hold onto it in case I get lighter while here. I have tried mixing the tint and foundation together, as mentioned in the earlier section. Their consistencies are so different that it didn’t mix very well. I discovered that if I want to mix them, it’s best to put the tint all over first and then add the foundation on top afterwards. The outcome at least looks much better.

That’s all for today! I am working on another Lisa Eldridge post, but it will be focused on her lip products. Stay tuned for that within the next few weeks if you’re interested!

-Lili ❤

Fenty Demi Glow Highlighter and Haus Labs Blush Review

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Haus Labs Color Fuse Talc-Free Powder Blush With Fermented Arnica in French Rosette

When Haus Labs launched their initial blushes, I purchased the shade Pomelo Peach. It looked very ashy and dry on my skin, so I ended up giving it to my friend who is lighter than me instead of reviewing it. I realize that sometimes if blush colors are unsuited for my skin tone, it can look ashier than it should be. So, I hoped that was the issue with the previous one and gave French Rosette a try.
I’m so pleased with this shade! It’s a soft matte that melts well into my skin, even though it’s dry (and not a creamier feeling powder). The color is subtle, but can be built up. When built up it has just enough punch of color that it looks vibrant on my skintone without being garish. It also has good longevity. Because the previous color made such a big impact on how it looked in terms of texture on my skin, I can only recommend it with the caveat of trying it first in store.

Although I love this color, I admit this is still not a favorite formula. It blends well, but I prefer a less matte finish. It has the fermented arnica that keeps getting touted by the brand as a special ingredient, but I don’t have redness, so this isn’t a selling point for me. It also has squalane for hydration, but I don’t see it doing very much when I have experienced softer feeling and creamier powder formulas from other brands. Considering the price, I’m going to be content with this particular shade and not purchase additional ones in the future, unless Haus Labs makes a satin or shimmer finish. It’s nice, but not a necessity.

Fenty Beauty Demi’Glow Light-Diffusing Highlighter in Rich Hunnie 06

Fenty’s past highlighters tended to be far too glittery or have too large of glitter particles for my liking, so the idea of the Demi’ Glow having “superfine pearls…to give a lowkey glow” appealed to me. I have to say, this highlighter truly is smoother than their past releases and with smaller than their usual shimmer particle sizes, but it has a strong reflect. So, this highlighter is still quite intense considering the small amount of it I try to use. I like it enough to keep using it occasionally, but it’s still not for subtle-highlight lovers.

Although my highlighter arrived in perfect condition, I’ve seen photos of other people on social media receiving theirs with cracks in them. The formula seems to be fragile, just like the previous highlighters/Toast’d Swirl Bronze Shimmer Powder everyone was receiving broken despite it being a squishier formula. In fact, in the earliest promo photo, I saw a crack in the corner of one of the highlighters. That indicates how prevalent this issue is if even the brand’s marketing team had it happen to them before or during the photo shoot. Also, unlike the Toast’d Swirls, the Demi’ Glow are baked on terracotta/clay tiles.

For those who love a strong highlighter, this may be worth the price. The custom packaging is nice and these are baked products, but the intensity of the reflect reminds me of less refined products despite how fine the shimmer actually is. This is purely a perception thing, so I recognize it’s likely an unpopular opinion. The same issue that makes me like it a bit less is the same reason others would be racing to the store to buy multiples.

The shade range is great though, especially for highlighters. I have to give them that credit. And it does look pretty. It just isn’t going to be for everyone. I took the photos below on a cloudy day and the fact that it’s still so clearly visible is a testament to its radiance.

In the photos I’m wearing the Haus Labs Blush and Fenty Highlighter. The only digital edits made were to blur the background and remove some moles that I find can be distracting.

A way that I’ve found to use these and have it look more my taste is to apply the highlighter first and the blush after. That way parts of the highlighter get some extra blending and dispersing along the cheekbones.

That’s all for today! Thank you for reading.

-Lili ❤

New Dior Rosy Glow Blush in Bronzed Glow

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This is less of a review and more of a showcase for one of the three newest blush shades added to Dior’s Rosy Glow line. The color Rosewood shot to the top of my blush favorites and is the only one of the three I brought with me to Germany. The original Coral was too light for my taste, whereas Mahogany was too deep. This new Bronzed Glow shade is a lighter version of Mahogany and includes visible shimmer in the pan that not only makes this formula easier to pick up with a brush than the others, but also adds a subtle glow. The previously released shades were not flat matte, but didn’t have any shimmer that I could see. I would call Bronzed Glow the first actual satin blush. My review for the original Coral, plus Rosewood and Mahogany can be found HERE.

I didn’t pick up the new Coral shade because it doesn’t look, in my estimation, different enough from Cherry (which depending on one’s skintone, is like a deeper Rosewood). So, I stuck to buying Bronzed Glow from Dior’s website and it shipped to Germany from France. Bronzed Glow is a beautiful nude-brown red. Rosewood is still my favorite, but I’m thrilled to have this second shade. Also, this formula doesn’t swatch well, but looks beautiful on the face.

I know some people had issues with patchiness from the previous releases, but I think the added shimmer will help with that for more skin types. I personally find that as my skin is drier here than it was in Florida, the longevity of this shade is slightly shorter because there isn’t as much moisture to grip to even with liquid makeup and skincare on my face. However, it lasts long enough for me to be happy with it. I also commend Dior for finally being inclusive with this range. For once it was actually the tan and medium-dark range with less options since Berry and Mahogany came first. Now, there’s something for everyone.

That’s all for today. Thank you for reading!

-Lili ❤

Updated Concealer Collection Reviews and Declutter

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This is technically a concealer and color corrector declutter post, but I didn’t have many color correctors to begin with, so I kept them both. The ELF Camo Color Corrector in Orange I use just on my face because it settles too much in areas with lines, like under my eyes. The Huda Beauty #FauxFilter Luminous Matte Liquid Corrector in Mango (reviewed HERE) does a decent job, but it doesn’t pair well with all my concealers and it’s a touch on the light side for me, so that also partly limits how and where I can use it. The MAC Pro Palette Studio Finish Skin Corrector x 6 (shown HERE) was old, so I decluttered it.

The photo above is what my concealer collection looked like a few months prior to me moving overseas, but I have a few new concealers and additional shades within the same lines that I purchased since then and will discuss here too.

In the “You’re Falling Apart” category of concealers that I had to toss due to them being too old, I decluttered the Pat Mcgrath Skin Fetish Sublime Perfection Concealer in 23 (also owned 22 and 24 reviewed HERE) and Lancome Teint Idole Ultra Wear All Over Concealers in 460 and 495 (reviewed HERE). Although the Pat Mcgrath concealer was one of my favorites in terms of coverage, the shades in the MD range were too olive to look natural on me. Even if I had a better color, I admittedly had to babysit this concealer a little because it wasn’t as long lasting on me as some of my other concealers, such as Tarte Shape Tape. I still attest to it being a good concealer that I used quite a lot (about 1.5 tubes worth of product between all three shades). The Lancome concealers were decent, but I kept reaching for other things because of my desire for more coverage and a longer wear time.

The “It’s YOU, not Me” category is for concealers that looked horrible on me nearly immediately. I couldn’t get them to work no matter what powder I used with them or by switching techniques. The ones that fall into this category are the LYS Triple Fix Brightening Concealer in DG6 and Bobbi Brown Skin Full Cover Concealer in Almond. I hated them both so much that I didn’t want to review them. The irony is that the shades for both looked nice. I just couldn’t get them to last even an hour without gathering horribly in the lines under my eyes or fading in under an hour if I used the products too sparingly. Also being placed in this category is the Juvia’s Place I Am Magic Concealer (reviewed HERE). I have shade J11 which is too light for me, but the next shade would be far too dark. Color aside, I love the full coverage aspect to it, but it creases too fast and too deeply for my liking. So, it’s no surprise that all three were decluttered.

“The Incompatibles” are the concealers I’ve heard good things about that tend to be loved by others with a different skin type than mine. The ones that fit this description are the Urban Decay Quickie 24HR Full-Coverage Waterproof Concealer in 70WR, Huda Beauty #FauxFilter Luminous Matte Liquid Concealers in Crumble 7.1N and Butterscotch 7.5G (reviewed HERE), and the Ami Cole Skin-Enhancing Concealer in Medium 1 and Deep 2.
With the Ami Cole one, as I told a friend, Medium 1 is really pretty and matches the lightest part of my face, but because it doesn’t 100% cover the intensity of my dark circles, I get the slight grey look to it. Because I loved the way it spread and the finish of it, I saw the potential of it being a favorite if I had a darker shade, so I ordered Deep 2. Deep 2 turned out to still be lighter than my dark circles, so it still looks “improved,” even though it’s deeper than the lighter parts of my skin. Because the foundations I reach for most are essentially matching the darker parts (not as deep as the hyperpigmentation areas), I can pull it off when I have a full face on. Medium 1 is only the tiniest bit lighter than UD’s 70NN, but because the one from UD is full coverage (and the tiniest bit warmer), Quickie doesn’t give me that slight grey look.
The Ami Cole concealer has such a beautiful finish on the skin, but because it didn’t give me more than six hours of wear, I left it behind.
The Quickie concealer, as much as I wanted to love it, I couldn’t get it to last on me unless I loaded up on powder which then dried out my under eyes. It didn’t look as good as Tarte Shape Tape, so there didn’t seem to be much point in keeping it.
The Huda concealers also gave me issues with dryness. I found some ways around it, but then longevity was an issue. I was tempted to bring these with me, but since I liked other concealers more, it made more sense to just let them go. I think all three of these concealers in this category could be fantastic on the right person.

In the “Good Formula, Wrong Shade” category is just the Dermablend Flawless Cover Drops which is a foundation that I use as concealer, I loved how it looked when I had shade 75W, but I was unwilling to pay full price for it again since I was unable to use up even 25% of the giant bottle before it went bad. Two other times I purchased shade 72N from Ulta during a 50% off sale (Ulta still doesn’t carry the 75W shade), but it never looked as good because it was too neutral on me and didn’t have enough warmth. It got the job done and I loved how lightweight it was, but since the shade couldn’t measure up, I decided to give up on it. I currently still have 72N in my collection, but I plan to declutter it.

“You Have My Attention” is what I’m calling concealers I was unwilling to declutter because I felt there may be potential, but I hadn’t (at the time I was preparing to move) had the time to explore and test them further. In this category is the Haus Labs Triclone Skin Tech Hydrating and Depuffing Concealer in 40 Medium Deep Neutral and 43 Medium Deep Golden, Estee Lauder Futurist Soft Touch Brightening Skincealer in 6W, and Hourglass Cosmetics Vanish Airbrush Concealer in Maple and Umber. I had a creasing and fading issue with Haus Labs, so I left that in the US to deal with in the future.
The other two concealers I brought with me and I can say that it’s shocking the EL concealer is light on me considering 6W in the foundation has been much too dark for me these past five or so years. This is a range that I definitely recommend seeing in-store if possible before purchasing.

The EL concealer has a very interesting applicator that helps get into corners, but I still have to blend it out with a brush that gets into all the corners, so having a good brush at the end of the day is more important than the shape of the tool. I give it credit for not applying a ton at once though.

The finish looks beautiful initially, but it creased horribly in the beginning and faded significantly within the first hour or two. The best I’ve been able to get it to look is using the Milk Hydro Grip Eye primer, which gives me six hours maximum before the fading is too significant for me to want to be seen in public with it. The Charlotte Tilbury pressed powder with it helps too, but it still settles more than I’m used to in my under eye lines. Without the Milk primer it’s far worse. As much as I like the finish, I’d only wear this for short outings until I can figure out a combination with powder that potentially helps it last longer. I don’t have much hope on that considering Nikki had similar issues as detailed in her review HERE. I’m close to giving up on experimenting with it since so many trials ended poorly or with such short lived results.

As for Hourglass, I’ve been able to get minimal creasing and a 7-8 hour wear time with the Huda Beauty Easy Bake loose powder, but I have to continue checking if any other powder combinations can improve the results. The best wear time I get with the concealer plus any powder is if I used the MILK Hydro Grip Eye Primer underneath. Then the concealer lasts on me at least nine hours. It could be even better, but eight hours is the minimum for my wear tests and nine hours was the maximum I was able to test it for before intentionally choosing to remove it from my face. With the MILK primer, I can get close to full coverage. Without it, I’d say I get high medium coverage.

Also, I just wanted to add that the applicators are different between the travel size and full size of the Hourglass concealer. The full-size (on the left half) has more of a curve and tapered tip. The travel size has a more common/generic shape.

Between the three concealers, the Hourglass seems to be the one with the most potential.

My Top 5 Concealers Ranked

In fifth place is the Fenty We’re Even Concealer in 385W and 410W. It’s a new one to my collection that released since I’ve been overseas. The coverage level is quite good, it has very little creasing, and while it’s not the longest lasting of the bunch, it lasts eight hours before the fading starts to be significant. At least, that’s the case when I pair it with the Charlotte Tilbury powder. Using it with other products led to way faster fading. For example, I got superb protection against creasing and full coverage results when using it on top of the Milk Makeup Hydro Grip Eye Primer, but after just four hours, it looked fully worn out. So, I just have to remember to keep using it with the Charlotte Tilbury powder or any others I may discover work well with it in the future. Also, when I use it with the CT Powder, I have to still apply a lot more product than I would with other full coverage products. This isn’t to gain extra coverage. This is necessary because a thin layer, although enough to hide dark circles, will get absorbed (or broken down…whichever happens to cause the disappearing act) too quickly by my skin. Loading up the product means some will disappear, but there will be enough left to last the eight hours when paired with the right powder. If I try to use a normal amount of concealer, even with the Charlotte Tilbury powder, it will fade significantly after only five hours.

This isn’t a deal-breaker, but the Fenty packaging doesn’t allow one to stand the concealer upright. There are too many pointed edges and the only flat parts are the front and back, so it has to be stored in a laying position unless it’s stored in a container. Also, it has an interesting curve tip for distributing product.

In fourth place is Tarte Shape Tape in 35N Deep (reviewed HERE) and third place is the L’Oreal Paris Infallible Full Wear Concealer in 415 Honey. I still go back and forth trying to decide which of the two is truly better. They even have similarly sized packaging with near identical wands, though the applicator tip from L’Oreal is even bigger than the already large one from Tarte! Tarte’s component also has a tighter inner ring that prevents excess product from being pulled out of the tube, whereas L’Oreal’s gets a little messier.

I’ve tried so many variations of the Medium/Deep range from Tarte: Tan Sand, Tan-Deep Sand, Deep, Deep Honey, and Deep Sand, etc. The best shade from the range for me is Deep, which is the right depth, but still not the perfect because of the undertone. The full coverage nature of it and lasting power is why I’ve repurchased specifically Deep six times between full-sizes and minis since its release. I haven’t found a way to be able to purchase it in Germany*, so it was important for me to find alternatives since concealer is the single most important piece of makeup for me. Although I wish it was a little less dry looking (the creamy version does NOT work for me), I’ve had concealers that looked way worse on me.

*UPDATE: MAY 5th, 2024: I was unable to purchase Shape Tape on previous trips, so I assumed this was still the case, but I did a google search today and saw that it’s available at the Sephora-DE website for 29 Euros.

As for the L’Oreal concealer, it’s the closest thing I ever found to looking and performing like Tarte Shape Tape. It still can look a little dry under the eyes, but the finish is slightly better than Shape Tape. It also has a tiny bit shorter of longevity results, at about a maximum of 10 hours for me if I use the right powders (and as short as 6 with the wrong skincare, powders, or other products). However, one big plus is the price difference with L’Oreal’s being way more affordable**. Tarte usually offers 50% off Shape Tape sales throughout the year, whereas you can get it at less than that at any time by getting the one from L’Oreal. For these reasons, and the tiniest bit better shade match, I believe I like the Infallible Concealer slightly more.

**UPDATE: Just wanted to clarify again that this is based on the US perspective. I was able to see the Infallible Concealer was €15.99 at smaller German websites I’m unfamiliar with, but the website I shop at more frequently, Douglas, has the price listed as €25.99 instead, making it still cheaper than Shape Tape but not hugely different since Shape Tape is €29.99 at Sephora DE.

In second place is the Givenchy Prisme Libre Skin-Caring 24H Hydrating Radiant Correcting Creamy Concealer in N390 and W420 (reviewed HERE). I only go for complete coverage concealers, but the hydrated look from this one (when paired with the right powder) is so nice that I am willing to settle for high coverage instead.
I used to consider this a finicky concealer because using the same products didn’t give me consistently good results, but then I realized it was due to my under eyes and the concealer’s inability to hold up as well when the application area was oily instead of dry. On those oil producing days, I have to monitor my eyes within the first half hour to check if the creases need to be patted back out and touched back up with powder. This isn’t an everyday problem, just every once in a while when my skin decides to play games! Using the Milky Hydro Grip Eye Primer under the eyes helped extend the wear time as well.
Also, since I have to set it with powder to minimize creasing, I lose a lot of that luminosity. I tested the concealer with various powders and Givenchy’s own Prisme Libre Powder was the only thing that helped my under eyes look at least more hydrated than Shape Tape. Since that initial review, I’ve tested new powders I didn’t have before, and the current best pairing is with the Huda Beauty Easy Bake Loose Setting Powder. The Givenchy powder gives me around eight hours of wear time (six hours on a bad day), but the Huda Powder helps it look close to a natural finish while lasting eight hours before the fading even starts! That’s without bothering to use the Milk primer. Since discovering the Huda and Givenchy power combo, this concealer was able to jump up to the number two spot.

In first place is the KVD Good Apple Concealer in Tan 167 (reviewed HERE but I also own Tan 161 and used to own Tan 173). It’s shocking that this is my new number one considering it can be troublesome too. However, when I learned the combination of this concealer with the Charlotte Tilbury matte face powder fixed the longevity issue, I haven’t had problems ever since. I get the coverage I need, the texture is lightweight, the finish is better than Shape Tape (which I consider the standard and where the bar is set), and I can get 8-12 hours of wear as long as no other products come in contact with this one, particularly emollient ones like some skincare, certain primers, and creamy blushes or highlighters. Even when using the Sephora Setting Spray, I have to reapply and repowder my concealer because it will make it suddenly crease badly. Strangely, since my own natural oils tend to not be too much of a hassle to the concealer, I don’t have to baby it as much as the Givenchy concealer. So, this one is essentially my new Shape Tape. This means it’s one that I will continually purchase (and have repurchased multiple times already).

That’s all for today! Thank you for reading!

-Lili ❤

Wedding Makeup Part 2: Example of Looks

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The photo above demonstrates some of the various stages that I was testing different makeup products and practicing techniques in the weeks prior to the wedding. The very first example is what I would consider my typical amount of makeup, versus the last photo where I put in way more effort with a ton of extra steps that were necessary to create the look I envisioned for myself.

In Part 1, I explained which strategies I chose and showed the specific makeup products used. In Part 2, I’m going into greater detail listing the actual order of the steps I took. That includes all the details about the eyeshadows that I left out of the previous wedding post.
I will also include photos of alternative wedding/special occasion looks in both the cold winter theme, classic looks, and a few colorful ones now that we’re in spring.

The makeup artists were upfront about either not being available on the day of the wedding or not having their own products to match me. I was a bit nervous about having to do it on my own, considering I’m just a makeup enthusiast, but many loved ones reassured me that I knew my own face better than anyone else and they were confident I could pull it off. I hope that this post will be inspiring to anyone else in a similar situation where you have an important event coming up and aren’t sure where to start or would just like to see extra ideas.

My Wedding Makeup Step-By-Step

  • First, I applied skincare (and this would normally include sunscreen though I skipped it), allowing ample time for everything to absorb in the skin before moving onto applying primer(s).
  • I then applied color correctors to the spots I have discoloration, put on the liquid contour for my nose and under the cheeks, and added liquid blush. I left them only halfway blended since the foundation would go over everything anyway as part of the underpainting technique.
  • I made a mixture of foundation shades and applied it to the outer perimeter of my face. The lighter foundation color, I applied to the central zone of my face.
  • The eye primer came next before I filled in my brows with my brow pencil of choice.
  • I applied my skin tone shade of concealer to my under eyes and areas of discoloration. I applied a combination of my skin tone shade and a lighter color to my under eye area again, the bridge of my nose, center of my forehead, and chin. I use the lighter concealer color alone to highlight under my eyebrows.
  • After setting those concealer areas with powder, I did a first round of setting spray to lock those in.

In the photo series above, I saved my eye makeup for last, but I switched the order on the day of the wedding to do the eye makeup next in case I had a mishap with eyeliner, if mascara got on the lids, etc.

1. First, I applied Viseart’s Illusion shade from the Peridot quad under my brows on top of where I laid down the lighter concealer shade.

2. Then I applied Melt’s Rubbish shade from the Rust palette in the space under the Viseart shadow, but above the crease.

3. Next was Melt’s Rust shade from the same palette tightly in the crease, not going past the previous shade.

4. I lightly added Log from Natasha Denona’s Gold Palette, building up the outer corner and moving halfway inward. I chose this placement because of my particular eye shape.

5. I then built up the depth and smokey factor in the outer v area using Xtreme Black from Pat McGrath’s Mothership III: Subversive palette.

6. I smudged the Urban Decay 24/7 Glide on Pencil along the outer quarter of the lower lash line before using Deep Shade (actual name) from the same PML palette on the rest of the lower lash line.

7. I smoothed on the Nyx Glitter Primer to the empty space on my lids and applied Bronzed Mink from PML’s Bronze Bliss palette to the outer half of the lid, taking care to not cover up the dark shadows in the outer corner.

8. I added Divine Dahlia from PML’s Interstellar Icon Quad on top of Bronze Mink to tone down the warmth of that shade.

9. The next step was picking up Nude Moon from Bronze Bliss on my brush, spraying it with MAC Fix+ and applying it to the inner half of the lids.

10. I placed Skinshow Fever from Mothership III: Subversive in the inner corner, under the brow arch, and the inner third of the lower lash line for highlighting purposes.

11. For extra sparkle, I added Lunar Luxury damp from Bronze Bliss to the inner corner. I applied the waterproof eyeliner to my upper lash line, along with two coats of waterproof mascara to my upper lashes, but only one coat on my lower lashes. Had I used the Clionadh multichrome, I would have placed a small dot that was eyeliner width to the center of the upper lash line.

  • Going back to my base, I applied powder contour under the cheeks and along my jawline. I applied a cooler toned contour to my nose, and on top of the other contoured spots.
  • I applied bronzer along my forehead and slightly above the contour under my cheeks.
  • I used my face powder and the Beautyblender Puff to clean up a small section of my sculpting work without going too far in. Just about one inch inward from my ear.
  • I applied my intense highlighter to the tops of my cheekbones.
  • I applied the mixture of powder blushes to my cheeks.
  • I applied my more subtle highlighters to the top of my cheekbones again, bridge of my nose, above the brows, and any remaining product on the brush to my forehead and chin.
  • I used my blurring finishing powder in any areas that needed extra blending/blurring.
  • I lined my lips with the lip liner of choice, filled it in with liquid lipstick, and added a lighter lip product to the center of my lips. During trial sessions, I even added highlighter, but didn’t end up doing it on the wedding day.
  • I put the leftovers of foundation from my brush and applied it to the spots on my neck that would be seen.
  • I applied highlighter to my collarbones and shoulders.
  • Lastly, I finished up with a generous amount of setting spray to my face. Had I remembered, I would have sprayed my neck and the spots I applied body highlighter.

And that’s everything! It’s a lot of steps, but worth the time and effort for one of the most important days of my life!

Just as unexpected problems can arise on important days, unfortunately, nearly every day that I set aside free time has been a dark day. I’ve done my best to play around with artificial light, take photos during the brightest part of the day for natural light, and do some color adjusting with the photos, but I’m dealing with cloudy days constantly over here. Times like these, I miss Florida haha.

Recreation of my Wedding Makeup/Neutral Glam: Used all the products I still have on hand.
Photo Setup: (1) In front of an open window on a cloudy day. (2) In a room with warm light and a second cell phone’s flashlight was lit behind the camera. (3) In front of an open window with warm white bulbs overhead.

Here are the additional looks!

Frost Queen: Milky Hydro Grip Primer and Armani Luminous Silk Hydrating Primer, Armani Luminous Silk Foundation in 10, Hourglass Cosmetics Vanish Airbrush Concealer in Maple and Umber, Chantecaille Perfect Blur Powder in Med/Deep, r.e.m. Beauty Hypernova Satin Matte Bronzer in Cocoa-Nut, REM Beauty Highlighter Topper in Miss Mars, Hindash Beautopsy Palette (nose contour), Armani Neo Nude Melting Color Balm in 60 Warm Plum and Hourglass Ambient Light Blush in At Night, ELF Instant Lift Brow Pencil in Deep Brown, Stila Stay All Day Waterproof Liner, KVD Full Sleeve Mascara, Juvia’s Place Lip Liner in Brownie, Lisa Eldridge True Velvet Lip Color in Sorcery, Colourpop Hocus Pocus 2 So Glassy Lip in Boys Will Love Me, the eyeshadow shade Memory (Metallic) from the Tati Beauty Textured Neutrals Volume 1 palette, and shades Nowhere, Christmas Eve, and Snowflake from the Oden’s Eye Christmas Eve Palette.
Photo Setup: In front of an open window with a warm white bulb overhead on a partly sunny day, but near sundown.

Playful Pinks: Milk Hydro Grip Primer, Nars Light Reflecting Foundation in MD3.3 Caracas, KVD Good Apple Concealers, Huda Faux Filter Corrector in Mango, Nars Soft Matte Advanced Perfecting Powder in High Tide, GloWish Soft Radiance Bronzing Powder in 04 Deep Tan, Dior Backstage Powder No Powder, Hindash Beautopsy Palette (nose contour), Dior Rosy Glow Blush in 012 Rosewood and Nabla Skin Glazing in Lola, Pat Mcgrath Labs Skin Fetish: Ultra Glow Highlighter in Divine Rose, Suqqu Treatment Wrapping Lip in 05, Coloured Raine Lip Liner in Decadent, Benefit Precisely, My Brow Pencil in 05, KVD Full Sleeve Mascara, Stila Stay All Day Liquid Eyeliner, MAC Fix+, Melt’s eyeshadows from the Gemini II Palette with shades Bela, Sweetheart, Gemalas, and LX Queen, and the Rust palette with shade Antique. Devinah Cosmetics Eyeshadows in shades Empress, Pixy Stix, and Gelicide. Pat Mcgrath Labs’ eyeshadows from the Mothership III: Subversive palette in VR Pink and from the Celestial Nirvana 5 pan Palette in Nude Allure in the shades Mercurial Rose and Coral Kiss.
Photo Setup: In front of an open window on a less cloudy day, but during late afternoon hours and a warm white bulb overhead.

Chocolate-Gold Glam: Milk Hydro Grip Primer, Armani Luminous Silk Hydrating Primer, Hourglass Ambient Soft Glow Foundation in 13.5 and 14, L’Oréal Infallible Full Wear Waterproof Concealer in 415 Honey, Huda Beauty Easy Bake Loose Baking & Setting Powder in Blondie, Gxve Beauty Check My Glow Multi-Dimensional Illuminating Highlighter in Karat Country, Anastasia Beverly Hills Cream Bronzer in Terracotta, Dior Powder No Powder, Chanel Blush Lumiere Illuminating Blush Powder in Brun Roussi, ELF Instant Lift Brow Pencil in Deep Brown, MAC Macstack Mascara, One/Size Waterproof Liquid Eyeliner Pen, Palladio Waterproof Lip Pencil in Coffee, and Kaleidos Cloud Lab Lip Clay in Sienna. Hindash Beautopsy Palette (nose contour and no contouring anywhere else). Viseart’s Illusion shade from the Peridot Quad, Deep Shade (actual name) and Gigabyte from Pat Mcgrath Labs Mothership III: Subversive, Clionadh Cometics’ shade Lux, and Devinah Cosmetics’ shade Ambrosia.
Photo Setup: In front of an open window on a less cloudy day with a warm white bulb overhead.

Flower Garden: Haus Labs by Lady Gaga Triclone Skin Tech Foundation in 425 Medium Deep Neutral, Tatcha the Liquid Silk Canvas Fenty We’re Even Concealer in 410 W and 385W, Givenchy Prisme Libre Powder in 5 Popeline Mimosa, Dior Powder No Powder, Hindash Beautopsy Palette (nose contour), Victoria Beckham Matte Bronzing Brick 05 (regular contour), Gucci Bronzer in 04, MAC Glow Play Blush in Peaches N Dreams, Sephora Blush Duo in 02 Peach Blossom, Tom Ford Shade and Illuminate Highlighting Duo in Tanlight, Benefit Precisely, My Brow Pencil in 05, L’Oreal Telescopic Lift Macara, Stila Stay All Day Waterproof Liquid Eyeliner, Danessa Myricks Infinite Chrome Micropencil Eyeliners in Jade, Amethyst, and Lemon Quartz. Devinah Matte Eyeshadows in Courtney and Meraki, Clionadh Cosmetics Stained Glass Shadows in Mural, Patina, Quest, Noble, and Spire. Coloured Raine Lip Liner in Pine and Suqqu Sheer Matte Lipstick in 112.
Photo Setup: In front of an open window with the sun poking out randomly on and off from behind the mostly cloudy sky, and a warm white bulb overhead.

Spring Purples: Milk Hydro Grip Primer, Glossier Futuredew, Lisa Eldridge Seamless Skin Foundation in 27, KVD Good Apple Concealers, ELF Camo Color Corrector in Orange, Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless Finish in 2 and 3, Hermès Plein Air H Trio Healthy Glow Mineral Powder, Dior Backstage Powder No Powder, Hindash Beautopsy Palette (contour), ColourPop Pressed Powder Blush in Potted and Gucci Cheeks & Eyes Powder Luminous Matte in 06 Warm Berry, Hourglass Metallic Strobe Powder in Infinite Strobe Light, Lisa Eldridge Enhance and Define Lip Pencil in Sorcery and Lisa Eldridge Luxuriously Lucent Lip Colour in Painterly, Benefit Precisely, My Brow Pencil in 05, KVD Full Sleeve Mascara, Stila Stay All Day Liquid Eyeliner, Melt’s eyeshadows from the She’s In Parties Palette with shades Total Immortal and Last Caress. Clionadh Cosmetics Multichromes in shades UV and Tracery. Sydney Grace Eyeshadows in Dear Reader, Flannel, and Sovereign Reign.
Photo Setup: (1) In front of a window on a partly sunny day. (2) Same as the first, but from the opposite direction. (3) In front of an open window on partly sunny day and a warm white bulb overhead.

That’s all for today! Thank you for stopping by! I hope you’ll click to follow or bookmark this page to come visit again!

Also, I seem to be having an issue with WordPress. For some reason, images have a hard time loading for those viewing my blog within Germany. The customer service advisors were unhelpful and the only way that even I was able to get around loading issues was to use a VPN. If you live in the US or most other countries, it should be working fine. The issue, as far as I’m aware, is a DE issue for some reason.

-Lili ❤