Maggie Knows Makeup

YSL palettes tend to be a dividing line for a lot of makeup junkies. Most of the ones in the past have tended towards the sheerer side of the pigmentation spectrum, which serves those who prefer a diaphanous wash of shimmer, while frustrating those who prefer a punch of pigment to go with the colour and sparkle.

If you're in the latter camp, and have since written off the YSL eyeshadow offerings, I would urge you to take a look at their new Couture Palettes. They are really something else.

YSL Couture Palette - #02 Fauves, #08 Avant Garde, #09 Rose Baby Doll

The packaging and style here is classic YSL - gold metallic casing, simple, elegant, graphic layout. Most of the palettes have a monochromatic theme, though a couple feature more vivid combinations.

The actual formulation of the eyeshadows is where YSL has proven itself to be truly innovative. When I first touched these eyeshadows, they felt a little dry, and I was concerned. Upon swatching them, I was much relieved - they had some serious payoff. Swatches are one thing, however, and how a product applies to an actual human eyelid is another.

AND YOU GUYS.

They looked on the eyelid exactly how they looked in the swatch. Not only that, they actually looked like do in the pan. They have some of the truest colour transfer I've ever seen. I applied these with my usual MAC paddle brush, and with just a tap into the pan I had a ton of product clinging to the brush hairs. There was a fair bit off powder kick back when I did so, but as long as I tapped my brush off, I had no fallout when I applied it. All the shades went on true and vibrant, and blended out well, without sheering out too quickly. What seemed a little dry in the pan actually felt smooth and silky when used.

Each palette has a mix of satin and shimmer/microsparkle shades - the finishes vary subtly from shade to shade, with the darker eyeshadows in #02 Fauves having the most matte-leaning finish out of the the ones I've tried. The satin shades all have strongest pigmentation levels, while the shimmer/microsparkle shades are initially a little sheerer, though buildable. The sparkle is extremely refined, lending a beautiful, sunlight-on-water type of liquid shimmer to the eye. They can be applied all over the eyelid, overtop another shade for greater dimension, or just in the inner corner for an amazing highlight.

The wear time on these is very good, with no sign of fading or creasing after 8-10 hours over my usual primer. As far as downsides, other than that bit of powder kick-back to watch out for, I can only think of the value ratio, as they are quite spend for the amount of product you're getting. That said, I think the texture is unique enough, and I don't see any immediate dupes.

The #02 Fauves is fantastic, especially for those looking for a workday staple. It's spot-on neutral, leaning neither warm or cool. The dusty camel shade at the top left works perfectly all over the lid, or as a blending/transition colour, depending on your skin tone. The three brown shades provided varying levels of intensity of creating a defined crease, lash line or soft smoky effect. I do wish there was a bit more variation between the middle two browns, but other than that, I really can't complain. This has become my default everyday palette.

I loooooove green (makes the chestnut in my brown eyes more apparent), and the #08 Avant Garde does not disappoint. I was a little perplexed by the olive green in the bottom left, as it seems so incongruous with the other, cooler leaning tones, but when used together, the look is dimensional, not discordant. That blackened green in the middle is also an awesome eyeliner. The only downside to this palette is that it doesn't appear to be available in-store at Sephora, though it is orderable.

The #09 Rose Baby Doll was a whimsical purchase. I don't what it is about hot pink that draws me in so much, but usually I limit it to lip shades. Somehow I got sucker punched by this one. I....am still figuring it out. That hot pink is just SO VIBRANT. I do kind of wish there was another mid-tone shade in there instead of one of the peach or pink shimmer shades, since they're quite similar. Then again, they're also both so pretty, it's hard for me to complain.

Availability: At Sephora stores and www.sephora.com, as well as counters at Holt Renfrew and Hudson's Bay, and www.thebay.com. If you're stateside, they can also be ordered on www.yslbeautyus.com. Price is 60$ USD and 64$ CAD.

I'm quite impressed by the Couture Palettes, and I know I'll be adding more to my collection soon. How do you guys feel about them?

(The #02 Fauves was provided by the brand/PR to be considered for review. I purchased the other two palettes. All opinions are my own, this post is not sponsored or compensated.)

In case you've missed the social media blitz, Makeup Revolution is a relatively new drugstore brand out of the UK, setting up shop in Superdrug locations (and online) this past March, and combining very attractive pricing with an on-trend and rapidly expanding range.

They are very known in the youtube world for making spot-on dupes (colour-wise, anyway) of the three Naked palettes from UD (their versions are named Iconic). I only have Naked 3, so I wouldn't be able to compare them for you either way, but I did receive two of the other palettes in their Redemption 12 Shade Palettes range: the Essential Mattes and Essential Shimmers. I was also sent two of their Baked Blushers to try out.

Makeup Revolution - Essential Mattes and Shimmers Palettes,

In terms of packaging, it's exactly what I expected for a brand at this price point: simple, inexpensive but sturdy plastic, and unfussy font. The eyeshadows in the palettes are arranged in narrow strips, but not so narrow that you can't fit a crease brush comfortably. The long sponge tipped applicator is of negligeable value, but the space for it is perfect for stashing an eyeliner or a smaller, good quality eye brush. The variety of shades and non-flimsy packaging makes these nice for travel, but a mirror on the inside would have been a nice feature for that purpose. The blushers also lack a mirror, the clear flip top lid showing off the admittedly gorgeous swirls of colour.

Essential Shimmers, Essential Mattes

I was really, really hopeful about the Essential palettes, and I have to say that, for the most part, I was pleased with them - especially considering the price point. I don't think they are the be all and end all that some breathless posts on Twitter have claimed, but they are indeed good, and certainly better than a lot of palettes put out by "big-name" mass market brands. (For comparison, I'd much rather use these than the Maybelline the Nudes.)

In terms of straight on pigmentation, I put these at a solid medium-to-great. They don't have quite the same level of intensity as, say, the Urban Decay eyeshadows do, but I think that has more to do which how they adhere than strictly speaking with how they cover the skin. (More on that further down.)

The only ones that gave me significant trouble in terms of going on sheer or patchy were the black in the Mattes palette, and the glittery plum brown in the Shimmers palette (third from the right, felt a little gritty too). The pale mattes also could have a bit more punch, but for using on the brow bone or as a base, they're fine.

The texture of these is lovely to the touch - the mattes feel smooth and silky, the shimmers quite creamy. Honestly, I wasn't expecting them to feel so nice!

I think were they do fall a little short is in how they adhere, both to the brush, the "themselves" and to the eyelid. (It's also where I personally see the difference between a product with a more stripped down, albeit a very nice-feeling formula, and something comparable from a higher-end brand.) The Mattes, for example, kick up a ton of powder when a brush is dipped into them, so I had to be careful to really tap them off. As beautifully as they swatch, they can over blend when they're applied to skin or to a dry-finish primer (like the Too Faced Shadow Insurance). The Shimmers have the opposite issue - I found I had to rub my brush in there to get the right level of product, and when applied to bare lids, the intensity was muted. (Compared to a UD or Lorac shimmer, which you have to be careful to barely tap with a brush or you'll wind up with way more than you need.)

That said, the solution is super simple: a tackier base. A paint pot is fine, but I actually the best results using my regular primer and then applying a thin layer of liquid concealer, and then the eyeshadows over that. The pigmentation showed up true to swatch, there was no fallout or over blending, and the finished look was beautiful, and lasted 8 hours without a problem.

And for palettes that come out to 7.40$ CAD? I really don't mind changing up my usual eye base.

I think in terms of overall quality, they're very comparable to my Sleek palettes, though a different kind of texture altogether.

Essential Mattes

Essential Mattes, first 6 shades on the left

Essential Mattes, last 6 shades on the right

Essential Shimmers

Essential Shimmers, first 6 shades on the left

Essential Shimmers, last 6 shades on the right

The Baked Blushers aren't quite what I expected either. I imagined them to function more like traditional blushes, but they actually go on sheerer and quite shimmery. If you are very fair, you might be able to get away with wearing them softly as a blowy blush. On my skin tone, I found that getting the colour payoff I wanted meant a frostier cheek than I generally prefer. Bang Bang You're Dead is a vivid cool medium pink in the pan, and goes on paler. Hard Day is a cool tan with incredible mauve iridescence in the pan, and shows up, strangely, as a dirty peach.

BUT. I do like them as a layering, highlighting blush, something to add to a more muted, matte blush. For example, I just recently found that the bronzed-mauve shimmer of Hard Day looks AMAZING layered over Tarte Exposed blush. It's the perfect non-tanned bronzed look. :P

The texture is on par with most other baked/mineralized products, meaning they have a firm, somewhat dry, smooth feel, and kick up a ton of fine powder.

And again, the price is highly reasonable, if you're on the lookout for this sort of product, as they retail for 4.63$ CAD. (And if you prefer regular blushes, theirs are 1.85$ CAD.)

makeup revolution baked blusher Bang Bang You're Dead Hard Day

Baked Blusher - Bang Bang You're Dead and Hard Day

Baked Blusher - Bang Bang You're Dead and Hard Day, heavily swatched and buffed out.

Here is a full(ish) face done with a combination of shades from the Essential Mattes and Shimmers. I used the dirty gold shimmer all over the lid, the pale gold cream shimmer in the inner corner, a combination of the matte beige and light brown shimmer through the crease, and the two darker matte brown shades in the outer corner, layered and buffed out with a fluffy crease brush.

I also used a combination of both blushes on my cheeks, with a bit of the MUFE powder foundation overtop to mute the shimmer.

Makeup Revolution - Essential Mattes and Shimmers Palettes, Baked Blusher

So my feelings overall?

If you're not inclined to shop mass retail for your makeup, you probably won't be swayed here. This is a well put together budget brand, with a big catalogue and great performance for the price point, but I don't think it's really comparable to high-end, be it in terms of packaging or feel. However, if you're concerned about price, or just like/prefer to shop drugstore, then Makeup Revolution is a very solid contender.

I'm actually plotting my order for a few more things as I type this - I want to try their regular blushers, as well as their Chocolate Bar dupes. The shipping to Canada is a little steep, about 14$ regardless of parcel size. I would suggest following them on social media in case they run a shipping promo, but be warned - you'll be seeing A LOT of retweets of effusive reviews and the like. (Gotta respect a brand that hits the ground running!)

Availability: At Superdrug in the UK, on http://www.makeuprevolutionstore.com/ otherwise.

(These items were sent to me by the brand/PR to be considered for review. All opinions are my own, this post is not sponsored or compensated.)

Cover Girl reformulated their truBLEND foundations a few months ago, making the formula lighter and thinner while improving the shade-matching potential. I never tried the original version, so I can't compare them directly.

Cover Girl truBLEND in l5 Creamy Natural and m4 Sand Beige

I was sent these two shades to try out, so the colour match is not exact, unfortunately, but it gives you an idea of the range. They are split into three groups (light, medium, deep), with a variety of undertones in each. I think Cover Girl has improved a lot in terms of their foundation colours - I remember a Clean foundation I had as a teenager that was, quite literally, pink. I looked like I had dipped my face in calamine lotion.

Thankfully the formula here is forgiving as well, despite the good coverage, so while the l5 Creamy Natural is a little too dark and cool for my skin, I can get away with it, as long as I blend well around the ears, or else it leaves a noticeable line. If you have truly neutral or olive-toned skin, this foundation might require some shade-mixing, so while it is inexpensive, you'll likely need to experiment with a few bottles to get an exact match.

Also a bit strange, the liquid pumps out with a strange streaking of white pigment, but it disappears as soon as I blend it in. It doesn't seem to alter the application in any way.

Cover Girl truBLEND in l5 Creamy Natural and m4 Sand Beige

In terms of coverage, this is a solid medium. In the picture below I applied it relatively sheerly with a moistened buffing brush, and I still got decent coverage out of it. Despite that, it still looked very skin-like to my eye, with a lot of natural glow (which if you have oilier skin, will probably translate to too much shine). While it smoothed over dry patches nicely, I found it slightly emphasized the texture around the lower part of my cheeks, where I tend to have any residual acne scarring and dilated pores. Again, probably better for drier skin.

Lasting power was really good - it didn't go cake-y or fade over the course of 8 hours, though the glow definitely turned to shine on my t-zone, and I had to use blotting papers twice for that. Despite the shine, I didn't actually get any separation or fading there either.

Cover Girl truBLEND Liquid Makeup - l5 Creamy Natural and m4 Sand Beige

I definitely prefer the Ready, Set, Gorgeous foundation for my particular skin needs (video review here), but I think this is a good reformulation, and a solid drugstore option if you're looking for a glowy, natural finish foundation for normal-to-dry skin, that still provides good coverage.

Availability: All drugstores that carry Cover Girl products, as well as Wal-Mart and Target. Prices vary between 10$ CAD and 14$CAD, and the least expensive I found was at Wal-Mart.

(These items were provided by the brand/PR to be considered for review. I am a #BeautyUnited blogger. As part of my affiliation with this group, I receive products and special access to P&G events. The opinions on this blog are my own.)

Shu Uemura recently revamped their eyeliners 9 dubbed Drawing Pencils - and introduced four new eyeshadow palettes, each featuring a monochromatic colour scheme.

Side note: As the name of the pencils suggest, I immediately took to doodling with them. :P

Shu Uemura Ready To Wear Palette (Pink Hues) and Drawing Pencils (M Black 01, M Grey 05, M Earthy Brown 82, ME Green 51)

Although I love a good plummy eye, I can't say I'm usually drawn to a full-on pink look. With my olive-leaning skin and brown eyes, it can look like I've lost ten rounds with my pillow. The Ready To Wear Palettein Pink Hues palette was just so PRETTY though, that I put my hesitation aside and committed to trying it out in a variety of permutations.

Overall, I was really pleased by the performance of the shadows in this palette. The matte grape wasn't impressive upon swatching, with a firm, smooth and slightly dry texture that appeared a little sheer and patchy when dabbed on the arm. However, when it was applied with a brush to the eyelid, the pigment transferred without an issue. This is not the kind of colour that goes on with full-blast intensity right away, but with a dark shade like this, I can't say that's a bad thing. It was easy enough to build up to greater depth, and it blended well. It's perfect for adding deepness to the outer corner, or building up a hazy smoky eye.

The soft matte pink had a softer texture than the grape, swatched more opaquely and applied to the lid smoothly. It's definitely a shade I need to use sparingly with my colouring, but I have no complaints about texture or performance. I actually don't have this kind of colour in my collection, so once I got over that bit of shock, I was happy to have it in potential rotation.

The "wet" sparkle of the third pink from the left makes it a fantastic layering shade. The hot pink base is quite sheer, so what you get is this glistening effect that looks incredibly when dabbed to the centre of the eyelid. Applied like that over the grape (heavily built up into a smoky eye) looks intense and totally unexpected.

The pale pink and pale peachy-pink shimmers are smooth, creamy and dense, with intense pigmentation. They apply beautifully, but look virtually indistinguishable from each other once on, so I do wish there had been some greater variation. That said, they are both completely lovely.

The matte beige has a similar texture to the matte pink, and is that rare near-white colour that doesn't look chalky. Perfect brow bone highlight, especially if you're going with an otherwise shimmer/sparkle heavy look.

For 85$ CAD, I do think this is a pricy little set, especially considering the monochromatic theme. It's definitely not a palette that stands by itself, though the quality of each shadow ranges from good to great, so there is no doubt they would each get their use in combination with other products.

And the Drawing Pencils. These are meant to be blend able and waterproof, with 21 different shades to choose from, and 4 different textures.

The M Black 01 and M Grey 05 are probably the best performing of the four. They apply smoothly, with very rich pigmentation and a creamy texture.

The M Earthy Brown 82 actually has to be built up a bit as the first layer is sheer, and rather than feeling creamy it's more oily/waxy. I have to say, the colour reads a little off to me as well, and looks a little dirty around my eye. It's my least favourite of the four, both in terms of texture and actual colour.

The ME Green 51 is GORGEOUS. A perfect teal with incredible golden sparkle, it's also sheerer at first swipe.

These had more of a learning curve than I'm used when it comes to eyeliners. With the shades that required a second swipe for full opacity, I found that I needed to let them dry, or the product wound up coming up with that second pass. It was a little frustrating until I figured that out. Fortunately, they dry down incredibly fast, so waiting to do a second layer wasn't a hardship. Un-fortunately though, that über-quick dry down time means that you have to work incredibly fast if you want to smudge these. Even at that, I don't think they blend out all that well, as they just wind up looking a little patchy and washed out more than anything. As the name suggest, I do think these are best suited for creating strongly graphic lines, which they do very, very well.

Because of their intense creaminess, they're also best when sharpened to a good point, and applied almost laid down on their side, with the length of the exposed "lead" along the lash line. They tended to skip or crumble along the lash line for me when applied in the usual, point-first manner.

I can attest to the waterproof claim, but I can't say that they're epically long-wearing, as I got fading and a bit of crumbing/cracking in the line after 6 or so hours. They contain a combination of a rigid and flexible silicon polymer, which together are supposed to provide good adhesion and flexibility. On my eyes, I suspect the rigid ingredient just doesn't hold up, either because of the natural oils on my lid or that way my eye moves/is shaped. I suspect that if you have problems with eyeliner wearing off, you'll either love or hate the Drawing Pencils, depending on how your personal skin chemistry reacts with the polymers and other waterproofing ingredients.

While I do love the colour range, the waterproofness and the intensity that can be achieved, they are spendy, especially considering the potential application issues.

Have you guys tried any of the newness from Shu? I get the feeling that it's a very cult-y kind of brand. I know a lot of MUAs who adore it, but I tend to get a lot of blank looks when I chat with the average makeup lover about them.

Availability: At certain Holt Renfrew and Sephora locations, as well as online at www.shuuemura.ca. Price is 85$ CAD (65$ USD) for the Ready To Wear palettes, and 28$ CAD (25$ USD) for the Drawing Pencils.

(These items were provided by the brand/PR. All opinions are my own. This post is not sponsored or compensated.)

Tarte palettes can be a little hit-or-miss for me. Most recently I ordered and returned the Golden Days and Sultry Nights one (which is currently in the sale section at Sephora), but loved my Aqualillies palette, so when the Rainforest After Dark Colored Clay Eye and Cheek Palette popped up a few weeks ago, I nabbed it right quick.

Tarte Rainforest After Dark Colored Clay Eye and Cheek Palette

I must admit that the packaging looked swankier on the website. I tried to photograph it without making it look too gaudy, but in this case there was no getting around it. Purple and gold don't exactly convey restrained chic, and the faux-wood plastic casing bears a striking resemblance to the pre-reno paneling in my childhood home.

Ah well. I can deal. Especially since the inside is awesome.

For 46$ CAD, this contains a full sized limited-edition blush, decent sized bronzer and highlighter (though if you're a Tarte fan, you no doubt have a dozen versions of the Park Avenue Princess bronzer), and six eyeshadows in a variety of textures. Value-wise, this is an excellent palette.

The blush, in the shade Unleashed, is soft, warm-leaning rose with a beige undertone. The texture is perhaps a touch softer than the other Amazonian Clay blushes in my collection, but doesn't deviate in terms of how smoothly it applies or how well it wears. It looks very, very natural with my light skin tone, and I think it would work well for fair to medium skin as a natural flush shade.

The highlighter, in the shade Champagne, is buttery-soft and dense, with great pigmentation that sheers out easily. It's a little too warm for my skin to use as a face highlighter, but it's perfect for the inner corner of the eye.

The previously mentioned Park Avenue Princess bronzer has a firmer, silkier, slightly drier texture that has sheerer pigmentation. It applies smoothly and lightly, and the pale tan shade is ideal if you prefer subtle bronzing/contouring, or if you have fairer skin. It's almost completely matte with the very slightest sheen that keeps it from looking too flat. I also like it as a transition shade on the eyelid.

The eyeshadows vary quite a bit in terms of texture and finish.

Don't Turn a-Brown - a dark, cool ebony brown with a firm, slightly dry texture and a matte finish. This doesn't swatch all that well, and looks like it might go on patchy, but it actually blends very nicely, and can be packed on for intensity. It also makes a great liner.

Tan-gled Up In You - a cool tan, this has a softer, smoother texture than the dark brown, and applies with terrific pigmentation. It's a great lid or crease colour, depending on your colouring.

Up To No Gold - a metallic gold, with a creamy, dense texture and intense pigmentation. Packed on, it is very vivid, but I do find it can crumble a bit when used with a fluffier brush (though you can get a sparkly wash). Best applied with a firm paddle brush.

Plum Away With Me - a rich plum satin with micro shimmer/glitter, a soft, but not overly creamy texture. Although it swatches opaquely, and does apply like so with a firm brush and a good primer, it also tends to get a little powdery and blend out easily. I find that it loses some of that plum tone and goes murky the more it's blended. The shimmer also is more subtle once applied.

Make a Mauve - a mauve-toned taupe, with the same texture and finish as Plum Away With Me, though it looks more satin-y on the lid. Same tendency to go a little powdery and blend out, though also the same great payoff when patted on with a dense brush over a primer.

Bare to Explore - pale pink-beige matte, with a smooth, silky texture. It has good pigmentation, but also blends out really easily. It can be used as a base lid colour, or as a subtle brow bone colour (not highlight). It can also blend out a crease colour very well.

I think what I like best about this palette is how well all the shades work together, and how convenient it is. I can see myself tucking this away in a travel bag, and being able to work a variety of looks with it, though still in a neutral category. I appreciate that both the highlighter and the bronzer can be used on the face and the eyes as well. I think as long as you're ok being a little careful with the plum and mauve shades, especially in blending, then this is an excellent palette, especially for work or travel.

Here is a soft, work-appropriate look, using Make a Mauve as the lid shade and under the lower lash line, Plum Away blended in the outer corner (see how it reads less plum?), Tan-gled in the crease, Champagne in the inner corner, and Don't Turn A-Brown as liner in the top lash line. I brushed Bare to Explore just above the crease to blend it out.

I also used Unleashed very lightly as my blush.

Are you guys fans of the Tarte palettes? I find myself liking their smaller palettes more than those big blockbuster sets these days.

Availability: At Sephora stores and www.sephora.com, as well as www.tartecosmetics.com (which does ship to Canada now). Price is 46$ CAD and 38$ USD.

(I purchased this item. All opinions are my own. This post is not sponsored or compensated.)

The first Lorac Pro Palette was a bit of a slow burn for me. Looking back at my review, it seems a little lukewarm compared to how I feel about it now. It easily makes it on my top 10 lists, especially in the categories of 1) travel-friendly, 2) versatile, 3) practical, 4) pigmented.

With those expectations in mind, I hoped that the Lorac Pro 2 would prove a worthy follow-up. And it does.

The packaging is the same as the first Pro, with a slim, eminently travel-friendly profile, a convenient mirror and clearly named eyeshadows arranged with the mattes in the top row and the shimmers in the bottom row, 16 in all. This one also splits the lighter, more neutral, "everyday" shades onto the left side, with the smokier and more jewel-toned shades on the right side. (The box also contains a deluxe sample of the Behind The Scenes Eye Primer.)

In terms of pigmentation, the Pro 2 stacks up with the best of the Lorac palettes. Both the shimmers and the mattes have fantastic payoff, with the shimmers in particular having the sort of densely buttery and soft texture where you barely need to tap a brush into them to get more than enough product. The mattes are silky, smooth and soft - I was particularly wowed by Navy, which is an incredibly difficult colour to get even just half-right (Nars Outremer, anyone?).

Like the first Pro, I do find that the softness can pose a challenge. Where the shimmers have a nicely dense texture that makes their ease of blending an asset, the matte shades have a thinner consistency. Combined with their strong immediate pigmentation, that ease in sheering out can make some of them them appear patchy or "dirty" upon blending. I noticed that occurring when I loaded up my brush, blobbed the product on and then attempted to buff it out - it really didn't work, whereas the shimmers had no issue with this "technique". For the darker matte shades especially, the controlled-dab-blend-repeat process was best, and really took advantage of their inherent qualities.

As much as I like this palette, I would hesitate to recommend it to eye makeup beginners, or even more practiced makeup lovers who just happen to prefer going in with a stronger hand. I think the latter will like the pigmentation, but won't love the change in application method needed to make the most of the palette.

This is the lighter, more everyday/neutral side.

Buff: Has the thinnest, most flyaway texture. It's a too powdery to build up very well without looking chalky, so for me it works best as a base for the darker colours to helps blend them out, or as a matte browbone highlighter.

Light Brown: Very smooth, almost creamy texture, with fantastic pigmentation, not prone to sheering out. This is the perfect all-around shade.

Cool Gray: Similar texture to Light Brown, this is an excellent crease or outer corner colour. The name is weird, because I would consider this a warm gray, as it almost seems to have a brown undertone.

Nectar: Also similar to the two previous shades, this beige-toned peach is perfect for all over the lid or as a transition shade, depending on your skin tone.

Snow: A frosty white, with fantastic payoff. Definitely a colour to use sparingly, thought it can blend out.

Beige: A beautiful champagne shimmer, with a creamy, soft, dense texture and lovely payoff. Great highlighter.

Rosé: A metallic rose gold, with that same superlative texture. This barely needs to be dabbed for excellent payoff.

Mocha: Incredibly beautiful pale brown metallic shade, with a mauve undertone. Same texture as Rosé, and pairs perfectly with it.

And the darker, more jewel-toned side.

Plum: Smooth, silky, every so slightly drier texture. Intense payoff, with some fall-out and that sheering out upon blending.

Navy: Has the driest consistency out of these four mattes, but that doesn't affect the crazy rich pigmentation. I mean, LOOK AT THAT. It's also quite prone to fall-out and that dirty, overly sheered look, so definitely one to apply carefully.

Charcoal: Similar texture and payoff to Plum.

Black: Similar to Plum and Charcoal. It's a soft black, so while the payoff is lovely, it doesn't look too intense.

Chrome: Insanely gorgeous taupe with gray and plum undertones. This is an almost metallic shimmer, with a fantastic creamy dense texture.

Silver: A straight on metallic silver, slightly sheerer than the other shimmers here, but still a lovely smooth texture.

Jade: This has a rich texture, but feels slightly crumbly as well, which I suspect is due to the golden micro glitter in the dark jade shimmer base. Not problem blending it out or applying, however,

Cocoa: Same texture as Jade, with golden micro glitter in a dark brown shimmer, which also has a faint burgundy undertone.

This is a super quick but fairly dramatic eye using this palette.

With a fluffy brush I worked Light Brown through my crease as a transition shade, then Chrome on the lid and up to my crease.

I then used a pencil brush to lay down Navy in the outer third of my lid and through the outer crease, and blended out the edges with a smaller crease brush. (That controlled dabbing/blending technique I mentioned above.)I also applied and blended Navy similarly on the outer two-thirds of my lower eyelid.

I used Plum to blend Navy into Light Brown just above the crease, and a tiny bit at the bottom edge of my lower lid.

A bit of Silver in the inner corner and a quick brush of Buff over the brow bone finished the eyeshadow portion of the look.

(I added a wing using the Make Up For Ever liquid liner and Aqua liner in 0L in the waterline. Mascara was Estée Lauder Sumptuous Infinite in Black. I left eyebrows bare because I'm tragically lazy.)

And Instagram filtered versions, because they're just neat.

Availability: This is the sucky part - Lorac is not distributed in Canada, at least not in any accessible retail locations. Naimie's and Nordstrom do both carry the brand and will ship to Canada, though that can be close to 20$. However, Nordstrom has told me that when their stores open in Canada (first one in a few weeks) they will offer free shipping for orders placed with their Canadian stores! I think the first location will be in Chinook, so I would recommend giving them a call once they open and checking if they stock Lorac. :) Price is 42$ USD, not sure what the Canadian price would be.

(I purchased this item. All opinions are my own. This post is not sponsored or compensated.)

In a long overdue fit of organizational frenzy, I've decided to systematically go through my stash and purge the things that I'm not using or otherwise enjoying. No worries, I'm still a ~~hoarder~~ collector at heart, but sometime in the last few months I actually reached that point of feeling overwhelmed by my collection. I'm not interested in downsizing specifically, and I have absolutely zero shame or embarrassment about my collection, but I do the beauty thing for the joy of it, and when pleasure is replaced by anxiety, it's a good sign that some reassessment is required.

I wanted to be really thorough in my process, so I'm literally going drawer by drawer. I've opted to put this to film, and to hold myself accountable - literally - by putting numbers down for everything I own and am passing on. If you're interested, the first three parts are now up on my youtube channel.

(I will be giving a first run at things to my family and friends - including a care package to Poland - and then I'll be doing a blog sale/pass-along post, which I will update as I go through further portions of my collection.)

(If you do watch, let me know if you prefer music or no music over the title at the beginning of the video. I'm still undecided.)

It feels like there's a wave of decluttering happening on youtube right now. Are any of you guys doing this? I know Latoya from Beauty Obsessed is in the middle of something similar on her blog, if you haven't seen her latest post it's here and definitely inspirational.

I don't know if Shu Uemura has made better palettes than the Brave Beauty ones. I think sometimes the concepts behind the Shu collection don't always translate to an immediately accessible product...and that's cool. That's sort of to be expected with a brand that is grounded in both makeup artistry and the art world in general. I like that there's a brand on the makeup field that's in it for the risks and the high concept and the artistic vision. Much in the same way that I appreciate the existence of Prince, you know?

And when all that comes together with great performance and top-notch execution? Perfection.

Shu Uemura Brave Beauty - Green and Orange Eye Palettes

The packaging is the classic hard plastic casing with an abstract print that somehow looks vaguely botanical. I personally love the packaging, because it is sleek, simple, and practical. It's also completely convertible, as the pans can actually be removed by pulling on the piece on the left side of the palette. Each pan then slides out and can be added to a z-palette or what have you. (You can also theoretically mix and match your shades in these palettes if you so choose.)

Exteriors aside, it's all about those colours.

It all starts with the incredible evergreen matte shade in the Green Eye Palette.

I have a vast and varied collection, but I can honestly say that I don't own anything that comes close to the intense and utterly gorgeous depths of that green. I'm a bit of a dramatic gasper by nature, but when I opened this palette I think I knocked myself back by a pace or two.

The texture is firm and almost a touch dry feeling, but it puts out the pigment like nobody's business. Due to the opacity it can be a bit tricky to work with in terms of blending out, but no more so than the mattes in the Lorac Pro 2, for example.

The olive shimmer right next to it is actually my second favourite, and it has the kind of rich, smooth texture that immediately telegraphs both high-quality formulation and artist-friendly functionality. Very lovely to work with, and great payoff as well. The third colour is a interesting variation on the classic shimmery beige, with that slight khaki undertone. Smooth and soft, slightly sheerer but easily built up. The very pale, slightly minty frost is also dense, with a high-gleam intensity. The chartreuse and forest green shades have a more subdued shimmer, and a similarly smooth, easy texture with great pigmentation.

The Orange Eye Palette is no less awesome, and includes an incredibly vivid tangerine orange. I like that they went with complimentary shades of coral and plum rather than more orange tones (as they did with the Green palette), because it can take some serious stones to rock a blazing orange eye. This palette actually winds up being the more versatile one, strangely enough.

The orange has that same matte finish as the evergreen, and can build up to equally amazing pigmentation - but best represented over a primer. Otherwise it can look dusty.

The mahogany shimmer is gorgeous, and also follows along with the formula of the olive in the Green palette - smooth, dense, rich, easy to blend. The beige shimmer and champagne first are similarly textured, though a bit sheerer, as is the light coral pink satin. The plum shimmer at the end reiterates the texture and pigmentation of the mahogany, and actually leans almost metallic. It's definitely my favourite from the palette.

Compared to the wondrousness that is the palettes, the Lasting Gel Pencil Eye Liners do, unfortunately, feel like a bit of an afterthought. The formula is waterproof and smudge proof (though not quite the 12 hours claimed, at least not on me), but I find the pencil doesn't apply all that smoothly or opaquely. It requires several passes and still looks a little feeble, yet the formula is firm enough to make that a little uncomfortable, especially on the waterline. If you're a completist and want to have the eyeliners to go with the palettes, then by all means - but I think if you're in the market for a long-wearing eye pencil there are more impressive options out there.

Top to bottom: Lasting Gel Pencil Eye Liner M Green and M Violet

Availability: Currently on the shuuemura.ca site, as well as at Shu counters. The palettes are 90$ CAD, and the eye pencils are 36$ CAD.

In all honestly, my jaw did drop a little when I saw the price for the palettes. The individual eyeshadow pans available on the site are 19$, so the palette is 24$ less than buying six pans would be (plus the cost of the empty case). Still that's not an insignificant amount of money, certainly placing it in the realm of extra-fancy for a lot of people, me included. If I splurge, I tend to go for a top-notch formula in conjunction with the kind of packaging that could knock someone's teeth out. As lovely and practical as the Shu casing is, it doesn't fall into that latter category, so I'm left wondering if I would spend that much money on the eyeshadows alone. If I consider the great balance of textures and colours in each palette (especially those incredible mattes), and weigh it against the cost of each pan (12-15$ each, depending whether you take the cost of the case into account), then I definitely think the value is worth the price, despite the initial sticker shock. (Though I do recommend signing up for the newsletter, as there are the occasional promo codes that can lessen the sting.)

(These items were provided by the brand/PR to be considered for review. All opinions are my own, this post is not sponsored or compensated.)

Sometimes the shopping-fu is with me.

I was on my way home from physio when I had the sudden and overwhelming urge to check Target for a bath mat I had been thinking of purchasing. As is my usual practice, I did a quick walk-by the beauty department, on the off chance there was something new and/or awesome.

AND BEHOLD.

Sale Score - The Sonia Kashuk 15 Year Anniversary Brush Set

This is the 15 piece Professional Brush Set that came out recently, to celebrate the past 15 years of Sonia Kashuk as a brand. When I saw reviews popping up on Youtube and fevered posts on Instagram, I relegated this to the "Aw, that's nice" part of my brain, as I never, ever assumed I would have the luck of stumbling upon one.

And then the shopping-fu. Not only were two of these prime sets sitting on the shelf, happy as you please, but they bore that most of exciting of signs: the red liquidation sticker. Already reasonably priced at 39.99$, I snatched this one for a mere 20$. The purple and gold was perhaps a tad more gaudy than I'd generally like, but math won over aesthetics in this case, as fifteen brushes for 20$ worked out to about 1.33$ per brush. I figured if I liked 5 out of the brushes, I would still consider it money well spent.

I have yet to put these through their paces, but based on very superficial first impressions of how they feel, I am doubly pleased with my score. The powder and blush brush are full and silky soft (not Chikuhodo, obviously, but better than the Sigma and Quo in my collection). The round buffing brush feels a touch too stiff in the centre, but a good wash may soften that up. I think it'll work for cream contour products. The foundation paddle brush is smooth and evenly tapered, with no scratchy bits (often an issue with drugstore paddle brushes - I'm looking at you, Real Techniques).

The narrow contour brush is soft but dense, and I'm really curious to try this one out, as I don't have anything like it. It's a big part of why I bought this kit, hoping it wouldn't suck. The angled buffing/foundation brush is really nice, very dense and silky.

For the face brushes alone, I am impressed.

Onto the eye brushes:

The crease brush is too full, firm and dense for me to use for that purpose, except to really soften and blow out an eyeshadow over the crease, but it's a nice enough brush. I could see myself using it for concealer or specific contouring. The second crease/blending brush is also too big for me, except to maybe apply brow bone highlight. It's quite a bit denser, as well. I need to play around with it to figure out how I would use it.

The lay down brush is interesting - it's almost a cross between the MAC 217 and 249 in terms of the length and shape of the bristles, though it has a narrower profile and a slimmer shape. It's a little too slim and precise to blend the crease, but for laying down product and getting a tight shape in the crease or the outer corner, I suspect it might be perfect. If it picks up powder as well as the 249, I have a feeling this will be the sleeper hit of the set.

The bullet brush feels a little stiff for me, as does the pointed brush and the tapered smudge brush. I think they'll wind up feeling scratchy when used closer to the lash line, but I'll have to try them to be sure.

The concealer brush is basic, like pretty much every concealer brush ever included in any set ever made. (I really wish they would start including fluffier version, which is the way a lot of people apply concealer these days). Same "basic" comment applies to the angled brush and spoolie. I'm also assuming the angled brush is meant for the brow, and not eyeliner, as it's too thick and not quite evenly cut on the edge.

So overall? Strongly positive about 6, potentially positive about 3, unimpressed but no qualms about 3, and wary about 3. I think that's not a bad breakdown at all, especially since the ones I'm most confident about are the brushes that would be more expensive anyway. So...super pleased!

Have you guys seem this at your local Target? Are you thinking about tracking it down? Or have you scored anything else on sale that you're thrilled with?

(I purchased this item. This post is not sponsored or compensated.)

The lip portion of the Shu Uemura Brave Beauty collection is, much like the palettes, a mash-up of the in-your-face and the very wearable. The packaging has that same bold, almost-floral design that reminds me of hothouse blooms, and the Vision of Beauty Rouge Unlimited lipsticks as viewed in the tube promise equally florid colour on the face: the deep plummy wine of Maroon, and the vivid tangerine orange of, well, Orange.

I think claret shades for fall are entirely appropriate, and after this spring's orange lip trend we're all well used to citrus tones. Still, these aren't exactly meek shades, and I imagine that for folks who generally favour nude or MLBB lipsticks (and I place myself in that category) they can come across as a little....much.

Shu Uemura Brave Beauty - Vision of Beauty Rouge Unlimited and Satin Radiant Stick

Vision of Beauty Rouge Unlimited: Orange and Maroon

The formula, however, is what makes these waaaayyyy less intimidating to actually wear. This is one of those hybrids between a gloss and a lipstick that has a translucent, stained glass effect when worn. The colour applies very true to the what's in the tube, but the sheerness softens it without altering the actual shade. Orange is NOT a colour I will normally wear, but the shade here was surprisingly pretty, and looked more like pumpkin than tangerine with my colouring. I don't know, what do you guys think?

There are two milder shades in the collection, namely Rose and Beige, if you're not at all inclined to wear bolder colours, as well as equally robust offerings like Red and Fuchsia (which is, as far as I'm concerned, a Modern Classic).

In terms of texture, this is a very comfortable, emollient lipstick with a nice amount of slip that doesn't slide around or feel greasy. As it dries down some of the gloss fades, and it lasts a couple of hours before wearing away relatively evenly. It's not a revolutionary formula, but it is a very nicely done version, and very comfortable to wear. Again, I'm just kind of wowed by an orange that doesn't make me look jaundiced or like the 8-year-old-version of me, who had an unrelenting love for those orange Freezies.

Vision of Beauty Rouge Unlimited: Maroon and Orange

Vision of Beauty Rouge Unlimited: Maroon

Vision of Beauty Rouge Unlimited: Orange

If you prefer shimmer over colour, I suspect the Satin Radiant Sticks might please you. A FAR more elegant version of the Maybelline Master Glaze Blush Sticks, these toe the line between a highlighter and a blush. Though they are split out on the site by category (the highlighters being Light Pink and Bronze Gold, the blushes being Pink and Orange Coral), I think I would best categorize them all as highlighters of some kind, at least based on the two I have.

Light Pink is a very light champagne pink that just barely registers as a colour on my skin, and sheers out to just essentially shimmer. Pink has more obvious pigmentation when swiped on heavily, but the sparkle content wouldn't incline me to wearing it quite that heavily. Sheered out, it's a very light babydoll pink with that same shimmer level.

And these ARE shimmery. Not obnoxiously so, but very obviously so, especially in sunlight or certain overhead lights. This is not the subtle glow that suggests a recent bout of yoga, but a more perceptible shimmer and shine. For me personally it's just a smudge too much, but if a truly grown-up sparkle is what you've been looking for, then this is probably exactly what you want. (And here I'm thinking of a friend who uses a shimmer lotion all over her body, including her face, and looks absolutely stunning. For some people, the shimmering halo just works.)

Texture-wise, this is a far more wearable formula than, for example, the Nars Multiple or the afore-mentioned Maybelline Blush Stick. Both of those can feel overly greasy and slippery (and the matte version of the Multiple has that weird dry-silicone feel), these have a nice amount of initial slip, which makes them very easy to blend and diffuse. After that, they set nicely and feel weightless on the skin.

Satin Radiant Stick: Light Pink and Pink

Satin Radiant Stick: Pink and Light Pink

I will say they photograph really well, as none of the swatches had perceptible shimmer particles in the photos, while they do show up in real life.

Satin Radiant Stick: Light Pink (blended and heavy) and Pink (heavy and blended)

Availability: These are up on www.shuuemura.ca and www.shuuemura-usa.com, as well as Shu Uemura counters. The Rouge Unlimited lipsticks are 36$ CAD and 30$ USD, and the Satin Radiant Sticks are 55$ CAD and 39$ USD. (To which I say, What the price jump, Batman??)

I can definitely see myself getting more of the lipsticks (I have a lippie problem, I know), but the radiant sticks are not something I would pick up, especially not at that price point. What do you guys think?

(Items were provided by the brand/PR to be considered for review. This post is not sponsored or compensated, opinions are my own.)

YSL really hit the ground running with the new Couture Palettes. As I mentioned in my previous review, they are truly a cut above previous iterations from the brand, and stack right up there in my top luxury palette picks for superior pigmentation and performance.

I was really thrilled to see a new version for the Fall, with a colour scheme that's seasonally appropriate but not stereotypical. I love russets and burgundies and golds, but the neutral/teal mix is a nice change of pace, with the deeper tones and smoky richness still evoking autumn. The lip products echoed that twist, with nudes sitting pretty beside the classic wine tones, all in hushed, sophisticated textures of matte and cream.

The entire concept of this collection seems best represented by the limited edition packaging of the palette, black leather embossed with the gold lettering. The "fétiche" in the name indicates that they were going with a sexy and dangerous theme, as does the blown out eye makeup of the promo imagery. (A little Fifty Shades anticipation? Understandable, especially if you've seen the adorably awkward charmer that is Jamie Dornan in action. Because, GOOD GOD MAN.)

For me, though, the colour palette and textures are much more sensual than sexual, more sophisticated than provocative. Either way, I approve.

YSL Fall 2014 - Cuirs Fétiches Couture Palette, Rouge Pur Couture The Mats #210 Nude Acoustic, Gloss Volupté #106 Cuir Grenat

YSL Fall 2014 Cuirs Fétiches - Couture Palette Collector Fétiche,
Rouge Pur Couture The Mats #210 Nude Acoustic, Gloss Volupté #106 Cuir Grenat

The Couture Palette Collector Fétiche is a stunner, no doubt. Although it looks warm-toned, with the gold and gold-flecked bronze shades, it does also have a black and a rather cool-toned espresso brown for balance. The dusky teal shade is also somewhere in the middle, tonally.

All five have wonderful pigmentation, with the gold being perhaps the sheerest. The bronze and the espresso both have obvious flecks of shimmer, and the gold has the most metallic, reflective shimmer throughout. The teal and the black are satins. (As I mentioned in my previous review, the texture seems almost dry to the touch, when you might expect very pigmented and smooth eyeshadows to be creamy/buttery/dense. It's a really unique texture.)

All five shades blend very well, which in the case of the teal is something to actually watch out for, as the intense initial payoff can rapidly become murky. These are perfect for creating a hazy, slightly metallic, smoky eye, and the intensity and shimmery finish of each shade can be augmented easily by applying them wet.

Wear time is great, easily over eight hours with a primer.

(Really randomly, the press package calls the teal shade Amazon Green and describes it as a deep green. Which...obviously not. So I do wonder if they had a more "usual" Fall palette in mind? I'm glad they changed it, if that's the case.)

Couture Palette Collector Fétiche

Couture Palette Collector Fétiche swatched clockwise

For the look below, I started with the bronze applied to the lid, and the teal in the outer corner in a rough triangle shape. I blended the bronze through the crease, and added the espresso to deepen through the outer crease and corner. I dabbed the gold in the inner corner, and lightly swept a bit over the bronze on the inner half of the lid. I also took a mix of the bronze and the gold under the eye. I wet the black to do a soft, fuzzy liner on the top lid only, mostly as a base for the half-lashes (Prima Donna from Liberty Rebublic) at the the outer corners. (Full face picture further down.)

Couture Palette Collector Fétiche - applied

The Rouge Pur Couture The Mats in shade #210 Nude Acoustic is the lone nude shade in an otherwise classically wine-coloured array of lip offerings. It's a warmish pink with a strong beige undertone that falls on the MLBB end of the nude spectrum (or at least it does with my colouring).

This was my first experience with The Mats formula, and I have to say that while it was really nice, it wasn't quite mind-blowing. The lipstick is light and very pleasant feeling on the lips, matte without feeling dry. I can't say that my lips felt particularly loved after the application, but they weren't parched, and the formula didn't make a muck out of fine lines or dry bits. It applies smoothly, and this shade in particular is a great one for touch-ups, as it's so forgiving. I don't think this lasted as well as the darker ones in the collection probably do, as the staining effect is limited by the mild colour, but it wasn't out of line with what I would expect from a matte (a few hours, but not past a meal).

Overall, I just can't say it's a formula that wows me when it comes to matte lipstick, lovely as it is. (The colour, on the other hand, is a hands down winner.)

The Gloss Volupté formula is a stronger contender for my heart. Creamy, cushy, non-sticky, moderately thick, it's a formula that is lovely to apply and feels even better on. It's a great winter lip gloss, if that makes any sense. The shade here is #106 Cuir Grenat, a wine berry that looks way more warm and red-toned in the tube than it does swatched or on my lips. It also appears to have some faint shimmer in the tube, which doesn't translate at all on the lips. It has a moderately pigmented, creamy finish that doesn't look overly glossy or goopy. As it wears down it leaves a faint stain, but the lasting power is otherwise average for a gloss.

I have to note that both of these have a very strong floral-fruity scent. I'm not usually bothered much by scented lip products, but these were quite noticeable, so take that for what it's worth.

Gloss Volupté #106 Cuir Grenat and Rouge Pur Couture The Mats #210 Nude Acoustic

Rouge Pur Couture The Mats #210 Nude Acoustic

Gloss Volupté #106 Cuir Grenat

So this is the whole look with the items that I received from this collection. I'm wearing the Mats #210 here, with just a bit of lip balm underneath to temper the matte finish. (I also used the YSL Fusion Ink Foundation, review coming sooooon.)

Availability: At YSL counters at Hudson's Bay, Holt Renfrew. Possibly at certain Murale locations? Also at www.thebay.com. Price is 39$ CAD for The Mats, 35$ CAD for the Gloss Volupté, and 64$ CAD for the Couture Palette.

Have you guys already checked out this collection? Anything ring your bell? I'm pretty much addicted to the palettes, and will be going all Pokemon on them as soon as I can swing the dough. I had a peak at the Holiday ones thanks to a lovely YSL SA at Hudson's Bay, and I need to have the limited edition version of the Tuxedo palette. SO MUCH.

(The YSL items mentioned were provided by the brand/PR to be considered for review. The Liberty Rebublic lashes were purchased by me. This post is not sponsored or compensated, all opinions are my own.)

I really like the concept of the No Makeup Look. I just can't be bothered to spend all that time on my makeup only to appear the same walking out the door as I did rolling out of bed. If it's a no-makeup day, then it's really a NO makeup day. If I'm going to wear it, it's because I want to do something transformative and fun with my face - not to create a more presentable version of myself for others, but because the ritual and the results please me.

But then there are those days when I want to wear makeup, but I just don't have the time or the energy for the process - I need effect with minimal investment.

That's when I pull out the three staples that I know will always work for a No Fuss Look: a shimmery, mid-toned cream eyeshadow in a neutral but dimensional colour, a matte finish, medium cover foundation, and a MLBB lipstick.

The cream eyeshadow is what really makes this work. It needs to be something that picks up on the natural colours of the eyelid, so something in the taupe, greige, mauve, plum families for my skin tone. A bit of shimmer keeps it from looking too flat (or the look starts to lean into the Hungover Troll category).

The one I've been loving lately is the Clarins Ombre Matte in the shade Sparkle Grey (#05), which is that perfect mix of grey and plum - more silvered grey when applied intensely, more plum when buffed out. The texture is softer and a little fluffier than the Maybelline Color Tattoos, a bit along the lines of the powder/cream texture of the Giorgio Armani Eyes To Kill. (I don't know if that's the case with the other shades in the range, as this is the only shimmer one.) It's ridiculously easy to apply and blend out, which is a big plus for this look, though I generally do need to use a primer as well to keep it from creasing or fading a bit after a few hours.

I usually apply it with a flat synthetic brush all over my eyelid, and run some under my lower lashes (not too thin, the idea is to have a bit of a haze rather than a defined line). Then I take a fluffy brush and buff it out from the crease. Mascara and some black liner to tightline, and done.

No Fuss Makeup Clarins Ombre Matte, Bourjois 123 Perfect, YSL The Mats

Then foundation. Here I do prefer it be matte, because I find the lasting power is generally better, and there's usually minimal need for a concealer or powder on top of it, especially with a medium coverage formula. I always apply with a beauty blender, fas the matte finish is tempered down to a more skin-like satin (which I prefer), without sacrificing longevity.

I've been trying out the new Bourjois 123 Foundation, which is marketed under some dubious claims about having special pigments that counteract the various defects in your skin tone. (Trufact: EVERY foundation has those same pigments. They're what gives foundation the beige/brown colouring. When you were a kid, did you ever mix all your different paints together and get some brown goo at the end of it? Same concept, only with titanium dioxide added to lighten the tone as needed.)

Eye-rolling claims aside, it's actually a very nice foundation. The finish is very comparable to the matte-but-not-flat result you get from the Chanel Perfection Lumiere (not shocking, as Chanel is owned by Bourjois), though it shares the latter's similar tendency to emphasize flakiness. (Which is another reason to apply it with a beauty blender.) I don't get the 16 hours of wear promised by the label, but it definitely keeps up during the better part of the day, getting a bit shiny around my nose about 6-7 hours in, but otherwise looking stable. The only touch up I'm likely to do is a quick pat with a kleenex. The coverage is decently medium on its own, and I find that dabbing a little extra on spots is usually all I need to cover those up. (Though I do still need my usual salmon concealer to cover up the epic sleepless zombie purple under my eyes.)

For lips, I like a product that 1) is easy and fast to apply and 2) equally easy to reapply during the day. Usually this translates into a nude-pink shade that just lightly deepens my natural lip colour, and in a finish that's doesn't require precision.

In the past the YSL Volupté Shine in Nude in Private was my go-to, but lately I've been using the YSL The Mats in Nude Acoustic (#210). I have a review here, but the short version: lightweight and comfortable to wear despite the matte finish, superbly flattering colour, and surprisingly easy to apply - no need for lipliner, and can be dabbed on using a window or other shiny surface as a stand-in mirror without looking like a barmy maiden aunt.

If I have more time and/or energy, I'll swipe on a quick blush, but generally I find these three main items are enough for me to feel "done".

Some quick swatches!

And the finished, No Fuss face! :)

The nice thing about this look is that it can be juiced up with minimal effort as well, should I feel like it. The Ombre Matte works well as a base, so I can just dab a lighter shadow in the inner corner, blend a charcoal in the crease and a bit under the eye, and then add more liner if need be. I can add blush or contour or highlight as I wish, maybe powder if the shine is breaking through on my nose, and then retouch the lip, maybe add a dab of gloss. With that extra few minutes, it goes from No Fuss to Casually Sexy Smokey.

Do you guys have a go-to look for those days when you have limited time or resources? What are the staple ingredients for you?

(I purchased the Clarins and the Bourjois items, the YSL was compliments of the brand. This post is not sponsored or compensated, opinions are my own.)

If you're near an Ulta or Shoppers Drug Mart/Pharmaprix location that has a little display of Essence Cosmetics, you neeeeeeeed to check out the new 6-pan palettes in their permanent line-up. For 4.99$, I picked up three on a whim and haven't regretted the purchase.

There are four available currently, and I passed on the pastel-hued one, opting for All About Paradise, All About Nude and All About Sunrise.

New Essence Palettes: All About Nude, All About Paradise, All about Sunrise

The texture, finish and pigmentation varies a fair bit between all the palettes, and even between the individual colours in each palette. There are a few matte looking ones that nevertheless pick up a satin sheen when applied, and the rest are shimmers, metallics and satins with shimmer/micro-glitter. Some feel quite dense and creamy, and pick up easily with a brush, while a few are firmer and drier in feel, with a more powdery kickback. I find that the majority of them swatch really beautifully, but they have the same adherence issue that I think is common with budget eyeshadows that lean on the creamier side - whatever combination of ingredients is used to give that texture and good pigmentation doesn't always translate into good "sticking" quality.

That said, the solution is simple enough that I don't view the less than stellar adherence as a major drawback, especially considering the price and the results that can be achieved. I take the extra step of using either a cream base or some concealer on my eyelid (over the primer).

All About Nudes has the most wearable shades, as expected.

The off-white shimmer and light taupe shimmer in the top row have a bit of micro glitter and a slightly drier texture and sheerer finish. The delicate pale pink satin is smooth and soft, with nice pigmentation. For greater intensity, the shimmers benefit from being applied with a damp brush, but in all honesty I prefer the subtle look that can be created using them as is. Sort of a...Your Eyelids But Better? YEBB?

The bottom row doesn't lack for punch though. The iced pink frost is dense and creamy with very good payoff, and the deep, greyed taupe shimmer, and intense mulberry shimmer are just slightly less velvety.

All About Paradise has the most vivid shade range of the three, obviously. This is a great option if you're looking to add some crazy colours into your eyeshadow wardrobe, but you're not inclined to spend the money on something like the Urban Decay Electric palette. This gives you a taste at less than a tenth the price, but that sticky base is a must.

The white-gold shimmer verges on metallic, with a smooth, creamy texture and excellent pigmentation. The peach shimmer is less smooth, with a sort of flaky shimmer that makes it a shade best applied wet or dabbed on with a finger. The hot pink and canary yellow shimmers are gorgeous, and best over a primer to get the best payoff. The aqua and blue shades are both drier feeling, and definitely need that base to showcase their vibrancy, otherwise they sheer out quite a bit.

All About Sunrise is my absolute favourite out of the three palettes, not only because the pigmentation is the best but also because of how beautiful it looks when applied. This is a metallic heavy palette, with all but one shade being a variation on gold.

The white gold frost is buttery, dense and very pigmented, totally gorgeous. The following two are variations on the rose gold idea, the middle one being more pink and warm-toned, the latter one having a deeper, taupe undertone. They're not quite as smooth or creamy as the white gold, but they do have great payoff.

The rich yellow gold has the same formulation as the white gold, while the peach gold is similar the to the rose-toned ones in terms of feel and performance. The brown at the bottom right is the odd man out, being cooler-tone, having a drier texture and much sheerer application. It is nice, however, for balancing out the richness of the rest of the palette.

Below is an eye look created with the All About Sunrise palette a little back. I used a mix of the champagne gold and the rose gold all over the lid, with the peach gold as a dimensional layer in the very middle of the lid. The pale beige gold shade was used in the inner corner, and the light brown in the crease and under the eye, mixed with a touch of the rose gold. The look came out with that sunshine-sparkling-on-water effect, which I think was quite pretty.

Availability: At Pharmaprix/Shoppers locations that carry Essence, in the regular display case. Also at Ulta. Price is 4.99$ CAD per palette. (Which is a freaking STEAL.)

Have you guys spotted these yet? Tried them? What do you think?

(I purchased these items. This post is not sponsored or compensated, all opinions are my own.)

If you're a hardcore beauty junkie or makeup artist, you probably already know about the wonder of the Viseart palettes. And if you're Canadian, you've probably cursed the heavens for the relative difficulty in acquiring said palettes, as until very recently they were only available through pro stores in the US, like Alcone, Naimie's, Nigel's and Frends. (All of these ship to Canada, but not without the hassle of extra taxes, fees and duties when passing through customs clearance. Without the benefit of a pro discount, the added costs were especially dissuasive for a lot of non-MUA consumers.)

And then...a miracle. I was browsing the palettes section of the Sephora site, checking for anything exciting and new (fellow addicts, please stand up) - AND THERE WAS VISEART. Four eye palettes (two of which I don't have and ordered as soon as they were in stock), two lip ones, and two concealer ones.

If this brand is new to you, let me give you some context and the broad strokes info:

Viseart is and has always been an artist-oriented brand. Their palettes, and especially their #01 Neutral Matte, are kit staples for many, many artists - and for good reason. Made to exacting standards in France, the eyeshadows are triple-milled for an incredibly refined texture that balances perfectly between softness and adherence. The satin and shimmer shades in particular feel silky smooth to the touch, with a plush, creamy texture. These eyeshadows have brilliant pigmentation, and blend and build so easily that you'd swear they apply themselves.

They are, in my opinion, some of the best eyeshadows currently on the market. They easily compete with any other high-end brand I've tried, including Chanel, Dior, and Charlotte Tilbury. Like most brands geared towards working professionals, the packaging is very practical and simple, with sturdy plastic housing the pans and a clear lid cover. Not sexy or swanky, but in this case it really is the stuff that's inside that makes it worth the eye-blinking price tag. (Yeah, the 80$ took me a while to swallow down, but after spending 60$ or so on high-end quints or quads from other brands - sometimes with disappointing results - I managed to talk myself into trying Viseart out. And I'm really, really glad I did.)

Basically, if I could only pick one brand of eyeshadows to use from now on, I'd be hard-pressed to select anything over Viseart - and at that point it might only come down to either the packaging or the variety, as Viseart generally focuses on more neutral, pro-friendly shade ranges (though they are apparently working on an editorial brights palette).

I'll start with a review of the two palettes that I've owned and used for a few weeks - the #06 Paris Nude and the #05 Sultry Muse.

Viseart - #05 Sultry Muse and #06 Paris Nude swatches review

The Paris Nude is a beautiful range of shimmery and satin neutrals, or quasi-neutrals. They're wonderful to integrate with existing matte shades in your collection (or the #01 Matte Neutrals palette), but also work beautifully used together for a softly shimmery haze. The reflective quality here is relatively low-key - this is not a metallic or glitter-leaning palette, so it would work very well for a work-appropriate look, or for a gentle, blown-out smoky eye. (I feel like you would need something deeper and matte to amp up the drama.) There are two shades with micro glitter that have a somewhat drier texture and sheerer application, and to my mind are best applied wet, otherwise the glitter can fall down. Personally, I could have done without them but they do add the potential for greater drama, should you wish it. They do add a beautiful wet-effect sparkle.

What I find interesting about this palette is how bland it looks at first glance. All the shades look sort of muddy, but when actually applied to the skin they have this incredible dimensionality. All of them have a subtle duochrome or hidden shimmer adding depth and complexity.

Pont des Arts, Champs-Élysées, Beax-Arts, Alexandre Trois,
Saint-Honoré, Orangerie, Marais, Montaigne,
Vendome, Jeu de Paume, Grand-Palais, Saint Germain

Pont des Arts is a peachy pink shimmer. Champs-Élysées is a white gold shimmer with very faint pink duochrome and small, flaky gold micro glitter. Beaux-Arts is an almost metallic rose gold with a peachy copper duochrome - completely gorgeous. Alexandre Trois is pale gold beige with gold micro glitter. Saint-Honoré is a slightly plummy mauve with a warm taupe undertone, very lovely. Orangerie is a changeling, looking alternatively light brown, bronze or peach depending on the light.

Pont des Arts, Champs-Élysées, Beaux-Arts, Alexandre Trois, Saint-Honoré, Orangerie

Marais is a rich copper. Montaigne is a pale old gold, with a khaki undertone. Vendome is a dusty lilac, with lighter lavender-pink shimmer. Jeu de Paume is a light, silvery sage. Grand-Palais is a smoky olive with a faint mauve shimmer underlay. Saint Germain is a plummy pewter shimmer.

Marais, Montaigne, Vendome, Jeu de Paume, Grand-Palais, Saint Germain

Sultry Muse is a more dramatic palette, with a higher degree of contrast between the shades and four of those micro glitter flecked shimmers. It also contains a few outright metallics. It suits more deeper, smokier, more outgoing eye looks, though you can definitely create a daytime appropriate looks as well. Of the two, it's probably the more versatile palette because of that range of colour depth and created texture variation.

Yves, Camille, Kifu, Gitte,
Tym, Jori, CIndi, Chantille,
Chloé, Melonié, Diane, Ceska

Yves is an icy white with silver micro glitter. Camille is an almost metallic warm, light brown. Kifu is a pale beige with a slight pink undertone and golden-pink micro glitter. Gitte is a deeper beige with gold micro glitter. Tym is an intense copper metallic with a distinct rose undertone. Jori is a deep, cool, bittersweet chocolate brown.

Yves, Camille, Kifu, Gitte, Tym, Jori

Cindi is another intensely metallic copper, this one with a strong orange cast. Chantille is a muted burgundy brown. Chloé is a silver-slate metallic, with silver micro glitter. Melonié is a slightly dirty peach with a melon pink undertone. Diane is a deep charcoal shimmer. Ceska is a soft gold shimmer.

Cindi, Chantille, Chloé, Melonié, Diane, Ceska

I also have some quick comparisons with the two brands that I think have the closest match in terms of pigmentation and/or texture. (I wasn't able to get exact colour matches, but something in the general family to give you an idea.)

Below are the three shades from the Charlotte Tilbury Dolce Vita quad (minus the glitter shade) versus three from the Viseart Sultry Muse (Melonié, Chantille, Jori). Among my high end brands, including Chanel and Dior, the CT has the closest similarity when it comes to texture. They feel alike in terms of silkiness, softness, creaminess and refinement of the pigment. I find they also apply and blend very, very similarly on the eye. That said, I do think the Viseart are a bit more pigmented - not a huge difference, but enough to note.

Viseart - #05 Sultry Muse and #06 Paris Nude

Below are three shades from Urban Decay (Derailed, Half-Truth, Chase) versus three from the Viseart Sultry Muse and Paris Nude (Grand-Palais, St-Germain, Ceska). Again, I didn't have a chance for closer colour matches, and Chase is more metallic in finish compared to the gold from the Viseart. But you get the idea. These are some older UD and definitely represent the best of their quality - they are perfect in terms of opacity of pigmentation and creaminess. They have that classic UD richness and are denser and more buttery feeling than the Viseart, which feel finer and silkier in comparison. The Viseart are somewhat easier to blend out and use, due to that refinement, but the pigmentation is similar. I think these are both excellent formulas and it would be a question of preference. (The ease of use with the Viseart is probably why they end up in pro kits with far more regularity.)

Availability: From pro shops like Naimie's, Frends, Nigel's, Musepro, and now at Sephora, as part of their pro-oriented line-up (though available for anyone to buy). The price is 80$ CAD and USD. I would highly recommend giving them a try during the VIB/Rouge sale, coming soon.

Have you guys had a chance to try these yet? I'm kinda obsessed, if you can't tell. :P

(PS - I'm trying out the wider shots of arm swatches, for a clearer context for the colours. Let me know if you have strong preferences either way!)

(I purchased both palettes. This post is not sponsored or compensated, all opinions are my own.)

So I don't normally plug my micro-biz here. I generally feel a little weird doing so, though I'm not really sure why - they're tangentially related after all, being about makeup one one hand, and soap/perfume on the other. I guess maybe because this blog is really more of a personal hobby, whereas Pretty Indulgent is more of a side-job, I feel strange using one to talk about the other?

That being said, I've worked really stinking hard on re-booting the site (and I am NOT tech-savvy), so I feel like I really need to share the result of that blood, sweat and tears with folks who might enjoy it.

Anyway. :)

Here is a peek at the storefront, and if you feel like looking a little further, the link is here. (And if you do feel like getting something, I'm putting up a a 15% off code - blogfriends - for you guys. It'll be good until the 31st of December this year.)

I'm still working on updated some of the product images, but if you happen to spot anything else that's wonky, feel free to poke me about it!

I've been at this blogging/vlogging thing for a few years now. I actually started under a different name, several years back, when I was more into green beauty, and I've been an avid consumer of beauty writing and vlogging for even longer before that. And over the past year, I've grown more and more disenchanted with it.

Monika, from Rocaille-Writes, has written an eloquent post about her own unease with the current state of affairs, specifically in relation to the YouTube Celebrity version of the online beauty community. I highly recommend giving that a look, if you haven't already. And for a mini-rant along those lines, check out this video post from Kirsten, of ItsKeerstin. The part I'm referring to is at the beginning, but if you do want legit beauty reviews, I say watch the rest of the video. And then all her other videos. ;)

As a consumer of both beauty products and the online beauty community, everything they've said highlights my own unease. I don't begrudge anyone their success, and I think it's awesome that there are so many avenues of potential career growth that just didn't exist 5-10 years ago. I think the major problem is that something that started out being an organic extension of Makeupalley and chat forums - where people talked about what they liked and didn't like, and offered great personal recommendations - and an avenue for aspiring beauty journalists, has essentially become another form of advertising. And I'm not talking about having ads on the page or before the video. Blogging about beauty takes time and money - I know for a fact - so some funds coming in from passive advertising is appreciated, and I don't think it takes away from anyone's experience. For professional bloggers, I also do understand that the costs become even more of an issue, and I get the need for some sponsored content. As long as it's well-written and explicitly disclosed, all the power to you.

On a personal level, though, the more sponsored content I see, the less I trust the individual's authenticity. The post or video could be fantastic, and I can certainly enjoy it on an aesthetic level for all the production value and thought that went into making it (see all of Hey Claire's sponsored videos) - but I view it the same way I do any other commercial, with the assumption that someone is trying to sell me something. I don't care if the claim is that "I only do sponsored posts/videos for things I genuinely love". At some point, you end up sacrificing your trustworthiness. We all present a certain version of ourselves when we interact publicly - no one is 100% themselves in those kind of situations, not even on reality shows - but if you are presenting yourself as someone who is giving honest, personal opinions about products, then your whole persona has to be as close to the core as possible. If you're bound by a contract to say certain things a certain way, then you're not being authentic. You're advertising.

And again, if your content is advertorial in nature and you're explicit and honest about that, then I'm cool with it - I just won't take it for gospel. And if you're anything less than 100% transparent about it? Well then, good-bye, and thanks for all the fish.

As someone who also blogs and vlogs, I've been doing a lot of thinking about how I go about things myself. I already don't do sponsored content, but I'm pondering things like PR-provided product and events. Lipstick does not pay the mortgage, so free product certainly isn't in the same category as paid sponsorship. That said, it can become hazy territory as well. Some people manage to maintain their credibility perfectly even while getting PR-provided samples constantly. (Temptalia, for example, and Tracey, from Beauty Reflections.) They either have a very strict, mathematical approach to reviewing, or such an upfront personality and complete transparency that you never doubt their opinion is genuine.

I can say from experience that it's actually a lot harder to do that than you'd think. When you start out, the temptation is of course to be softer on reviews because you want to be on good terms with PRs. And sometimes that is a legitimate factor. I've never had a PR say or suggest that I shouldn't post a review with negative content, but I have heard of it happening. (And I know people have lost PR relationships because of a more negative post.) So even if you're committed to total honesty, I have no doubt that does affect the content in some subliminal way.

And then there's something even more basic - most of us are women, and most of us were trained from a young age to be nice. Double that if you were raised to be a polite Canadian girl. If you don't have something nice to say, don't say anything at all, right? (Some bloggers have that as an explicit policy, actually, in that they will only post about things they like.) That is a really hard thing to overcome, and especially so when you get to know and become friendly with the PRs. (I know it's something I've struggled with, trying to find the right word that is both honest and "nice".)

This is why I'm actually debating my policies, and whether I want to continue accepting gratis product. I don't enjoy the mental struggle of finding the "right" way to say something, and I REALLY don't like the idea of having my trustworthiness put in question. And knowing that I already give some blogs and youtubers the side-eye because of this, it feels important to be clear.

(As a side-note, there's another aspect to all this, which is the ever increasing emphasis on consumption. I know I'm the last person that should be speaking about this, considering how much makeup I have...and yet. Companies want to sell things and make money. PR groups want to help companies sell things and make money. Bloggers and vloggers who are PR-friendly - for lack of a better term - also want to make money, so it's in their interest to promote consumption. And I'm not sure I want to be part of that specific cycle. I like makeup, and I like collecting, but doing the Declutter series has put some of this in a different perspective.)

Eeesh. That's long-winded, and I apologize for that, but I had to get it off my chest.

I'll be doing a series of quick and dirty swatch-and-mini review posts for the holiday palettes, as there isn't a lot of time left to purchase or put things on wish lists for the holiday gift-giving season. (And I'll be back to both regularly scheduled programming and some new things come January.)

For today, I have two really, REALLY awesome palettes: The Make Up For Ever Artist Palette and the Laura Mercier Artist Palette for Eyes and Cheeks. (And who, I just realized the name similarity here. They both wanted to be sure you knew they were MUA-friendly brands, I guess?

First up, the Make Up For Ever Artist palette. Price is 48$ CAD, available at Sephora.

The new MUFE eyeshadow formula is both unique and a vast improvement over their original formula. It's one of those weird gel-powder hybrids, but without that surface dryness that kind of formula can have. These are creamy and a little dense, with a neat texture when you press your finger into the pan, almost like it has a bit of squishy-ness. The gel part of it, I assume? And unlike a lot powders that claim some kind of special privilege of being usable wet, these powders not only can be applied damp, they transform into an almost cream eyeshadow texture when applied wet. They can be painted on, blended, buffed out without losing potency or getting funky.

All the shades I've tried so far have wonderful pigmentation (especially the Metallic and Iridescent finishes), and more notably, are an absolute dream to build up, sheer out and generally blend. They're so incredibly malleable for a powder eyeshadow. I think the ones that might be the weakest in pigmentation are the Diamond shades, but it's a truly minor difference.

I've heard that these eyeshadows can develop a hard pan surface, which hasn't happened to mine, yet. (I think because of that gel-powder, squishy texture they compact down easily, maybe?)

Shades are, left to right:

M536 (Milk Tea - matte), 1524 (Pinky Beige - iridescent), I550 (Olive Grey - iridescent),
D652 (Celestial Earth - diamond), ME728 (Copper Red - metallic), ME230 (Peacock Blue - metallic, D926 (Blueberry - diamond), ME930 (Black Purple - metallic).

I think the Copper Red and Blueberry are perhaps the only ones where the name doesn't quite match the color, but otherwise they're pretty accurate descriptions.

Next up, the Laura Mercier Artist Palette for Eyes and Cheeks. Price was originally 70$ CAD, now 59$ in the sale section at Sephora. Score!

I have to say that the exterior of the palette is decidedly lacklustre. It's a functional flip top with a magnetic (sort of) closure, and a zebra-like cloth wrap. It's just totally "meh".

Inside, WAY better.

I had a rough patch with the Laura Mercier palette. My first one had a misprint that turned Deep Night into something close enough to a racial slur that I debated with myself for a week before exchanging it. That bump aside, it's a lovely palette! The eyeshadows are up to par with what I expect from LM (compared to, say, the unreliable quality of Bobbi Brown palettes), with silky-smooth mattes, creamy-textured shimmers, and great payoff. I find the rosy tones on the left side especially useful for everyday wear, but the navy also makes a terrific eyeliner shade, and the stone taupe is a go-to contouring shade for both eyelid and cheeks.

The one thing that stands out a bit oddly is the blush/highlighter, as it is distinctly warmer-toned than the rest of the palette. It can be a bit odd pairing them in a cohesive look, but I actually like dusting it a bit over the centre of the lid to add a burnished tone and then applying it as a second, highlighter-y blush over a rosy or taupe blush to tied everything in. It's probably a little less value for the buck if you don't like the blush, since it contains half the amount of eyeshadows compared the palettes from previous years. If you do like it, though, then it's great quality for the price, especially now that it's discounted. (If you want to press your luck, you can also try waiting until the sale section discount thing Sephora usually does later in December/early January.)

Back soon with a few more!

Disclaimer: I purchased everything. No sponsorship, PR items or affiliate links.

Press sample. Contains affiliate link.

Sometimes a product doesn't quite work as intended, but still manages to be all kinds of awesome. Such is the case with the Urban Decay Naked On The Run travel palette.

This boxy, beautiful palette contains a wonderfully functional array of products for creating a natural-to-night-out look: a medium toned bronzer, a vivid pink blush that leans a bit blue, five neutral shadows in a mix of finishes, a shimmer powder that can work as both a face highlight and another eyeshadow, a deep brown eyeliner, a muted rose lipgloss and a mascara. Add in your favourite face products, and maybe a lipstick or liner, and all your bases are covered.

The packaging is, as most things UD, gorgeous to look at, and cumbersome to store and carry - and that goes double when the marketing calls this a travel palette. Though smaller than the egregiously overstuffed Book of Shadows of yore, it's still far from streamlined. I don't know how anyone would look at this and think: "why yes, this is exactly what I need to tuck into my carry-on bag". (Then again, I'm a super-light packer, so if your travel motto is There's Always Another Suitcase, then this might not be an issue.) Personally, if I really wanted to tote these items along on a trip, I would take the loose items out into my makeup bag, and depot the actual pans. Which sort of defeats the purpose of the pretty packaging. The only part that is travel-friendly for me is the nice-sized mirror, and the fact that it stays open by itself.

That being said, I do think this is a GREAT option to get yourself or to give someone as a sampler of Urban Decay products. The quality of the products is very representative, and they're almost all full-sized or generously proportioned items - only the eyeliner and mascara are mini versions. For 64$ CAD, you get a lot of good, varied product for the money, and everything works well together.

The eyeshadows skew on the cooler side in the pan, though they are warmer on the skin, and offer a solid neutral range for light to medium skin.

Dive - a metallic rose gold with micro shimmer, this looks like it could be chunky in the pan, but actually applies smoothly, with minimal fallout. I can be packed on for a dense, shimmery look, but I prefer it applied lightly as a wash, with a damp brush, for a sunlight-shimmer-on-water effect.

Fix - a medium taupe matte, this has a silky-smooth texture and the perfect tone for a softly applied lid color or transition shade. Depending on your colouring, it can also work as a contour or even brow shade, making it the most flexible shade out of the palette. I almost wish it was a larger pan, as I know it's the one that will be most used.

Resist - a metallic taupe with the kind of creamy, rich texture that is definitively "UD". It looks more grey in the pan than it does on the lid, and I find myself using it a lot for defining the lower lash line. Something about the shimmer and tone works wonders.

Dare - a neutral medium brown matte. Swatched, it seems a little choppy, but I had no issues using it on the eye. Like most truly neutral shades, it's a bit of a yawner in the pan, but perfectly useful in reality. The silky-smooth - but not buttery - texture makes it perfect for contour work (eye or face, depending on your skin tone) and as a brow powder. It builds up nicely as well.

Stun - a metallic bronze with gold micro-shimmer. Another one that looks like it might be chunky glitter bomb in the pan, and feels drier and more powdery than I'm used to from UD. There's a bit of fall-out during application, but it blended out smoothly on the eye. Also the warmest of the eyeshdows here.

All five of these eyeshadows are 0.04 oz, which is just a bit under the 0.05 oz size of the single eyeshadows. (Which works out to 4 x 19.20$, so a 76.80$ value.)

The second powder row features a bronzer, a blush and an eyeshadow that also works as a face highlighter.

Bronzer - a medium, slightly red-leaning bronze. I thought it would be too deep for me at first, but it's actually exactly right. It doesn't turn orange and it doesn't make me look sallow. If you have light, somewhat olive-toned skin, this is perfect. The texture is smooth and silky, and is easy to both apply lightly or build up, as there is no powdery-ness.

Blush - a bright pink with slight shimmer. Intense in the pan, but the perfect in-from-the-cold shade on the cheeks. Beautiful on lighter skin tones, but vivid enough for medium to deep skin as well. It has the same texture as the bronzer, with marginally more shimmer. More glow on the skin than anything else.

5050 - a slightly shimmery champagne beige. As an eyeshadow, it's on the sheerer side, but it provides a nice balance to the medium/deeper shades in the rest of the palette. It can be applied overtop to add some dimension, or in the corner of the eye for a straight-on highlight. With the sheerer texture and relatively subdued shimmer, it also works well as a face highlight. It has a creamier texture than the blush and bronzer, more like the UD eyeshadows, though not as dense.

The blush and bronzer are each 0.3 oz, and while there isn't a direct individual product equivalent in the UD line-up, the Naked Flushed palettes contain blush, bronzer and highlighter, and have 0.59 oz of product for 35$ CAD. Adding in the 5050 highlighter at 0.07 oz, the total value of that row comes out to 39.75$.

This is my first experience with the Naked Ultra Nourishing Lipgloss. First, the tube is GORGEOUS. I mean, really, really well done, UD. It fits perfectly alongside the Revolution Lipsticks, kinda funky and modern but with a nice amount of heft and elegance. (As an aside, I really like the grown-up version of Urban Decay. As someone who was introduced to brand in my teens, when both it and I were heavily inspired by the grunge aesthetic, its evolution feels perfectly in tune with mine.)

Performance-wise, this is a lovely gloss. Nothing outrageously inventive, but it feels light, comfortable and hydrating on the lips (I've used it instead of balm once or twice, and it worked better than expected), and not sticky at all. There is a slight scent, which I can't place, and it's not noticeable after application. The shade here is in Sesso, which is a nude rose with a slight shimmer, and is also exclusive to this palette. It's right in line with the Naked theme, a MLBB color. These are sheerer glosses, by the way, so not for you if you like something with a lot of pigmentation, but optimal if you're the type of person who applies lipgloss on the fly.

This is a full-sized product, coming in 0.13 oz. (Individually, the glosses retail for 24$ CAD.)

The 24/7 eyeliner included in the kit is in the shade Stag, which I don't believe exists independently. It's a cool-toned, grungy dark brown, verging on grey, with a bit of shimmer. The shimmer doesn't really read on the eye, just gives it a bit of depth. I really like this shade - it's softer, smokier and easier to wear than black, without appearing noticeable brown either. Kind of that perfect daytime shade, but also intensifies for a nighttime look. It's actually been my go-to liner for the last few weeks.

Stag is 0.03 oz compared to the full-sized 0.04 oz, so a comparative 18$ value.

The mascara is a deluxe sample version of the new(ish) Perversion. I love the look of my lashes with this mascara - sooty-black, fuller and longer, with good separation without any spikiness - but unfortunately it smudges and flakes on me within a few hours.

The size is 0.13 oz, compared to 0.4 oz of the full-size. The sample size is sold on Sephora for 15$ CAD (compared to 26$ CAD). In terms of actual value, this is 8.45$.

One coat only on the top lashes, on the left.

It's a natural bristle brush, and the casing has a really pretty gunmetal finish. If you're going to replace it in the slot provided by the palette casing, you'll need to do so with another sample mascara - which is one of the other aspects to the packaging that can be less than practical. (Though if you are using it for travel purposes, it can certainly make sense to take a mini mascara.)

Final thoughts? I think this palette is a terrific value (167$ for the 64$ price tag), and works as a fabulous introduction to the brand. It definitely has all your bases covered, even if I do find the packaging too bulky and specific to work well as a travel palette.

(This item was sent to me by the brand to be considered for review. This post is not sponsored, or otherwise compensated. Contains an affiliate link.)

Press sample.

As tired as I am of winter, I'm almost more tired of complaining about it. So let's focus on spring, yes?

And nothing says "HELLO THERE SPRING" quite like the verdant, pastel confection that is the Clarins Garden Escape Palette. (Well, maybe not in shouty caps, since that wouldn't be the classy Clarins way.)

Clarins Spring 2015 - Garden Escape Palette 6-Color Eye Palette

How freaking gorgeous is that??

I'm not a jaded makeup consumer. I still gasp with delight over the new, pretty, and shiny - but it takes a lot to truly stop me in my tracks. This palette. THIS PALETTE. I was mesmerized upon opening it, and very nearly petted it lovingly before realizing I needed to take un-besmirched pictures.

(Side note - this is also the palette that inspired me to change up my picture backgrounds from the plain white. Let me know if you like that.)

The outside is simple and classic, but the inside is pure magic. The colors themselves are stunning, and so perfectly spring-like that all the other collections can basically pack up and go home. The imprinted sun and botanical design just notches everything up to 11. I really don't know if I could have asked for a more perfect springtime palette.

In this light, the shimmer is more obvious.

In more direct light, the result is more flat and satin, which closer to how they appear on the eye.

Which is why I was a little disappointed in the formula.

To the touch, it feels absolutely amazing. Ultra-smooth, creamy, soft. I was excited, because it reminded me of the texture of the older, discontinued Clarins mono eyeshadows, which I love, and which are nothing like the new wet-dry formulation.

And indeed, it swatches beautifully. Applied to the eye, however, that intensity is lost. The softness of the powder translates into a hazy, watercolour application. The colors are more muted, as if viewed through a soft-focused filter - delicate and pretty, but not what I was expecting from the look of the palette, hence my disappointment. Used dry, it's also very difficult to build up any intensity simply by packing on more powder.

Applied wet, however, the effect is much stronger, closer to to the depth of the swatches here, and with more visible shimmer. I achieved an even better result applying them over a concealer rather than bare lids or a regular eye primer.

Overall, the shade with the best payoff (wet and dry) and the smoothest application is the taupe. Dry, it's the perfect crease color. Wet, it's a stunner on the lid, picking up the light in the way only taupe shadows can. The two pinks are nearly interchangeable once applied, even if they look more distinct in the swatch. The greens are probably the most different when applied wet or dry - hazy shadows and dappled green light when applied dry, more lush and verdant when used wet.

I know several bloggers have loved this palette, and generally I'm not one to pick on an eyeshadow for going on softer (I deeply dislike the OMG PIGMENTATION IS EVERYTHING standard, as not everyone is looking for eyelids that precede them into a room). This is particularly true of a formula like this, that is specifically designed and marketed to be used dry for a lighter look, and wet for more drama. I appreciate that the claims are pretty clear about that, and that as a consumer you have the options.

I think it comes down to which you'd rather do - sheer down and blend out a more intense formula, or work up a softer one. I don't think there's an objectively better way, as it depends on what you tend to wear on a daily basis. Personally, I think the former method is usually easier/simpler, which is partly why I was left a little bereft.

The Garden Escape Palette is priced at 44$ CAD, and is currently available at Clarins counters.

(Product was provided by the brand to be considered for review. This post is not sponsored or otherwise compensated.)

Purchased items.

SPRING IS HERE.

No?

Well, eff it, let's pretend.

I'm diving deep into all the pastels I can find. I ran across the Pupa Spring display at Jean Coutu a few weeks back, and all those beautiful lilacs and apple greens called to my soul. I had to get a few bits from the Sporty Chic Collection - especially an incredible-looking cream shadow in a shade I've actually never seen before (and crossed my fingers it would show up as vibrant on the eye as it does in the jar).

Pupa Sping 2015 Sporty Chic Collection - Graphic Eyeshadow Palette and Velvet Matt Cream Eyeshadow

The vibe here is giving me a flashback to the 4th grade (mid 80s, to save you the math), which is admittedly not a time period I'm usually inclined to revisit. And yet...I'm having the sweetest wave of nostalgia right now (bolstered by these kind of articles). Preteen me would have given this palette a place of honour on her dresser, right next to her bottles of Exclamation and Electric Youth.

The actual colour palette reads a little less obviously 80s, though. A little Twiggy, maybe?

Either way, it's beautiful. All of the eyeshadows have the same ultra-fine, smooth texture, creamy but thin in the way of the Maybelline Color Plush eyeshadows. The pigmentation is semi-sheer, but intentionally so, not due to chalkiness. To me, these are fantastic layering shades, as they all have some degree of opalescent shimmer that sits so well on top of a deeper base, though they can still be used by themselves. Wear-time was surprisingly good for chiffon-light shades like this, about 8 hours without significant wear and tear, though with fading. (Over a primer or cream base.)

I think veils of colour like this feel very modern right now, especially for spring. I'm kind of tired of the very contoured/defined/transition shade/3-point eye looks that are Instagram staples right now.

If you're going to get something from this collection though, it HAS to be the Velvet Matt cream eyeshadow in #003. This is truly incredible. Purples are notoriously difficult to get right in terms of texture and payoff, but a pastel-hued version in a matte cream formula? That truly is a marvel.

This applies perfectly true from jar to skin, and can be used fully opaque without creasing or bunching, and can be buffed out without going patchy.

And the colour...LOOKIT.

I really don't think I've seen anything quite like it, especially not in such a top-notch formulation. I didn't need to use a primer under it, and it lasted 8 plus hours without budging, cracking or fading.

I did a quick look using these guys, drawing from both the Twiggy/60s/Mod side and the current Korean-inspired Spring makeup trends.

I used the Velvet Matt as a base on the mobile lid and lightly buffed into the crease, and then layered the lilac shadow on the lid, with the pale pink in the centre of the lid. I used the apricot through my crease. I then worked a Sephora Contour Eye Pencil in the shade #37 Caipirinha Dreaming' into the lower lash line, and then buffed the chartreuse shade over that. The pale lemon yellow went into the inner corner. I finished off the eyes with little wing courtesy of the Le Métier de Beauté pen liner, and a couple coats of Make Up For Ever Smoky Lash mascara.

To keep on-trend with the radiant, "just had a facial" skin, I applied a crapload of moisturizer, used the Make Up For Ever Smoothing Primer, and then applied the Clarins Everlasting Foundation using a buffing brush that was dampened with a glycerin-heavy toner from Nuxe. A bit of bright Delizioso Pink blush from Milani on the cheeks, and then loads of balm and a swipe of Quince from Bite Beauty on the lips, faded out to the lipline for a juicy effect.

I'm digging it.

I know Pupa is hard to get in Canada - I can only find it here in Jean Coutu stores. Have you guys seen it anywhere else?

(I purchased all the items. This post is not sponsored or otherwise compensated.)

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