Estee Lauder Double Wear Stay-in-Place High Cover Concealer 2W Light/Medium (Warm) SPF 35 - Mini Review and Swatch

 

I am calling this a mini review because I have only used this concealer for one purpose and it has been a fail. That is, I have only used it as an under eye concealer. The colour I have, 2W Light/Medium (Warm) is too dark for the rest of my face so I can't really road test it as an overall face concealer. I specifically purchased this shade to cover my dark circles which is why it is so yellow and darker than my regular shade. Why do I keep looking for an all in one holy grail product??? I know I really need a corrector and a concealer, but alas I keep hoping for a quick, on the go, miracle product.  

 

 

 

This concealer does an ok job of concealing, however, I can still see my dark circles after I use this. My main beef with the product is that when it sets it looks all dry and cakey. Awful really. It even settles into fine lines. This Double Wear Stay-in-Place High Cover Concealer really is not suitable for under the eyes. It is a bit too dry for this type of use. It is nice and thick, but too thick I am afraid. It doesn't even matter if you moisturize the heck out of your under eye area. Same result. This particular shade, 2W Light/Medium Warm is super yellow so unless you have strong yellow undertones to your skin, this one will stand out for you big time on the rest of your face. Here is the swatch:

 

The product is $24 U.S. and contains 0.1 oz or 3g of product.

 

Packaging: 10/10  (sturdy, compact)

Pigmentation: 6.5/10 

Easy to Work With: 7/10 (applies a tad stiff)

Longevity: 2/10 (stays on all day but looks like crap)

Texture: 7/10 

Price: 3/10 for what it is

Ingredients: 8/10 

Travel Worthy: 10/10 

Attractiveness of Product: 2/10

Would I buy this again? NO

Overall Rating: 3/10 for under eye coverage only

 

Anastasia of Beverly Hills Self-Made Eye Shadow Palette - Review, Swatches and Close Dupes

I feel like a bit of a jerk doing a review of this Anastasia of Beverly Hills (ABH) Self-Made Eye Shadow palette now since it has been out for a few months and it is hard to come by at this point. This palette retails for $35 U.S. or $46 Canadian. I am happy to say that I snagged mine during the Sephora VIB sale so I got an extra 20% off. You may still be able to get these in stores (Ulta, Sephora etc.) but I think they are sold out online at those stores. Some of these shades can be purchased as singles through ABH though. I am so thrilled with this purchase and will say that in my opinion, this is the best ABH palette that they have ever put out. The palette contains 0.65g or 0.023 oz. of product. These 14 eyeshadows are phenomenal in terms of quality and the price point is excellent in my opinion.



My first impression of the palette was that the colour selection was odd but I felt I could make it work. I was going to pass on picking it up, but the reviews were just so darn good, for the price, I thought, "what the heck?" In general, I find ABH palettes to be quite colourful and mismatched sometimes. This palette is actually one of the most neutral they have ever put out! As mentioned there are 14 eyeshadows in this palette and they are from left to right and top to bottom as follows:

Pink Champagne, Metallic Plum, Self-Made, Witchy, Blush, Blossom, Buttery, Deep Purple, Treasure, Hot & Cold, Sherbert, Isla, Spirit Rock and Hot Chocolate.  

The best colours in this palette as far as I am concerned are Pink Champagne, Metallic Plum, Witchy, Blush, Deep Purple, Treasure, Sherbert, Spirit Rock and Hot Chocolate. My favourite by far is hands down Treasure. It's a less peachy version of Stila's Kitten. The only dud in here would be Buttery in my opinion. It's dry, super yellow and doesn't look like much on the eye. It's a bit sheer too.

Pink Champagne, Witchy and Blush were pleasant surprises to me. Pink Champagne looks like a straight up glitter bomb. The consistency is not chunky nor rough at all in actual fact. It applies so easily and looks like a million bucks. I wear it alone with black liner and you are ready to go party. Witchy such a cool colour it's hard to explain. It's kind of olive yet grey, gold and smoky. It doesn't look as dark on as it does in the pan and it's just gorgeous. I have done a few great looks with it. Blush is an opal shade with some green and pink in it. I have no idea why they called it Blush. It reminds me of a darker version of Makeup Geek's Rockstar.  

I want to talk about Isla for a quick second. It may be straight up mint green in the pan, but it is so subtle on the lid. If you don't like green eyeshadow, you might be ok with this one because it is not overpowering on the lid at all. It blends in with whatever other colours you are using and adds just a little dimension to things. Finally, Sherbert is a great transition colour. The rest are exactly what you would expect. Oh wait, Spirit Rock is really neat! It is a kettle black with pink shimmer. I really like this one too. Looks great with Blossom. Okay swatch time! From left to right below is: Pink Champagne, Metallic Plum, Self-Made, Witchy, Blush, Blossom and Buttery.

Bottom row of eyeshadows are as follows: Deep Purple, Treasure, Hot & Cold, Sherbert, Isla, Spirit Rock and Hot Chocolate.  

I am not joking when I say this Self-Made palette is by far one of the best palettes I have purchased this year. I cannot think of one negative to say about it except I am not keen on Buttery. The packaging is nice, sturdy and compact.

Packaging: 10/10   

Pigmentation: 10/10
Easy to Work With: 10/10
Longevity: 10/10
Colour Stays True: 10/10
Texture: 10/10 (except Buttery)
Price: 10/10 
Ingredients: 8/10
Travel Worthy: 10/10
Attractiveness of Product: 10/10
Would I buy this again? HELL YES
Overall Rating: 10/10

Makeup Geek MUG Eyeshadows in Americano and Cherry Cola - Review and Swatches

Merry Christmas everyone!

Today, I am going to review Makeup Geek (MUG) eyeshadows in Americano and Cherry Cola. Americano is on the left and Cherry Cola is on the right in the picture above. Americano is described as a dark brown with subtle purple undertones and a matte finish. I would say that is accurate. The colour is really pigmented and is so easy to work with. I sometimes find dark browns can be stiff or fly everywhere when you use them, but Americano was ridiculously easy to work with. It has great longevity too. It's already in the Top 3 dark brown eyeshadows in my collection as far as I am concerned.

Cherry Cola (don't you just love that name) is a deep brown with strong red undertones and a matte finish. It's the more brown version of MUG's Bitten. I really like it and I don't have anything like it in my collection. It blends well and has good longevity. It's such a fun colour. It is darker and more burgundy than MAC's Folie. Both of these eyeshadows are great additions to my collection. These are quite neutral and could be worn daily if you so desired. Here are the swatches:

Americano is on the left and Cherry Cola is on the right.

I have two palette reviews up next! I should have one up tomorrow since I finally have a few days off with no work, studying, baking or Christmas shopping! Yeah!

Packaging: 10/10   

Pigmentation: 10/10
Easy to Work With: 10/10
Longevity: 10/10
Colour Stays True: 10/10
Texture: 8/10 (a little dry)
Price: 10/10 
Ingredients: 10/10
Travel Worthy: 10/10
Attractiveness of Product: 10/10
Would I buy this again? YES
Overall Rating: 9.5/10 Americano and Cherry Cola

Kiehl's Calendula Deep Cleansing Foaming Face Wash - Review

I've been busy studying for an exam for work the last month or so and my exam is day after tomorrow. Yikes! Needless to say I have been neglecting my blog for a bit. Good news is the exam will be over with soon so hopefully I will be back with a slew of reviews soon.

I ran out of face wash while I was on vacation this past summer. I purchased a small bottle of the Kiehl's Calendula Deep Cleansing Foaming Face Wash in a 2.5 fl. oz. or 75 ml size. Not the one pictured above. It has an interesting, slightly herby smell, but it is not unpleasant. I bought this because the words "deep cleansing" always appeal to me. Sadly, I did not find this product to be so.

On the plus side, the formula is gentle and I think anyone could use it without irritation. It foams well once you rub the product together in your hands and it is quite enjoyable to wash your face with. I noticed within a couple of days of using this that my skin seemed to be breaking out. I have used this product on and off since my vacation, and I still have the problem. I am not sure if it is this product. I have a funny feeling that I am not actually having a reaction to it, I think it is more than it is not cleaning my face properly and as a result, my pores are getting clogged.

I can wash my face twice with this and if I rub a cotton ball across my face afterwards, I still have a good deal of makeup and dirt coming off. My face is not dried out and feels calm after I use it, but my face just doesn't feel clean and it isn't. It feels refreshed, but dirty. For some reason I am determined to finish this bottle because it's almost gone. I use it mostly in the shower now if I am washing my face in the morning. It's useless for nighttime makeup and grime removal. Needless to say, I will not be repurchasing.

A regular 235ml bottle is $35 Canadian. I think I paid close to $20 for my small one. Ouch! I was desperate at the time though.

Packaging: 8/10

Texture: 10/10

Price: 6.5/10

Ingredients: 8/10 Sulfate and Soap Free

Easy to Work With: yes but it doesn't work well! so 1/10???  

Travel Worthy: 6/10 

Deep Cleans: 1/10

Moisturizing: 9/10

Comfortable/Softening: 9/10

Smell: 7/10

Would I buy this again? NO

Overall Rating: 2/10  (weighing doesn't deep clean or work heavily here)

November 2015 Empties!

It's that time again - empties! For November I had a mix of some regulars and a few one off items. Let's get started.

John Masters Organics Blood Orange & Vanilla Body Milk is a product I have had for over 3 1/2 years. That's embarrassing. I have had it for ages because I love the smell and it was pricey so I was trying to conserve it. While this lotion is good - moisturizing, smells awesome, nourishing etc. I really prefer the body wash. Here is the link to my review on that:

http://mymakeupissues.blogspot.ca/2012/02/john-masters-organics-blood-orange-and.html

It just got to the point where I was asking myself how much longer was I going to look at the inch of product that was left as it was taking up room on my vanity in my ensuite. I decided to finish it off. I would consider repurchasing, but really I think I get more bang for my buck with the body wash and the smell of that is even better than the body milk.

Klorane Floral Water Make-Up Remover - I have ranted and raved about how much I love this stuff so much I am not even going to bore you again. Already repurchased.

Origins Zero Oil Pore Purifying Toner - Old faithful. One of my holy grails. Have gone through countless bottles. I went off of toner for a while but I am getting back into it. Already repurchased.

Bath & Body Works Black Raspberry Vanilla Anti-Bacterial Deep Cleansing Hand Soap I have had this hand soap for so long it isn't funny. I had it in my guest bathroom and it took forever to disappear. Maybe it's me, but I think I might be sensitive to some ingredient in it. My fingers feel like they swell up after I use it. Happy to big it adieu. Not one of Bath & Body Works finest products.

Oh my goodness, I just realized that my bottle of Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair is backwards in this photo. Sheesh. Sorry about that. I can't stop using this and I have a 100 samples so I have never had to buy the full size! It does seem to make a difference most mornings when I look in the mirror versus when I don't use it. My makeup looks better the next day too after use.

Estee Lauder Revitalizing Supreme Global Anti-Aging Eye Balm. It was ok. Not my fave but it worked well enough in terms of moisturization. This was a gwp size.

Estee Lauder Revitalizing Supreme Global Anti-Aging Creme. It too was ok. Not my fave but it worked well enough in terms of day moisturization. This was a gwp size. Yeah, ditto the last product lol.

Estee Lauder Gentle Eye Makeup Remover was also a gwp. I am an Estee Lauder whore. It was gentle but a tad greasy. It would not remove all mascara on its own without help from another product. Will not repurchase. It's Klorane or bust for me. Unless of course I get a freebie of something else to try for kicks.

Last, but not least, we have Urban Decay's Lip Junkie in Naked. This product has been discontinued. I got this as a sample or something from Sephora. I really liked this product. Pity it's discontinued. I liked the colour too.  

Bits and Bites

• I am planning to get rid of some products I have had hanging around the house for too long so you may see some oldies in my next empties post.
• I have a MAC palette, some Buxom eyeshadows and ABH palettes coming up so stay tuned!
• I got the UD Gwen Stefani palette the other day. I am so excited!

Marc Jacobs Beauty Le Marc Lip Creme Lipstick in Kiss Kiss Bang Bang 216 - Review and Swatch

I got this mini Marc Jacobs lipstick as either a free sample or with some rewards points. Damned if I remember. This mini is 0.003 oz. A full sized version is 0.12oz. and is $36 Canadian or $30 U.S.  The colour I have, Kiss Kiss Bang Bang is described as baked rose. To me it's a muted pink red. This colour is very sophisticated and classy. What I like about it is that it allows you to wear a deeper coloured lipstick without the colour being in your face. Very work appropriate. I don't wear this lipstick enough and I quite like it. Please excuse the smudges on the tube below. I just saw them now.





When you put this lipstick on, it's very comfortable, moisturizing and nourishing. Your lips sigh as though they have just been given the ultimate pleasure and say thank you. It's such a strange sensation. You can't help but feel happy and not every lipstick can do that my friends. I would stress though that it would be a good idea to wear lip liner with this lipstick because I find it can fade on its own within 2-3 hours. The nice thing though is that the colour stays true, even when it fades. Marc Jacobs Beauty claims it will last up to 10 hours but I don't see how unless you don't eat or drink anything and stay perfectly still. That claim is a stretch at best. This is hands down in the Top 3 most comfortable lipsticks I have ever worn. Here is a swatch:

I would definitely repurchase and/or buy another shade. Despite it's habit of fading, when you wear this lipstick it just feels expensive and luxurious. It's vibrant but not shocking, the way a lipstick should be. This lipstick is definitely one of the best finds of the year for me.

By the way, isn't Kiss Kiss Bang Bang an entrée at the Cheesecake Factory? Or is that Bang Bang Chicken or something?

Packaging: 10/10 (cute tube)

Pigmentation: 8/10
Easy to Work With: 10/10
Longevity: 6/10
Texture: 10/10
Price: 8/10 (worth every penny though)
Ingredients: 7/10
Travel Worthy: 10/10
Attractiveness of Product: 10/10
Would I buy this again? YES, YES, YES!!!!!!!!!
Overall Rating: 9/10 

Makeup Geek MUG Eyeshadows in Baby Face and Motown - Review and Swatches

Baby Face and Motown are two of the newer eyeshadows that Makeup Geek has released in recent weeks. In the above picture we have Baby Face on the left and Motown on the right. Each Makeup Geek eyeshadow pan is $6.00 U.S. and you get 1.8g or 0.064 oz. of product.

Baby Face is described as very light brown with cool gray undertones and a matte finish. I don't see any brown here. To me it's a cream coloured eyeshadow with pink and grey undertones. It's Makeup Geek's Vanilla but less yellow, more bright and more cool toned. I find the quality of Baby Face to be better than Vanilla too - the consistency is creamier, softer and more pigmented. It really brightens up the lid. Baby Face applies easily, you don't need much, and has great longevity.

Here are the swatches! Baby Face is on the left and Motown is on the right. Baby Face is close to my skin tone as you can see. Damn, I need a tan.

I really love Motown, partially because I love purple eyeshadow. It's a nice rich, true dark purple. It is described by Makeup Geek as a deep eggplant purple with a matte finish. It does swatch a bit streaky as you can see. When blended out in the crease it does sheer out if you are not careful. I have heard that purple eyeshadows in general, regardless of the brand, have this issue due to the purple pigment. Nevertheless, Motown works great as an eyeliner, in the outer "v" or outer corner. I really like it. I wore it for 10 hours one day and it was still as vibrant as when I put it on. It applies easily and smoothly as a liner. It is a little dry to the touch but doesn't feel dry going on.

Packaging: 9/10   

Pigmentation: 10/10 Baby Face  7.5/10 Motown (sheers out in the crease)
Easy to Work With: 10/10 Baby Face  7.5/10 Motown (sheers out in the crease)
Longevity: 10/10
Colour Stays True: 10/10
Texture: 8/10 Baby Face  6/10 Motown (sheers out in the crease)
Price: 10/10 
Ingredients: 9/10
Travel Worthy: 10/10
Attractiveness of Product: 10/10
Would I buy this again? YES
Overall Rating:  8.5/10 Baby Face  7.5/10 Motown

Aveeno Daily Moisturizing Lotion Sheer Hydration - Review

I have purchased a few Aveeno products over the years and generally I have liked them. I would buy them more often but most of them have a few not so great ingredients. Since I would be lathering a body cream or lotion all over my body, I am very cognisant of what I put on it. This particular Aveeno product, the Daily Moisturizing Lotion Sheer Hydration, has the best ingredients of all of their products in my estimation.

Unlike Aveeno's other body lotions and creams, this one is quite thin. Hence, sheer hydration. It is thinner than I was expecting. I don't find that it moisturizes as well as their other body products. It does an ok job on my body, but I really don't like to use it on my hands. I just find that my hands still feel dry shortly after use and kind of powdery and pasty at the same time. The product is fragrance free but I still smell a little something something. Nothing crazy though.

I plan on using up the entire bottle this winter, but I am not planning to repurchase. There are better products on the market for less money such as the Nivea Pure & Natural line.

Packaging: 8/10

Longevity: 6/10
Texture: 2/10 (feels weird)
Price: 7/10
Ingredients: 9/10
Moisturizing: 6/10
Travel Worthy: Not in this size
Would I buy this again? No
Overall Rating: 6.5/10

Bits and Bites

• I have some Makeup Geek eyeshadows up for review next
• Tons of eyeshadow palettes coming up! So many, so little time!

ColourPop Super Shock Shadow in I Heart This and Smash - Review and Swatches

With all of this talk about ColourPop the last several months, curiousity got the better of me and I put in an order a few weeks back. I bought 4 Super Shock Shadows and 3 Ultra Matte Lip products. Today, I am going to review 2 of the Super Shock Shadows that I bought. Each one is $5 U.S. and contains 2.1g or 0.07 oz. of product. I got a discount for being a first time customer so my whole order came in at $38 U.S. before shipping. For 7 makeup products, that is phenomenal! Shipping to Canada for this order was $12 U.S.

First of all, the products came in a very nice box with a handwritten note. Everything was extremely well packaged. Kudos to ColourPop for that. The eyeshadows come with screw top pots. They feel very sturdy and are not cheap at all. I will bet that the ColourPop stamp on top of them will chip off in no time. The ones on my lip products are already practically gone! I personally prefer a flip top lid or a magnetic one for my eyeshadows, but hey the screw top is more secure, especially when travelling.

On the left we have I Heart This. On the right is Smash.

I Heart This is a straight up glitter bomb. My swatches below do no justice whatsoever. I don't own any pigment or glitter that is as vibrant nor as crazy as this. I would recommend saving this for New Year's Eve, clubbing or Halloween. Where was this when I was clubbing??? Those days for me are long gone my friends. Anyway, I had the nerve to actually wear this to the supermarket and to the movies on two separate days. I have little shame, but few people would be willing to rock this in broad daylight. I paired it with a dark purple eyeshadow in the out corner and it looked good! I Heart This is described as a cool-toned silvery taupe with multi-coloured glitter. Very accurate description I would say. Considering it is a glitter eyeshadow, I was surprised that the product was so comfortable to wear. It didn't feel the way some glitter eyeshadows do, scratchy or sticky, on the lid.

All of the posts and vlog reviews that I have seen on these eyeshadows say the best thing to do is tap them or swipe them on your lids with your fingers. That sounded like finger painting to me. Not really my speed. I can vouch after testing these that using the finger method (that sounds rude doesn't it?) is really the best way to use them. Even when I use a synthetic brush, the payoff on my lids pales in comparison. It's really the finger or bust. Well, you know what I mean.

On the left is Smash and on the right is I Heart This.

I would say that I Heart This is a great product to use if you want to dress up any eye look and transform it into full on party mode. I wore this one day for 12 hours and the glitter did not budge, crease or fade in any way, shape or form. I did use an eyeshadow primer and a flesh coloured eyeshadow base under it. It was literally tap and go. These Super Shock Shadows would be great for travel, because you don't need to pack a brush. Personally, I am not crazy about finger tapping my eyeshadow on in general as there is only so much you can do with that - an all over wash of colour or as an accent on top of your lid colour. For these eyeshadows though, I can make an exception. I feel as I though I would need to be very careful with any further Super Shock Shadow purchases though because if I was going to use the colour as a say a crease colour, these likely wouldn't work well for me.

On to Smash. I have no idea why I bought this shade. Does that ever happen to you??? You plot out a purchase very carefully and then you totally forgot why you chose a certain colour. Smash is described as a neutral medium warm beige with a soft golden satin finish. I agree with that. This colour is straight up dupe for Maybelline's Eye Studio Colour Tattoo Bad to the Bronze 25. This colour too wore well for over 16 hours, stayed vibrant etc. None of these shadows blend well so you can't get too fancy with them and use other shadows easily.

The consistency of them is odd. They are slightly gel-like and compress really easily when you touch them. Don't expect the design on the product itself to last. They remind me of the Maybelline Dream Bouncy Blushes. Wow, what is with the Maybelline comparisons....interesting. The ingredients in ColourPop shadows are much better than Maybelline though!!!!

As I said, the swatches do not do these colours justice, especially I Heart This which is on the left.

Overall, I think you would be hard pressed to find another eyeshadow on the market this high quality for $5 U.S. Makeup Geek ones are just a hair more, and they blend. Just saying. There is something unique about these ColourPop numbers. I may buy more, but I will need to be choosy. I'll get back to you on that.

Packaging: 9/10   

Pigmentation: 10/10 (if you use your finger)
Easy to Work With: 10/10 (if you use your finger) 2/10 (if you use a brush)
Longevity: 10/10
Colour Stays True: 10/10
Texture: 10/10
Price: 10/10 
Ingredients: 9/10
Travel Worthy: 10/10
Attractiveness of Product: 10/10
Would I buy this again? I think so yes
Overall Rating:  8/10*

*I would have given a full 10/10 if they were blendable and if you could use a brush to apply them properly.

Givenchy Noir Couture Volume Mascara - Review

I got this mascara from Sephora as either a free promo or I used some rewards points. I don't remember. Nevertheless, it is a small travel sized mascara. I had never tried a Givenchy mascara before so I was looking forward to diving in and checking it out. A full sized tube is $37 Canadian (gasp!) or $33 U.S. for 0.28 oz. A mascara at this price point better wow me.

Okay, let's start with the good. I think the packaging is really nice - edgy. Props for that. The brush is kind of crazy, but it works. It's narrower at the top and fatter on the bottom. Picture is down below. I would say the brush works well and coats all of your lashes with little effort. The product is super thick and clumpy. I figured out how to roll with after a couple of tries. The colour is like black satin. In fact, the colour is called 1 Black Taffeta. I find this product to be very volumizing, which is it's claim to fame, but not much lengthening which is what I really want. I find my lashes feel soft and not crunchy all day after they dry which is nice. I haven't noticed any smudging or flaking with this product.

On to the not so good. This product dries super fast so it you aren't quick about it, you can kiss a second or third coat of mascara goodbye. It's super goopy as mentioned so you have to be careful and wipe the wand off every time you open it back into the tube. Because this isn't a lengthening mascara, that is the main reason I won't purchase one as it doesn't suit my needs. If you aren't fussed about length or price, this might be a good mascara to try.

Overall, I have to say that this mascara works a lot better than I anticipated it would. I don't have any plans to purchase one because it doesn't lengthen. Also, it costs $37 and that is a lot of dough for a product that only lasts three months and covers such a small part of your face.

Packaging: 9/10

Pigmentation: 8.5/10

Easy to Work With: 7.5/10

Longevity: 7/10

Texture: 10/10

Price: 5/10

Ingredients: 8/10   

Travel Worthy: 10/10

Smudge Proof: 9/10

Flake and Clump Proof: 5/10

Attractiveness of Product: 7/10

Would I buy this again? No, it's just not for me

Overall Rating: 7.5/10

Buxom Spolied Sexy, Jetsetter and Mink Magnet Eyeshadows - Review and Swatches

I am back at it today with more of the new Buxom eyeshadows - Spoiled Sexy, Jetsetter and Mink Magnet. I already mentioned this in my last Buxom eyeshadow post, but just to recap my thoughts on the packaging and the price:

All of the Buxom eyeshadows from this collection are well pigmented and are easy to use from what I have seen so far. The palette case that you buy for them is really sturdy and I would definitely consider travelling with one of these palettes. It is so easy to put the shadows into the palette and switch them out as often as you like. That is a big plus for me. I like options so a customizable palette is a big bonus for me. Perfect idea if you are travelling.

If you pick out six shades plus the palette, the set is $50 Canadian or $40 U.S. Each individual shade is $17 Canadian or $12 U.S. and if you buy the palette alone, it's $16 Canadian. To buy an individual shadow compact to hold 1 shadow is $2 Canadian. Obviously, it is a no brainer to buy the set of six plus the palette as buying 3 eyeshadows alone costs $51 Canadian.

Here is the link to my review on Champagne Buzz, Bold Bling, Star Treatment and Big Spender:
http://mymakeupissues.blogspot.ca/2015/10/buxom-champagne-buzz-bold-bling-star.html

Okay so here are the shades du jour. From left to right we have Spoiled Sexy, Jetsetter and Mink Magnet. Spoiled Sexy is described as a matte deep mauve. I would agree with that description. This shade is creamy, applies easily and is long lasting. I have no complaints. It's a solid colour.

Jetsetter is described as matte greige and that is fair. It's a very cool grey brown. I really like working with this colour. Close dupes would be MAC's Copperplate or MAC's limited shade in French Grey from donkey's years ago. I think Jetsetter is a touch more brown than say Copperplate. Ditto for this shade, it's creamy, smooth, blends well and is long lasting.

I got Mink Magnet as a small sample from Sephora. That or I used my rewards points. Can't recall now. It is super chunky and glittery. The texture leaves something to be desired. I had very little interest in this shade, but I decided to bust it out a couple of weeks ago. I was more than pleasantly surprised. Mink Magnet is described as metallic bronze. There is something milk chocolate and kind of pink purple champagne about it. I am normally not into this type of colour, but I can tell you it is gorgeous. It applies easily and the pigment is fantastic. I find it lightens up a bit on the eye and blends in a bit better after maybe 30-60 minutes on the eye, on its own. Scary. It lasts 16+ hours. This is one of those shades that works as an all over lid colour and it looks like you busted your chops doing your makeup that day when all you did was swipe the damn thing on! I would definitely pick this colour up in a full size.

Swatches! Left to right is Spoiled Sexy, Jetsetter and Mink Magnet.

I think these shadows are neat and the whole packaging/marketing thing is brilliant. The colours stay true and I would say they have good longevity. I have six more these Buxom eyeshadows to test and review. So stay tuned!

Packaging: 10/10   

Pigmentation: 10/10
Easy to Work With: 10/10
Longevity: 10/10
Colour Stays True: 10/10
Texture: 10/10
Price: 10/10 (if you buy the set of 6 incl. palette)
Ingredients: 10/10
Travel Worthy: 10/10
Attractiveness of Product: 10/10
Would I buy this again? YES!!!!!
Overall Rating:  10/10*

*I don't know if this is a 10/10 product as I don't feel that in love with them. Yet, I cannot find a damn thing wrong with any of these four shadows per se. They check all of the boxes.

It Cosmetics Bye Bye Under Eye Corrector in Light - Review and Swatch

I've had this product in my stash for a little while. I bought it at Ulta during one of my trips to States. It is $29 U.S. and the jar contains 5ml or 0.17 oz. worth of product. The jar itself looks like it holds a ridiculous amount of product, but when you hold it up to the light, you see it has a huge false bottom.

I bought the shade Light at the urging of one of Ulta's salespeople. She said Medium would be much too dark for me. I am one of those firm believers that simply lightening the undereye area with a product that it the same shade or lighter than your skin tone doesn't work. You need a peach based or darker shaded product. Especially, if they are deep blue black vortexes like mine. My opinion anyway.

While "Light" does match my skin colour, I find it looks ashen under my eye. I really wished that I would have opted for Medium. Here is the swatch with it swatched on the left and blended out on the right:

This product doesn't crease under the eye even after 18 hours of wear! So that's impressive. I can still see the product on at the end of the day, so it doesn't disappear on you. As I said, I just wish I had chosen the Medium shade. I wear this on days I am wearing my glasses to work and I am ok with the colour not being the best as you can't see it much, but this shade wouldn't work for me if I wasn't wearing my glasses.

The product feels a bit like a gel and it is very comfortable to apply. You don't need much application wise. A nice inner cap is in it to help keep it fresh. Please don't mind how dirty it looks. It's been well used.

The colour Light looks dark enough in the jar, but it applies much lighter on the skin as shown in my arm swatch above.

Would I buy this again? Yes, but in the Medium shade. Heck, maybe if I mixed the two shades, perfection might be born! This product gets full kudos for being long lasting, comfortable, natural looking (minus the shade oops on my part), and being crease-free. I also think it's good value for your money as you need so very little and I have barely put a dent in the jar after months of using it. 

Packaging: 8/10  (I like the colours but the letters are chipping off and there is a huge false bottom)

Pigmentation: 7/10 (swatches lighter than it looks)

Easy to Work With: 10/10 

Longevity: 9/10

Texture: 10/10

Price: 10/10 for what it is

Ingredients: 10/10

Travel Worthy: 6/10 (it is a bit bigger than it needs to be)  

Attractiveness of Product: I'll back to you when I buy the Medium shade

Would I buy this again? Yes

Overall Rating: 8/10 for Light (rating for Medium will be pending)

October 2015 Empties!

We have to talk. I have so many empties this month, I have to tell you about them asap so that I can recycle some of this stuff! Without further ado, let's get to it.

Nivea Pure & Natural Body Lotion Organic Argan Oil is good stuff. This may have been my third bottle. I already have a fourth bottle and I am looking to buy a fifth. It isn't the greatest cream in the world, but when I use something else, I miss it. Full review: http://mymakeupissues.blogspot.ca/2013/10/nivea-body-milk-pure-natural-review.html

Savon a L'Ancienne Extra Pur Marseille "Verveine" or Liquid Marseille Soap "Verbana". I love these hand soaps and Verbana is one of my favourite scents. I have bought a number scents over the years and this is simply my favourite hand soap. The scent I have right now is not so good but the quality of the product remains stellar. I seem to be only able to find this at Marshalls or Winners.

Wen Sweet Almond Mint Cleansing Conditioner. Another one bites the dust. I've mentioned before I have a cupboard full of this stuff as I am on Wen's mailing list. I really like this product but I get bored of it sometimes. Also, my ends really need more conditioning than this provides so I switch it up with other products as a result. Full review:  http://mymakeupissues.blogspot.ca/2012/11/wen-by-chaz-dean-sweet-almond-mint.html

Wen Sweet Almond Mint Anti-Frizz Styling Crème. This was my second to last tube. It works sometimes for those in between days (in between curly and straight) but overall it doesn't give me the hold and control I want and need. I got Wen to stop sending me this product months ago. Doesn't appear I have ever done a full review on this.

Clinique Makeup Brush Cleanser. I used to really like this product before I discovered the Beautyblender Blendercleanser Solid. Now I can't even look at an alcohol based liquid cleanser anymore! It did work decently though.
Full review:  http://mymakeupissues.blogspot.ca/2015/04/beautyblender-blendercleaser-solid.html

Clinique Smart Custom-Repair Serum. I really liked this salmon smelling serum. I find it did work well on my uneven skin tone. This was my second bottle. I would repurchase but I have gone back to my Origins Plantscription as I want to figure out which one I like better. Full review: http://mymakeupissues.blogspot.ca/2015/07/clinique-smart-custom-repair-serum.html

Bumble and Bumble South Surf Spray. I had a love/hate relationship with this product. I was so happy to finally finish it! I loved what it did, but it was so drying to my hair! I have high hopes that new Bumble and Bumble Surf Infusion will be the answer to my prayers. Wow! I just realized that I have never done a review on this product. I will try to do a smackdown blog post when I get the Surf Infusion.

Gehwol Med Salve for Cracked Skin. This stuff stunk like you wouldn't believe. Worked very well except for the greasiness and the stench. It smells like old lady ointment. This actually works better than my tried and true L'Occitane Dry Skin Foot Cream, but the Gehwol is just a pain in the ass to use. I may repurchase one day though because it works like nothing else.

Wen Sweet Almond Mint Re Moist Intensive Hair Treatment. You really need to use this product in conjunction with the Wen Cleansing Conditioner. I get so lazy though. It works, but not well enough that I would repurchase. It can weigh my hair down and still not be as conditioning as I would like. I say this and I still have a few of these in my cupboard. I did get Wen to stop sending them to me several months ago so I need to get rid of them. Holy cow, I have never done a proper review of this either it appears!

L'Occitane Dry Skin Foot Cream. Love it, already repurchased. Full review: http://mymakeupissues.blogspot.ca/2013/07/my-new-favourite-foot-cream-loccitane.html

YSL Yves Saint Laurent Mascara Volume Effet Faux Cils. Total rubbish. Did nothing for my lashes. No where as good as the YSL Babydoll mascasra. I didn't like the ingredients either and it dried up fast. It has to go...in the trash. Full review: http://mymakeupissues.blogspot.ca/2015/10/ysl-yves-saint-laurent-mascara-volume.html

L'Occitane En Provence Shea Butter Ultra Moisturizing Lip Balm. It was ok, but no where near as good as Burt's Bees or the Bite Agave Lip Mask. I only had a travel size. Will not repurchase. Full review: http://mymakeupissues.blogspot.ca/2015/09/loccitane-en-provence-shea-butter-ultra.html

Stila Stay All Day Waterproof Liquid Eye Liner. I love this product. It may be my favourite liquid eye liner. I am having it duke it out with my Kat Von D Tattoo liner right now. This was a small travel size and it lasted me seriously for months! Didn't dry out fast like MAC's version. You've got to try this! Full review: http://mymakeupissues.blogspot.ca/2013/08/stila-stay-all-day-waterproof-liquid.html

Estee Lauder Double Wear Zero-Smudge Lengthening Mascara. I always go on and on about this product. Probably this was my 7th or 8th tube. Great for work, doesn't smudge. I only wish it gave more length and a little more volume. Still, very happy with it. Already repurchased. Full review: http://mymakeupissues.blogspot.ca/2013/02/estee-lauder-double-wear-zero-smudge.html 

Caviar Cream 10-in-1 Complete Correction. I wish this was more a serum or gel and not a lotion. I only use it on my ends occasionally as it's expensive and I don't find it does much in my hair that isn't my ends. Not sure if I would repurchase as I have found other things I like much more.  Full review: http://mymakeupissues.blogspot.ca/2014/09/alterna-caviar-cc-cream-10-in-1.html

Living Proof Perfect Hair Day. Love this....a holy grail. Going to repurchase as soon as I finish this post. It's everything. Full review: http://mymakeupissues.blogspot.ca/2015/04/living-proof-perfect-hair-day-5-in-1.html

November looks like it may be an empty heavy month too so stay tuned!

Sephora Collection Cream Lip Stain in 13 Marvelous Mauve - Review and Swatch

I don't usually give a thought to Sephora brand cosmetics. They aren't particularly cheap and frankly, they as a brand have never proved themselves to me nor do their products interest me much in general. Maybe it's the no frills packaging. Nevertheless, I was intoxicated by the sight of a lip colour that Marlena from Makeup Geek was wearing several months ago in a video. It was none other than the Sephora Cream Lip Stain in 13 Marvelous Mauve as shown above. Had to try this out. It's my kind of colour!

The packaging is a big snore. That isn't a deal breaker for me. This product has a very strong smell and not everyone will like it. To me, it smells like synthetic whipped frosting. Depending on my mood, the smell can be quite appealing. The smell dissipates once applied within a few minutes. The product itself is really thick and clumpy. It applies completely smooth though. You don't need to apply much and it dries within a few minutes. It's super comfortable at first, but it starts to feel dry within an hour. Now it's not mega dry, but it's dry. Some people may not like that. If you have fine lines on your lips, you may not be so keen either. If it's gets to be too much dryness for me, I dab a touch of lip gloss on it and it's perked right up and is more comfortable again.

Here is a swatch. Please note that it dries a lot darker than the tube indicates, but it is a really nice colour. I have received some compliments on it and inquiries as to what it is.

This colour is really "in" right now as it is a brown berry. The staying power of this product is fantastic. It lasts for hours and through multiple drinks, snacks and meals. It has quickly become a favourite in my lipstick rotation. It has a plain doe foot wand. The smell does make me a little nervous as I am wondering what is in there. The ingredients don't look too damning but there is Petrolatum in it. A tube of this is $18 Canadian or $14 U.S. Since it is a Sephora brand product, I think that is a bit steep on the surface, but the product is really good so it's worth the money. I am really happy with this colour so I am not sure if I want to try another shade. Have any of you tried these?

Packaging: 6/10

Pigmentation: 10/10
Easy to Work With: 10/10
Longevity: 10/10
Texture: 7/10
Price: 8/10
Ingredients: 8/10
Travel Worthy: 10/10
Attractiveness of Product: 10/10
Would I buy this again? YES
Overall Rating: 8.5/10 

tarte Energy Noir Clay Palette - Review and Swatches

I have been such a bad blogger for the last week and a half. I meant to have this review up over a week ago. I have been away from home on business a couple of times over the last two weeks so I am behind with everything! My apologies. Okay, Tarte palette talk time!

Those of you who regularly read my blog know that I love me some Tarte. Some of my favourite palettes ever are from Tarte. Sad thing is, they are always limited edition. In addition to loving me some Tarte, I love me some purple eyeshadow! Works well with my brown eyes. So Tarte + purple eyeshadow is simply a winning combination.

I bought this palette at Sephora for $46 Canadian or $38 U.S. Personally, I think that is a good value for this palette. I am going to go ahead and copy what this palette contains straight from Sephora's website:

This palette contains:- 6 x 0.035 oz Amazonian clay eye shadow in Full Moon, Charged Up, Dark Drive, Stone Unturned, Up Too Slate, Misty Mauve
- 2 x 0.045 oz Amazonian clay eye shadow in Power Plum, Lunar Eclipse
- 0.045 oz Amazonian clay highlighter in Crystal Spark
- 1.91 oz Amazonian clay 12-Hour blush in Unearthed
- Step-by-step Guide
 
A full sized Tarte Amazonian clay blush is 0.2 oz. so the blush "Unearthed" in this palette is as good as full size. The colour is very neutral and I find it quite flattering worn with these eyeshadows or with other non-Tarte eyeshadows. The highlight, Crystal Spark, is very nice. I actually have been using it over these eyeshadows on my lid if I want to brighten the look up. But hey, good ahead and use it as a highlight, it's nice that way too. The bottom two eyeshadows - power plum and lunar eclipse work extremely well as eyeliners or in the outer corner. They are so pigmented! Here is a swatch of the blush and highlight, Unearthed and Crystal Spark:

Both of these colours are gorgeous. The pigmentation of the 8 eyeshadows is superb. Here is a swatch:

From left to right are Full Moon, Charged Up, Dark Drive, Stone Unturned, Up Too Slate and Misty Mauve. Stone Unturned and Misty Mauve didn't swatch so well on my arm but they transfer onto the lid well. All of these colours have fantastic longevity. I cannot recommend this palette enough if you love purple colours. Since it is Tarte, the ingredients are exceptionally good.

The palette is small enough that you could easily travel with it. It has a handy large mirror inside. The packaging is very nice indeed. I would recommend using a brightening eyeshadow base under some of these colours if you don't want the look to be too smoky or too dark. Those are my only words of wisdom!

Packaging: 10/10   

Pigmentation: 10/10
Easy to Work With: 10/10
Longevity: 10/10
Colour Stays True: 10/10
Texture: 7.5/10 (a little dry but there is clay in it!)
Price: 10/10
Ingredients: 10/10
Travel Worthy: 10/10
Attractiveness of Product: 10/10
Would I buy this again? HELL YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Overall Rating:  10/10

Estee Lauder Revitalizing Supreme Global Anti-Aging Eye Balm - Review

I received a rather large sample of this ages ago in a gift with purchase set as I picked up my foundation at the Estee Lauder counter. I decided to give it a whirl when my Origins Eye Doctor ran out. As mentioned before, and I am still pleased to report, I have been lucky in that I don't have any lines around my eyes nor crow's feet yet. I flinch when I see women 10 plus years younger than me with such issues. I remember years ago I had a boss who told me "wait until you are 28 or 30 and you will have crow's feet galore around your eyes"! I am past that age now and none in sight. Amen. I think it's a bit of luck, using moisturizer early and good genes.

With that said, I always feel like a heel reviewing eye balms that address such issues that I don't yet have. Prevention is key...I will still try to do my best to review it for you though. This eye balm claims the following (as copied from Sephora's website):

What it is: A multiaction eye calm to measurably reduce the look of multiple signs of aging around eyes including lines, wrinkles, and crepiness.

What it is formulated to do:
This high-performance, multiaction eye balm has the power to respond to skin's changing needs. It helps improve multiple visible signs of aging around the delicate eye area including lines, wrinkles, and crepiness. Potent IntuiGen Technology™ helps reactivate skin’s innate ability to look younger. The velvety texture instantly nourishes and revitalizes as it helps create a more youthful look. Eyes appear firmer, brighter, and more beautiful. For an added boost, use it weekly as a refreshing eye mask.

What it is formulated WITHOUT:
- Parabens
- Sulfates
- Phthalates

Research results:
Tested and proven:
- 92% of women showed significantly firmer skin in just 4 weeks

Just to keep it real, I can't say I noticed this product targeting lines, wrinkles or crepiness because I don't have any of those things to deal with yet. I can say that it is quite moisturizing and comfortable on the skin. It is not the most moisturizing eye cream ever, but it does a decent job. The product is thick and velvety as it claims to be. I don't have puffy bags under my eyes so I can't tell if it works on that either. As a side note, the product doesn't claim to do that. The product also doesn't claim to do squat for dark circles. I can tell you that it doesn't do anything for mine - since it isn't said to be for that, I can't cry foul.

The product does claim to firm and brighten the eye area. I haven't noticed any brightening, but the skin under my eyes is definitely not as thin feeling, it is much firmer. In fact, this may be the firmest my under eye area has ever felt. I have been using this product consistently for just over a month.

A regular sized jar is 0.5 oz. and the one I have is 0.17 oz. Mine is about two thirds finished. I think a full sized jar would last the average person for several months. The regular jar is $66 Canadian or $60 U.S. The packaging is nice enough.

Packaging: 8/10 

Easy to Work With: 10/10

Moisturizing: 7.5/10

Texture: 7.5/10

Reduces the Look of Dark Circles: NO (but it doesn't claim to)

Price: 6/10

Ingredients: 8/10

Quantity of Product: 8/10 

Travel Worthy: 10/10

Strengthens Under Eye Area: 9/10 (but my dark circles look the same)

Would I buy this again? No, because it doesn't do anything for my dark circles

 Overall Rating: ??? I don't feel I can rate it because it isn't designed to target my needs.  

Bits and Bites

• My empties bin for this month is quickly filling up!
• I should have a review on a great Tarte palette up within the next day or two.

BECCA Shimmering Skin Perfector Pressed in Champagne Pop and Opal - Review and Swatches

I own two Becca highlighters in Champagne Pop and Opal. I purchased Opal late last year during the Sephora VIB sale and for some reason I didn't start using it until this past June. I was pretty amazed and happy with this product as soon as I cracked it open. Up until this point, this was hands down the best highlight I owned. There is something about Becca highlighters that no other company has really matched thus far. Opal is so smooth, so creamy and blends onto your cheeks almost effortlessly. The colour is multi-dimensional and lasts all day. I find a lot of other highlighters fade throughout the day or they "sit" on the skin. The Becca ones look like part of your skin, albeit a little disco ballesque. I am good with a disco ball on my face personally. You can amp these up or tone them down which is nice depending on your mood and the occasion.

Opal is on the left and Champagne Pop is on the right. Opal is described as golden opal pearl. It is darker and cooler in the pan than Champagne Pop. However, I find Opal looks lighter and brighter on my skin than Champagne Pop. Odd.

Champagne Pop, Becca and Jaclyn Hill's brainchild, is often described as being a mix between Opal and Becca's Moonstone. I don't own Moonstone so I can't comment. Champagne Pop is described as soft white gold with pinky peach undertones. I would agree with the description for both Opal and Champagne Pop.

Champagne Pop was constantly sold out on Sephora's website when it first came out earlier this year. Eventually it was back in stock so I pounced. I like Jaclyn Hill and the reviews were incredible. Speaking of which, both of these product score 4.7 out of 5 on Sephora's website. That is one of the best ratings I have ever seen on that site. They are $46 Canadian or $38 U.S. With tax, that's over $50 Canadian so these are quite pricey. I hesitated to buy Opal at first because I thought the price point was a bit much for one lousy highlighter!

In the picture above, Opal is on the left and Champagne Pop is on the right. Opal swatches darker than Champagne Pop but I swear it looks lighter on my face than Champagne Pop. Aren't these babies gorgeous? So Champagne Pop. I bought it and I like it better than Opal. If you only buy one highlighter this year, make it Champagne Pop. It's just the perfect colour and almost all skin tones could wear this. It just looks so perfect when I apply it. Somehow, it looks more natural than Opal on me I think and it really reflects light well. Champagne Pop looks like a million dollars on your face. Seriously.

The price tag for these is steep as mentioned but I have to say that either one is well worth the money. They are just so head and shoulders above the other highlighters out there - at any price point. Each pan is 8g or 0.28 oz. which is generous. You need so little of this product on your brush so one pan will last me likely until the end of time.

The ingredients are not the best, but at least there are no parabens. I don't wear highlighter every day so I don't panic about the ingredients that much in these products.

The packaging for these highlighters is really nice. They are attractive, feel solid and are very portable. I wouldn't hesitate to travel with one. The mirror inside is generous and doesn't look cheap. For the price they are charging, the packaging should be bang on and it is.

Packaging: 10/10   

Pigmentation: 10/10
Easy to Work With: 10/10
Longevity: 10/10
Colour Stays True: 10/10
Texture: 10/10
Price: 10/10
Ingredients: 7/10
Travel Worthy: 10/10
Attractiveness of Product: 10/10
Would I buy this again? HELL YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Overall Rating:  9.5/10

YSL Yves Saint Laurent Mascara Volume Effet Faux Cils - Review

I was away in the States the past week so my apologies for the lack of posts. I was in Pennsylvania near Pittsburgh and then in upstate New York. A little vacation, a little shopping. Maybe I should do a makeup haul post of what I got. I behaved myself so I don't have a ton to show but I think it is certainly enough for a post! I'll mull it over. Let me know if you are interested.

So my post today is a review for the YSL Yves Saint Laurent Mascara Volume Effet Faux Cils and it is not to be confused in any way with another post I did 2 years ago on a similar mascara, but YSL's Babydoll one. Here is the link if you are interested:

http://mymakeupissues.blogspot.ca/2013/11/ysl-yves-saint-laurent-mascara-volume.html

I raved about that Babydoll mascara. I had thought, silly me, that this mascara, baring almost the same name, would be equally as good. Sadly, it is not. For starters, the brush is not the same. The brush on this mascara is the basic old school mascara brush which tends to do diddly squat for me. The formula too must be different because I cannot get any length with this product, even with multiple coats. The volume ain't so hot either.

I was really disappointed with this mascara overall. I have used some drug store mascaras that were way better. This mascara does not make your lashes crunchy, it keeps them quite soft, which I find odd. The result is that any curl you have falls and it doesn't even look like you are wearing mascara after say an hour after application. I have this mascara in black and it is a very soft black, not a jet black. It can clump, flake and it sure can smudge.

Sephora says that this mascara is award winning. Huh? Like as in a Razzie?

This mascara is $36 Canadian or $30 U.S. Thank goodness I got this as a free deluxe sample from Sephora. I would be really mad if I had paid good money for this.

Packaging: 7/10

Pigmentation: 7/10

Easy to Work With: 3/10

Longevity: 1/10

Texture: 4/10 (soft, wet celery like lashes)

Price: 1/10 (for what you get)  

Ingredients: 4/10 (tons of parabens)  

Travel Worthy: 10/10

Smudge Proof: 3/10

Flake and Clump Proof: 3/10

Attractiveness of Product: 1/10

Would I buy this again? NO WAY!!!! Glad I didn't buy it the first time.

Overall Rating: 3/10

Buxom Champagne Buzz, Bold Bling, Star Treatment and Big Spender Eyeshadows - Review and Swatches

There is a lot of buzz lately about the new Buxom eyeshadows. To date, I have purchased two full Customizable Eyeshadow Bar Palettes and I also acquired a small sample from Sephora of one shade. In other words, I have 13 shades. Today, I am going to review 4 of the eyeshadows that I have from this collection - Champagne Buzz, Bold Bling, Star Treatment and Big Spender. They are in the same order from left to right in the picture below.

Champagne Buzz is described by Buxom as being shimmering pearl. It's a beige shimmer with a substantial amount of a pink undertone. At first I didn't like this colour. It can get lost on your eyelid if you are wearing it with a lot of other shadows. Worn on its own, it really stands out and looks like something! It is a good lid colour or overall wash of colour, but you need to touch it up if you are blending it in with other shadows.

Bold Bing. Sigh....lots of people love this eyeshadow, but I am not a big fan of the colour. The quality of the product is good though. I don't think there is anything special about the shade, although I will say that it has great shimmer. Take what I say with a grain of salt though. I am not super crazy about golden caramel shades like this to begin with. It is described as a metallic rose gold. I don't find the "rose" part of it to be that noticeable. Some people will love this shade.

Star Treatment is described as a matte hazelnut. I would say that is accurate. It blends really well and it looks great in the crease. It might be my favourite of the 13 I own, but that is still up for debate. You likely have a shade just like it in your stash so it isn't particularly unique. It leans towards being on the cool side which is right up my alley.

Big Spender is described as being matte sable. Fair enough. It goes so well with Star Treatment you almost can't have one without the other. It looks great in the outer corner or as a liner with Star Treatment in the crease.

Swatches! Left to right are Champagne Buzz, Bold Bling, Star Treatment and Big Spender.

All of the Buxom eyeshadows from this collection are well pigmented and are easy to use from what I have seen so far. The palette case that you buy for them is really sturdy and I would definitely consider travelling with one of these palettes. It is so easy to put the shadows into the palette and switch them out as often as you like. That is a big plus for me. I like options so a customizable palette is a big bonus for me. Perfect idea if you are travelling.

If you pick out six shades plus the palette, the set is $50 Canadian or $40 U.S. Each individual shade is $17 Canadian or $12 U.S. and if you buy the palette alone, it's $16 Canadian. To buy an individual shadow compact to hold 1 shadow is $2 Canadian. Obviously, it is a no brainer to buy the set of six plus the palette as buying 3 eyeshadows alone costs $51 Canadian.

I think these shadows are neat and the whole packaging/marketing thing is brilliant. The colours stay true and I would say they have good longevity. They are also very nice to the touch. You should check them out!

Packaging: 10/10   

Pigmentation: 10/10
Easy to Work With: 10/10
Longevity: 10/10
Colour Stays True: 10/10
Texture: 10/10
Price: 10/10 (if you buy the set of 6 incl. palette)
Ingredients: 10/10
Travel Worthy: 10/10
Attractiveness of Product: 10/10
Would I buy this again? YES!!!!!
Overall Rating:  10/10*

*I don't know if this is a 10/10 product as I don't feel that in love with them. Yet, I cannot find a damn thing wrong with any of these four shadows per se. They check all of the boxes.