Month: June 2016

Jeffree Star’s ‘Beauty Killer’ Palette

1 Comment

Though it sold out in a flash, Jeffree Star’s debut eyeshadow palette has divided opinion. It’s too bold for some, too ‘safe’ for others. But for me, the palette is undeniably the embodiment of its maker, a true chameleon.

IMG_8928

Packaging

What first struck me was the size of the palette. It’s huge! That being said, it is very thin, so it still won’t take up too much room in your suitcase/zuca. Apart from its size, though, the outside of the palette is perhaps a little…underwhelming? It’s a lovely shade of pink, yes, but the logo seems a little off-centre given its outrageous font (just look at that ‘B’).

IMG_0454

What’s lacking on the outside is more than made up for on the inside. I don’t usually gasp when I open palettes – maybe the odd ‘oooo…’ – but I was shocked by how stunning this is. Everything is oversized; there’s a huge mirror, big enough to actually look in when using the shadows and, speaking of shadows, they’re massive too. Apart from their size, each shade is beautifully embossed with the Jeffree Star logo for that extra slice of glam. It’s almost too pretty to touch. Almost..

Shades

Star Power – Neon Pink (matte)

Princess – Pink Pearl (metallic)

Violence – Cranberry (metallic)

Rich Bitch – Gold (glitter)

Courtney – Peach Beige (matte)

Expensive – Teal (metallic)

Confession – Brick Red (metallic)

Vanity – Deep Brown (matte)

China White – Cream (matte)

Black Rainbow – Black (multi-coloured glitter)

IMG_0463

IMG_0465

The descriptions above are of the colours as they swatch, not necessarily how they look in the pan. Both ‘Violence’ and ‘Vanity’ look very, very different in the pan; ‘Violence’ looks metallic violet, but swatches with a strong red undertone; ‘Vanity’ looks like a really unusual warm grey, but swatches a cool dark brown. I have to confess, I was a little disheartened when I swatched these two, but they do help to balance the other bold colours. They help make the palette more versatile. You can quite easily use only this palette to create a multitude of different looks because of the great mixture of neutral/bold, matte/metallic.

Just before releasing his palette to the public, Jeffree Star previewed it on his Youtube channel (screen-shotted below from makeup tutorials.com). As is shown here, the colours were chosen with the intention that they be split into four quads.

vlcsnap-2016-05-17-22h29m30s100vlcsnap-2016-05-17-22h29m19s227-2vlcsnap-2016-05-17-22h29m53s68vlcsnap-2016-05-17-22h29m43s213

This method of selecting four complimentary colours makes the palette particularly easy to use for beginners or those wanting to dabble in a bit of extra colour. Each quad is extremely wearable with Jeffree Star’s signature edge, be it a pop of gold glitter or neon pink. Yes, the combination of metallic teal and Barbie pink may be too OTT for some, but without these bold shades the palette would be a little flat. It certainly wouldn’t be Jeffree Star.

Pigment + Texture

To cut a long story short, the pigment is AMAZING. The matte shadows are slightly chalkier than the metallic, but that’s to be expected. The texture is much like Sugarpill shadows, and they pack the same punch and blend like a dream. The only exception is ‘Rich Bitch,’ which is more like a pressed pigment/glitter than an eyeshadow. It kicks up quite a lot of fall out, but can be lightly pressed onto the eye for a glitter effect or blended out for a more even coat of colour.

My swatches were taken without primer and the coverage of (almost) every shadow is brilliant. The metallics glide on without patchiness and the mattes, though they require a little bit more patience, are equally opaque. I was hugely impressed with ‘Black Rainbow;’ it can be hard to find a good black shadow, there’s plenty of ‘charcoals’ on the market, but this is a true, deep black.

IMG_0461

Overall, I love this palette! The colour choice it offers is unlike any other palette I own. It’s the perfect balance of sensible and bold, for the office or for a night out on the town. It’s a great introduction to brights for beginners and challenges the experienced makeup junkie with some new colour combinations.

Will you be trying ‘Beauty Killer?’ Check it out here.

Anastasia Beverly Hills ‘Sun Dipped’ Glow Kit

2 Comments

My obsession with illuminators knows no bounds and the ABH Glow Kits are by far the highlight of my collection. The newest addition? The ‘Sun Dipped’ Glow Kit, released just last month.

Following the model of the two previous palettes, ‘Sun Dipped’ contains four large pans of metallic powder, but the shades inside are entirely different to those of its predecessors. While ‘Gleam’ was largely cool toned, and ‘That Glow,’ warm, ‘Sun Dipped’ is a perfect combination of the two.

SunDippedGlowKit

Claudia Soare, known as Norvina on IG (@norvina1), says that the kit is ‘reminiscent of summer. It represents the sun in various stages of the day, various places in the world, and items that reminds us of summer.’ And it’s true, including shades evocative of both pearly moonbeams and the dazzle of bright midday sun.

Shades:

-Bronzed: ‘amber with a penny metal finish’

-Summer: ‘luminous sand with a white gold finish’

-Tourmaline: ‘warm taupe with a rose gold finish’

-Moonstone: ‘radiant quartz with a pearl finish’

IMG_0429IMG_0430

Colour Range:

The combination of pearls, taupes and golds in this palette make it even more universal than the previous two. Though ‘Moonstone’ and ‘Summer’ are very alike, they do appeal to different tastes, the first having only a slightly cooler cast than the second. Fans of ABH Illuminators – now extremely hard to get hold of – will find that ‘Moonstone’ is very (very!) similar to ‘Starlight,’ a favourite for those with fair skin, and that ‘So Hollywood’ is reborn in the shade, ‘Summer.’

‘Bronzed’ is a touch too dark for my skin tone, but it can be layered over bronzer for an ultra sun-kissed vibe. And, for a sucker for warm tones like myself, it makes a stunning eyeshadow, especially with a chocolate brown smoky eye.

I can just about get away with ‘Tourmaline’ on my fair skin, which is lucky because it must be my favourite shade ever. It’s such an unusual combination of cool and warm tones, much like the ‘Riveria’ Illuminator, a rose gold. Depending on your skin tone, it will swatch as either a gorgeous taupe or a gilded pink. Either way, it’s beautiful!

IMG_0437

IMG_0445

You can also mix shades to create your own custom highlight; my favourite combination is ‘Moonstone’ and ‘Tourmaline,’ which together create a lovely pink champagne colour. Once I’ve applied a bit of fake tan and some extra bronzer, however, the mix of ‘Summer’ and ‘Bronzed’ will help bring the perfect glow to my holiday snaps! The possibilities, though not quite endless, are many: just dip your brush back and forth between the shades to combine the powders and voilà!

Texture & Staying Powder:

As with the other kits, the powders aren’t exactly creamy, but are rather very finely milled. Though this causes a fair amount of fall-out, they are extremely lightweight and are less likely to cake when layered over cream based foundations or concealers. It takes a few swirls of the finger or brush to really gather up the pigment, but dampening your brush – ideally using a mixing medium like MAC Fix+ rather than water – can really help achieve maximum shine.

Unable to decide between ‘Gleam’ and ‘That Glow’? Then the ‘Sun Dipped’ Glow Kit is ideal for you and makes for the ultimate makeup companion this summer. Will you be taking the plunge? Coming soon to Roses Beauty Store!

Colourpop Super Shock Shadow in ‘Bae’

1 Comment

Here’s a snap of my first ever Colourpop eyeshadow, ‘Bae,’ a ‘rich eggplant purple with an emerald and turquoise glittery duo chrome metallic finish.’

IMG_0408

But, first thing’s first, what is it?

Formula 

According to Colourpop, a Super Shock Shadow a ‘long-wearing crème powder formula’ with an ‘elastic texture.’ And well… they’re right. But is it a cream or a powder? Weirdly, it falls somewhere in-between. At first touch in the pan, the product has a mousse-like consistency, velvet-soft and almost bouncy under pressure. As soon as it gathers on the finger or brush, however, it sets to a super-fine powder.

IMG_0409

IMG_0411.JPG

Once it sets, too, the powder is there to stay. I was able to wear this sans primer for around 8 hours without seeing any creasing. This is great news for both oily and dry skin alike: the super lightweight formula and silky finish is less likely to cake or go crusty throughout the day.

It is also compatible with other shadows; typically, it’s recommended that you don’t apply cream shadows over powders, unless you want a gunky, flaky mess. But as this sets to a powdery finish, it can be layered and blended with other powder shadows without any fuss. Win!

IMG_0418

Application

Being half cream/half powder, Colourpop shadows can be a little confusing: how on earth do I get it on my eyelid? As with any shadow, you can use your finger or a synthetic brush, but each with different results.

Below, the swatch on the left is applied with my finger and, on the right, with a brush. Applying with your finger reduces fall out and allows for a more consistent, though not very precise, application. A brush, on the other hand, increases the likelihood of fall out and patchiness, but does allow you to be more precise.

IMG_6471

IMG_6470.JPG

In my opinion, the best method involves a combination of both finger and brush: apply with fingers for the most part, where most pigment is needed, and then blend out with brushes.

As you can see from the photo above, sweeping your finger across the pan doesn’t gather enough pigment to really do justice to the eyeshadow. I’ve found that the best method is to scoop the product. Though this does risk messing up the shadow’s pretty patterned surface, the difference in colour pay-off is HUGE.

IMG_7312

IMG_7315.JPG

An easy to use, if unusual, formula in equally unique shades, Colourpop shadows are a must-try for any makeup fan who wants to shake up their collection with some new pops of colour. Which will you be buying? Check them out here.

Anastasia Beverly Hills ‘That Glow’ Glow Kit

3 Comments

If 2015 was the year of contouring, 2016 is the year of highlighting. Both Jeffree Star and Nikkie Tutorials have recently taken to Youtube to post full-face looks using only highlighting powders and central to their routines are the ABH Glow Kits.

Released at the end of 2015 to honour Anastasia Soare’s birthday, the palettes continue the success of the brand’s Illuminators, which took the beauty world by storm. And what could be better than one highlighter? Well, four.

ThatGlow1

The ‘That Glow’ Kit is the warmer of the two palettes currently available (though we await the release of the ‘Sun Dipped’ version this summer): while the ‘Gleam’ Kit offers rosy, pearl tones, ‘That Glow’ is all about a golden bronze shine. As a pale girl myself, I must confess that I snapped up ‘Gleam’ in an instant, ‘That Glow’ just looked too bronzy, my milk bottle skin wouldn’t do it justice. But, I was wrong. In fact, in my opinion, the ‘That Glow’ Kit is the slightly more versatile palette of the two, even for someone as fair as me.

 

Packaging:

In contrast to the weighty, decorative, luxurious, packaging on the market – the Urban Decay Gwen Stefani Blush Palette, for example – the Glow Kits cardboard casings may be a little underwhelming. That being said, they are very resilient to wear and tear, mostly because they are so slim and lightweight. They can be slipped into a suitcase, handbag or Zuca without taking up much room at all. The pans can also be removed and added to a custom magnetic palette if preferred.

 

IMG_0387

IMG_0390.JPG

So, the shades themselves:

-Sunburst: ‘a bright luminous gold with a metallic finish’

-Bubbly: ‘a champagne rose with a pearlescent finish’

-Dripping in Gold: ‘a lavish gold with a vivid reflective finish’

-Golden Bronze: ‘a sultry, warm bronze with a gold-flecked finish’

 

Colour Range:

There really is a shade for everyone, and for every possible use on the face, eyes and body. Though ‘Sunburst’ looks very yellow in the pan, on the skin it is less a ‘luminous’ gold than a true champagne that, if not used as a highlight, can be mixed with face powder for that all-over luminosity. ‘Bubbly’ and ‘Dripping in Gold’ are very, very similar in colour, but their respective pink and peach undertones means that they can be layered over top of blush for the ultimate mineralised finish. Lastly, ‘Golden Bronze’ <3. This shade is just too warm for me to use as a highlight, but makes for the most beautiful eyeshadow when paired with neutrals or jewel toned emeralds and navies.

IMG_0392

IMG_0395

Texture & Staying Powder:

The powders aren’t exactly soft and buttery, but are rather very finely milled. This means, though there is a fair amount of fall-out, they are extremely lightweight on the skin and are less likely to cake when layered on top of foundation, concealers or other cream-based products. Their intensity is somewhere between Becca and The Balm (swatched below); it takes a few swirls of the brush/fingers to really gather up the pigment. That being said, the powders are buildable and can also be applied with a damp brush – ideally, using a mixing medium like MAC Fix+ rather than water – to maximise their shine.

With summer just around the corner, the ‘That Glow’ Kit is the perfect addition to any makeup arsenal; it is truly a ‘kit,’ not just a highlighter palette, but an eyeshadow/blush/body bronzer set rolled into one.

 

Will you be getting your glow on? Check it out That Glow Kit.

 

*this link will take you to Roses Beauty Store, an online UK makeup stockist. In return for some of the newest releases, I’ll be blogging for them regularly.