Colourpop Element of Surprise Palette review

Hi guys,

Wow third post of the day, go me!

I shall be reviewing another Colourpop palette I ordered, the ‘element of surprise’.

Here it is in all its’ glory!

Now for the inside….

The colours are right up my alley. They are definitely fall/autumn appropriate but to be honest you can rock them any time of year and hey, makeup has no rules right?

It is a very warm toned palette and we probably have these shades in other palettes but the makeup addict in us is probably screaming “yes, but we don’t have them all in one compact palette so you need it!!!”. The colours are stunning though!

So how do they swatch….?

….amazingly!

Unlike the my little pony palette also by Colourpop (review here), the colours are more pigmented and vibrant. The only 2 shades that require more work are the matte shades in the middle row, the lighter one being slightly chalky compared to the rest and the dusty rose just needed to be built up. This does not reflect on how the eyeshadows perform on the eyes! Swatches can be used to determine texture and colour but they can be quite misleading in terms of pigmentation and how blendable they are. Sometimes an eyeshadow may swatch horribly yet go on really well on the eyes and vice versa. However, from what I have heard and my experience with this palette, the shadows are just as amazing on the eyes! They feel very smooth and buttery when swatched.

The coppery shade that is second in the top row did have some fallout but only minor. The four very shimmery shades are very pigmented and have a foiled appearance, beautiful! And that pop of pink is also rather lovely!

Here’s how Colourpop have described the shadows in the palette on their website…

Feels: metallic soft opalescent pink

Late Night: metallic copper with gold duochrome

Silk Street: matte purple-fuchsia

Rayon: metallic dark coral with blue-green duochrome

Go With the Flow: matte true peach

Subdue: metallic lavender with blue-green duochrome

Opulent: metallic bright true fuchsia

Labyrinth: matte dusty pink

Blank Canvas: matte deep maroon

Sea Stars: matte medium yellow brown

Details: matte smoky burgundy sprinkled with hot pink glitter

Peace of Mind: metallic bright burgundy

(From the Colourpop website).

I bought this palette directly from the Colourpop website for $16 which works out to be just over £12 which seems an absolute bargain. You get free international shipping if you spend over $50 but then us U.K. folk are hit with a hefty customs charge of around £17-19 which you have to pay before your item can be delivered (outrageous!).

I do think the palette is worth the money especially if you can pick it when visiting the states. It does not have a mirror (saving you $2!) so take that as a plus or a minus depending on whether you use the mirrors in your palettes.

I’m really enjoying Colourpop’s pressed shadow formula especially in this palette!

Will you be picking this up? Or have you got another makeup love in your life?

Thanks for reading!

Sadiyah xx

Colourpop My Little Pony Palette review

Hi guys!

Today I will be reviewing this little baby…

Colourpop’s ‘my little pony’ palette!

I ordered my palette off the colourpop website and I did incur a customs charge of £19, way more than the actual cost of the palette!

So you’ve seen the front of the palette, it’s gorgeous with the rainbows and ponies all over it! Very cute but some may find it quite off putting and feel as if they have kids’ makeup.

Here’s the back with all the names of the shades. I find it slightly annoying when brands do that as I (like many others!) find it difficult to tell whether the name of the shadow is directly behind it or if you read it in order of the shadows.

Also there’s no mirror inside!

And here are the shadows inside….

And swatches in order….

I have another palette from Colourpop and that one seems to have better pigmentation but that’s not to say this one is terrible. The only colours I had to search a few times were the white shade in the top row and the shimmery purple in the second row.

The top row seems quite warm with two beautiful lid shades and two highlighting shades on each end both matte and shimmery. The matte white could also be used to set your primer.

The middle row is very purple and the two matte shades (although looking quite pink in the swatches, they are definitely purple/red) can be used in the crease for both warm and cool toned looks.

The bottom row is full of shimmers, all cool toned. The first shade in the bottom row is definitely not black, it is a dark purple.

Although it’s not packed with tonnes of different shades you can actually make a surprising amount of looks with it.

Overall I am glad I bought this palette but it didn’t wow me, I guess I only bought it for the packaging!

Guys I am guessing it’s a limited edition palette due to the release of the my little pony movie out in cinemas now, so if you like the look of it be quick!

It costs $16 with free international shipping over $50 so I did pick up a few other bits. REMEMBER FREE SHIPPING DOES NOT MEAN THERE ARE NO FURTHER CHARGES! Depending on where you live you may incur a CUSTOMS CHARGE that you have to pay before your package can be delivered.

I hope this was helpful and that you enjoyed!

See you next time loves!

Sadiyah x

Laura Mercier Extreme Neutrals Palette – 1st impressions/review!

Now I love collecting palettes and my collection is ever growing with no signs of stopping with all the new palettes coming out recently. My favourite palettes are eyeshadows and I may not wear them every single day but it makes me happy knowing I have a variety to choose from.

Laura Mercier just recently came out with a new palette; the extreme neutrals palette. Now I’ve heard great things about their past palettes and since they are always limited edition, I thought I would snap this up before I missed out.

So here’s a few shots of the packaging…

Outer packaging.


Actual palette.

In my opinion, the packaging isn’t the most appealing. I wouldn’t say it’s bulky but it could do with being slightly slimmer for what it is. Also, the colour of the palette is (dare I say) somewhat ugly. It almost resembles a snake print design but it doesn’t look as sleek and classy as what you would expect.

The palette has a magnetic closure which I find quite fiddly to open but you have that peace of mind knowing it won’t open so easily in your bag if you take it travelling with you.

So this is what the palette looks like from the inside. You have a decent mirror and 12 neutral-ish shades.

Surprisingly, this palette has quite a few mattes which makes a pleasant change from only having 2/3 matte shades in something like the naked palettes. It has a total of 6 mattes. Point Mercier I think!

Something that slightly disappoints me is the fact that there are no names next to the shadows but you can find them at the back of the palette and not on an annoying plastic insert which I tend to lose after a few days!

Now on to the actual shadows themselves. The tone in this palette are definitely neutral, not too warm or too cool but right slap bang in the middle so it’s great for all skin tones. I’m going to start of with a positive first, the mattes definitely feel creamy when they are swatched but the lighter shades can appear a little chalky but they have decent pigmentation. Now a negative; the shimmer shades lack pigmentation especially the fourth shade in the top row. It is a beautiful pale yellow gold but it just doesn’t show up well as the pigmentation is just not there. I really had to pack it on to get a decent swatch. The other shimmer shades are okay but just OKAY…they don’t have a patch on something like the shimmers urban decay has.

Swatched of the shades. Top row is on the right and bottom row on the left. You can see that gold is really faint.
Overall I would give this palette a 6/10.

PROS

• Good amount of matte shades for transition, crease, outer v and highlight.
• Matte shades are smooth and creamy and decently pigmented
• Great for both warm/cool tones

CONS

• Pigmentation lacking in shimmer shades
• Gold colour does not show up well
• Expensive for what it is.

With this palette I do think you are paying for the brand at £45. I think if you are looking for a first high end palette go for something like the naked palettes or the chocolate bars from Too Faced.

What do you guys think of it? Let me know.
Have a great day!

Sadiyah xx

Too Faced Boudoir Eyes Palette Review!

Hi guys,

So as I said in my last post, I went a bit crazy getting new eyeshadow palettes, some of which were brand new and some that had been out for a while.

Today I will be looking at my Too Faced Boudoir Eyes Palette.

So this palette has been out for a while but I always seemed to find an excuse not to buy it. It’s a very cool toned palette and I don’t think I suit such shades and I never really heard many people rave about it either like they do with the natural eyes palette. But the package really called out to me and it’s so darn cute and since I had collected £30 worth of points on my Debenhams beauty club card I thought I would treat myself to it along with another palette.

The packaging is the newer tins from Too Faced and is really sleek and compact with a magnetic closure. It also has the print of an old style bed headboard but it looks so cute!

Inside the palette you have a mirror and the usual 9 pan layout you expect from the smaller Too Faced tin palettes. As you can see from the picture these are definitely cool toned shades! But the colours are really soft and dreamy that surprisingly look really beautiful on all skin tones.

I also love the shade names; Fuzzy Handcuffs, Garter Belt, Lap Dance…very saucy!

This is the top row in the palette.

In The Buff – Matte bone colour. The texture is a little chalky but it is pigmented and looks great once it’s on the eye. I use this as an all over base to brighten my eyes and to set my primer as well as a brow bone highlight.

Fuzzy Handcuffs – Matte peach shade. This is not as chalky as the previous shade. I use this as an all over lid colour if I want a matte shade but it would also look beautiful as a light transition shade on paler skin tones.

Voulez-Vous – Satin taupey purple shade. This can be used as an all over lid colour for a more smoky look but I usually use it to deepen up the crease or put in on the outer corner of my eye for a day time smoky look.

Natural light 

With flash

Top – In the Buff

Middle – Fuzzy Handcuffs

Bottom – Voulez-Vous

Middle Row

Satin Sheets – Peachy pink with gold shimmer. I use this shade as on my lid as it looks amazing but it would look equally great as a brown bone highlight on deeper skin tones. It’s not the most pigmented shade so I do find I need to build it up but I don’t mind as it’s one of the bigger pans.

Sugar Walls – Shimmery pink with purple tones and tiny flecks of silver glitter. This shade looks awesome on all skin tones as a lid colour. It will look different on everyone and will look darker on paler skin tones and the opposite on deeper tones. Although it is more pigmented than Sarin Sheets, it may still need to be built up depending on the opacity you are looking for.

Garter Belt – Matte grey shade with brown undertones. This colour scared me the most from the palette as it is very cool toned but I must say it’s the perfect transition/crease shade for a look created with the other colours. It is also highly pigmented.

Natural light

With Flash

Top – Satin Sheets

Middle – Sugar Walls

Bottom – Garter Belt
Bottom Row

Birthday Suit – Taupey gold shimmer shade. Another colour that can be used all over the lid or as a brow bone highlight for deeper complexions. Again, it’s very sheer so you may want to build it up.

Lap Dance – Taupe shimmer shade. This is my go to shade for a slightly more intense day time smoky look for a casual day event. I place this on my lid and smoke it out with garter belt and and Voules-Vous. It has decent pigmentation so I just swipe it on but you can build it up to be more vibrant.

French Tickler – Matte black with gold glitter. This is an intensely pigmented shade! It feels quite grainy when it is swatched but I suppose that’s due to the glitter particles. I’ve never tried it in the crease but I have used it to smoke out my lower lash line as well as pushing it on to my upper lash line to make my lashes look fuller and thicker. It can also be used as an eyeliner and all over the lid for a true black smokey eye and it would look stunning!

Natural light

With flash

Top – Birthday Suit

Middle – Lap Dance

Bottom – French Tickler
Swatches of all the shadows…

Natural light vs Flash

Top to bottom:

1. In The Buff
2. Fuzzy Handcuffs
3. Voulez-Vous
4. Satin Sheets
5. Sugar Walls
6. Garter Belt
7. Birthday Suit
8. Lap Dance
9. French Tickler

I love this palette and I definitely recommend checking it out. I got mine from Debenhams (£29) and I’m sure it’s a permanent palette as it’s been around for ages. This palette has got me more into cool toned eyeshadows and I love the quality of it (usual brilliant Too Faced stuff) and with a primer on the lids it lasts all day! Overall I give this palette a 9/10.
So there you go guys, my Too Faced Boudoir Eyes Palette review!
Have a nice day!

Sadiyah x

 

Too Faced Natural Eyes Palette

Hi guys!

Today I will be giving my thoughts on the Too Faced Natural Eyes Palette. This palette was really hyped about in the YouTube and blogging community and a few months ago I finally caved in and purchased it. As I’ve had it for a quite a while I’m able to give you an honest opinion as I have been able to use it and not just swatch it on my hand and assume what the blendibility and longevity of the product is like.

Right starting of with the packaging. I know older versions of this palette came in cardboard packaging but I have mine in the new tin packaging as I got it a few months ago. It has a magnetic closure which I’m not a huge fan of as I wouldn’t feel comfortable travelling with it. Also, a lot of people rave about how cute the packaging is but it just doesn’t appeal to me that much. It looks ok I mean it’s not an eye sore but it doesn’t stand out to me. This is the reason I haven’t used it regularly in the past 5 months of owning the palette and always choose a different palette instead.

Now the packaging isn’t everything right? Let’s talk about the shadows inside.

On the back of the palette Too Faced state “Flount your natural side with a look that appears so effortless you can wear it before breakfast or after dark. Our palette of nine richly-pigmented shadows pair perfectly, blend beautifully and stay put longer than your last boyfriend. It’s a collection so natural; you’ll wonder how you ever lived without it”. So upon reading that I was expecting super pigmented shades that were buttery and smooth just like the shadows in the chocolate bar palettes by the same brand.

The eyeshadows look beautiful in the palette don’t they? Some shades are not as warm as I’d like but nevertheless beautiful. You can immediately imagine the looks you can create in your head, definitely natural day time looks but there’s rich deep browns to do a smokey eye. You have a great highlight, a decent transition shade, a few good lid shades and some crease shades, everything you need!

Now let’s go through each shade with my thoughts on the colour, pigmentation and texture.

HEAVEN 

Heaven is a matte creamy bone shade. I use this as a base colour all over my eye before I apply any eyeshadow. I also use it as a brow bone highlight or inner corner highlight for an all matte look. This shade is pigmented but I find it to be rather patchy when I swatch it as well as when I apply it to my eye. It also feels and looks chalky. I give this shade 6/10.

CASHMERE BUNNY 

Cashmere bunny is a taupey brown almost matte shade with a hint of grey in it. I use this as a transition/crease shade. This leans quite cool toned on me and does not suit my warm complexion quite as well as some of the other shades in the palette. Having said that, I do find it doesn’t show up on my skin tone unless I really pack on the colour. I still think it’s a gorgeous colour and wish it worked for me. I give this shade 6/10.

SEXSPRESSO 

Sexspresso is a lovely rich deep chocolate brown matte shade. I use this to deepen my crease or in my outer v and to smoke out my upper and lower lash lines. It’s definitely one of the more smoother mattes in the palette and has good pigmentation. It takes a bit more work to blend but looks beautiful on the eye. I give this shade 9/10.

SILK TEDDY
 

Silk Teddy is a gorgeous peachy satin shimmer shade. I wear it as an all over lid colour but it is light enough to be used as a brow bone or inner corner highlight. It is super pigmented and buttery and blends effortlessly and looks stunning. It’s definitely one of my favourites and most used shade out of the entire palette. I give this shade 10/10.
PUSH UP 

To me Push Up is a very interesting shade. It’s a light coppery bronze shimmer shade but some may describe it more as a rose gold as in some lights this is how it appears. However you describe it one word always comes to mind; stunning! I use this as another all over the lid colour. Another decently pigmented and buttery shadow and it’s up there in my top 3 shadows from the palette as it blends so easily. I give this shade 9/10.
EROTICA 

Erotica is another chocolate brown with gold sparkles. If it weren’t for the sparkles I would have enjoyed using this to deepen my crease as I’m not a fan of glittery crease shades. It can be used as an all over lid colour for a party look but the sparkles lack consistency. Not a favourite shade of mine. I give it 4/10.

NUDIE 

Nudie is a slightly more cooler toned light taupe brown matte. I use this shadow as another transition shade but again it doesn’t suit me as well as the others and I struggle to get it to show on my skin tone. I give this shade 5/10.
HONEY POT 

Honey Pot is a yellow gold shimmer shade with a hint of bronze and it is absolutely amazing. A really good shade for all over the lid and it really stands out because it is so highly pigmented and shimmery! It can be worn during the day as a light wash of colour across the kids or it can really be built up for a night out or special occasion. Really buttery and blendable. The only issue I have is I find a yellow gold shade doesn’t quite go with my eyes as much as a lighter white gold shade so I often layer it over a white base to soften it up. I give this shade a 9/10.
CHOCOLATE MARTINI 

Chocolate Martini is another beautiful matte rich chocolate brown with chunks of gold glitter. The chunky glitter isn’t necessarily a bad thing and actually looks quite awesome when tapped on the lid with your finger and blended out with a lighter brown as a transition shade. It also looks good on the lower lash line. Again this shade is pigmented and buttery however I did experience some fall out when using this. I give this shade 8/10.

Here are all the shades swatched together on my arm.

From the swatches above you can really see which shades are pigmented and those that barely show up.

Overall I think this palette is ok. It’s not the best out of my collection but I think you can create some nice looks with it and it is a good neutral palette even if it lacks some warmer colours. However, I don’t think it’s worth the price as there as some shades that lack the quality other Too Faced products possess. I think if you are going to invest in a high end palette from Too Faced save your pennies and go for the chocolate bar; it’s better quality and the shades are so much more smoother.

I hope you enjoy your day.

See you soon!

Sadiyah xx