The brand famed for their makeup brushes has now branched out into the color category with two new palettes. I had high hopes for these seeing that Sam and Nic are deep into the YouTube community and have a sense of what consumes want (at least I hope they do; with over a million young women giving you real time feedback you better). The brand just released two makeup kits designed to create a day or night look based on your preference. Each have four eyeshadows, a gel liner, blush, highlight, and two lipglosses.
modern natural makeupkit This collection is the softer, daytime kit that has neutral shades and light colored lipglosses. The shadows are buildable and pretty smooth. the lightest color (Quicksand) is a bit chalky but the other three are pretty good. I didn’t care for the blush or highlighter and the glosses are a little sticky.
night owl makeupkit The name says it all! From nude to plum this lets you create a slightly smokier look. I was a little disappointed by the black shade since it was soooo sheer but a quick spritz of Fix+ on a brush allows you to intensify the color when applied. Royal Orchid (the purple) and Midnight Sapphire (blue) are my favorites.
My final verdict? These are okay. Would I pay $25 for them? No. The shadows are smooth but the packaging leaves much to be desired and nothing really makes the shadows stand out. The kits left me wanting more. I’d recommend getting Makeup Geek products over these since those guys are pigmented!
The makeup kits retail for $25 and are available now on realtechniques.com.
Let me tell you somethin’ there’s nothing better than having everything you need right at your fingertips. I love eyeshadow palettes simply because it takes the guessing game out of your makeup routine. A good palette will have complementary colors; a GREAT palette with have that plus buttery consistency and little to no fallout.
Maybelline The Nudes (anywhere $10-$12 at drugstore)
I first saw this palette doing the rounds on Instagram after Maybelline held a blogger preview and it quickly turned into an obsession. I’m fully aware I don’t need another nude palette but like a moth to a flame I couldn’t resist! Palettes don’t usually make it to the drugstore, especially one that contains 12 different eyeshadows, so if you’re on a budget definitely take this opportunity.
Housed in a slim, plastic palette the palette is a mix of satin, frost, and matte shades. For starters, I definitely recommend using an eye primer to help the color lock into place. Overall I love the colors in the pan but it requires a bit of work to get actual color. The matte shades are a tad bit dry and a few of the others have fallout. That said, the colors are buildable and not terrible to work with. If you’re spoiled by palettes like the Lorac Pro palette or Urban Decay’s Naked series, you’ll likely get annoyed with the consistency of the Nudes but remember the price tag. If you’re seeking something affordable that’ll allow you to create decent looks, give this a go.
Maybelline The Nudes eyeshadow palette is available now in drugstores and online.
Disclosure: samples were provided for editorial consideration.
Insanely colorful and packed with a punch, MAC’s Surf Baby eye products are beyond pretty and are straight up AHH-MAZE. Would I wear them to the beach? Probably not as I prefer to go bare faced (or with a bit of bronzer — ALWAYS sunscreen). However, summer isn’t only for the beach! These are great go to’s for BBQs, girl’s night outs and fun makeup looks.
MAC Surf Baby: Eyeshadows $15.50
Available in five shades, MAC’s Surf Baby Eyeshadows come in a variety of finishes - with my favorite being the frosted (which, in this collection, are more like MAC’s satin finishes). I’ve played around with the colors and my favorite has to be Sun Blonde, a gorgeous dirty yellow gold that has gotten me loads of compliments. The lasting power is pretty damn good on all of them as they stayed on my lids all day (from 8am to about 7pm) without budging or creasing (I didn’t put on any primer).
-Saffron (deep coral caramel) -Short Shorts (not shown here - frosty white champagne) -Sun Blonde (dirty yellow gold) -Surf USA (frosted teal) -Swell Baby (mid-tone grey)
Saffron
Surf USA
Swell Baby
Sun Blonde
Powerpoint Eye Pencils $15.50
MAC released two Powerpoint Eye Pencils with Surf Baby. The pencils are pretty smooth in consistency and easily glide along my upper and lower lash lines. While they’re great for easy application, beware! These little guys can smudge (but not completely off your eyes). Somehow bits rubbed off but the color remained throughout the day. Blue Noon (pictured above) is a gorgeous deep teal that’s sure to be a hit if you love the aquamarine/teal/blues of summer. I paired this on my waterline with Sun Blonde for a Nicki Minaj inspired look and it worked perfectly!
Also in the collection is Glided White, a yellow white frosty color that looks like it’d be perfect for the “bright eyed” look. Pop that baby on the inner corners and make everyone think you’ve got a good night’s sleep.
Disclosure: samples provided for editorial consideration. Please don’t forget that you can still help the people of Haiti, donate to the Red Cross today. Thank you.
Arrogance or elegance? The showy display, the undeniably sexual spectacle, the iridescent irreverence…it’s awe-inspiring. We fetishize the exotic peacock as a symbol of extreme beauty, an act of elaborate nature, raging against everything simplistic. Peacocky fans out in a foray of intense colour for Lips and Eyes, exotic and sophisticated with a touch of ’30s F. Scott Fitzgerald glamour and mesmerizing metallic sheen.
In this collection, on counters January 6th, is the new Kissable Lipcolour ($18.00) which combines full flash with creamy comfort. It’s molten, with elastomer technology that leaves lips with a velvety feel without sacrificing shine. Available in 12 shades.
The new Kissable Lipcolours
Enchantée - Light blue pink Woo Me - Light pinky nude So Vain - Muted dirty coral Vanity Fair - Mid-tone blue pink Exxxhibitionist - Red-toned coral Strut Your Stuff - Bright true red Scandelicious - Blue fuchsia Peacocky - Sky blue with red pearl Super - Muted neutral brown Temper Tantra - Mid-tone reddish brown Flaunting It - Grey mauve Love Peck - Blackened blood red
Known for their intensely pigmented eyeshadows, MAC is releasing Mega Metal Shadow ($19.50). These guys are said to gleam like chrome, with light-reflecting properties all while maintaining a creamy, crease-resistant formula. Dramatic doesn’t even begin to describe the girl who knows she’s Peacocky.
Peek-at-You - Frosted yellow white Dalliance - Light champagne Prance - Frosted mauve pearl Top of the Posh - Frosted white pink Tweet Me - Gold bronze Mating Call - Dirty frosted violet
Odalisque - Deep teal Sexpectations - Metallic burgundy Paparazz-she - Deep copper bronze Ego - Forest green Noir Plum - True purple with silver pearl Dandizette - Navy with silver pearl
Spectacle of Yourself - Deep bronze Centre Stage - Frosted chocolate brown Unflappable - Frosted black with purple pearl
I’ll be the first to admit that when it comes to eye makeup application, I’m no Pat McGrath. Simplicity is key with me. Anything that took too much thought or process, I usually opt out. This would have applied to L’Oreal’s HIP Kohl Eyeliner, however, with all of the great reviews I’ve heard I decided to do my homework and go to work for this little tube of pigment. My first attempt went horribly wrong as I felt that the wand was a little too sharp and product was falling on my cheeks like crazy. This is super pigmented as trying to get rid of fallout was quite difficult. I temporarily quit on it but revisited after watching several YouTube tutorials and reading blog reviews. Apparently this works wonders for tight-lining. Tight-lining is a process of putting liner on both the upper and lower waterline.
After practicing a few times, I (sort of) mastered it (not really).
I will say this though, the eyeliners are very rich in color and are long lasting. This being a L’Oreal HIP product, the quality of the product is awesome and they have a superb color range. My favorite thing about this kohl eyeliner is that I can (and do) use it as an eyeshadow. I’m all for multipurpose products.
I recommend waiting when drugstores have a BOGO that way you can really stock up.
This collection is the softer, daytime kit that has neutral shades and light colored lipglosses. The shadows are buildable and pretty smooth. the lightest color (Quicksand) is a bit chalky but the other three are pretty good. I didn’t care for the blush or highlighter and the glosses are a little sticky.
The name says it all! From nude to plum this lets you create a slightly smokier look. I was a little disappointed by the black shade since it was soooo sheer but a quick spritz of Fix+ on a brush allows you to intensify the color when applied. Royal Orchid (the purple) and Midnight Sapphire (blue) are my favorites.
Housed in a slim, plastic palette the palette is a mix of satin, frost, and matte shades. For starters, I definitely recommend using an eye primer to help the color lock into place. Overall I love the colors in the pan but it requires a bit of work to get actual color. The matte shades are a tad bit dry and a few of the others have fallout. That said, the colors are buildable and not terrible to work with. If you’re spoiled by palettes like the 
