Palettes

The MAC A Novel Romance Quad Is Like Many Real Life Relationships, Both Hot and Cold

August 14th, 2014 by Karen 16 Comments

Fabio, dahling, take me now! — to the computer, so that I may satisfy this hunger burning deep within my soul.

Yup, the new MAC A Novel Romance collection launched online today, and it’s huge.

HUGE!

Huge both in terms of the fact that it’s the brand’s big release for fall, and huge just in terms of the number of products, especially the eyeshadows.

Overwhelmed much? I am. If you’re looking for a place to start, steer your lusty makeup-lovin’ loins toward one of my favorite quads in the collection, the aptly named A Novel Romance ($40).

MAC A Novel Romance Quad Swatches — From the left: My Fantasy, Fall in Lust, Dance in the Dark and Rising Passions

[Continue reading…]

It’s Taupe Time With the Urban Decay Naked2 Basics Palette

August 12th, 2014 by Karen 24 Comments

Rap battle in 3-2-1…

If you can’t cope when shadow palettes lack taupe,
Or you start to mope when you lose your favorite matte taupe,
Or you think “Dope!” when you see a palette with six taupes,
Then jump over that moat! And climb that slope! ‘Cuz…

OK…I can’t think of anything else that rhymes with taupe. 🙂

The $29 Urban Decay Naked2 Basics Palette

Yeah, man, Naked2 Basics ($29), Urban Decay’s latest vestiphobic eyeshadow palette, is a cool-toned taupe explosion. It comes with five matte shadows and one satin, with all of them being a different incarnation of taupe.

Five of the shadows are new (nude-pink Stark, warm gray Frisk, reddish brown Cover, muted brown Primal and smoky brown Undone), while the remaining one’s a re-promote (pale nude Skimp).

Essentially, the palette is a cool-toned taupe cousin of the original Naked Basics palette.

Compared to the shadows in its predecessor, the original Naked Basics Palette, these shadows seem much easier to blend. I haven’t had any problems mixing or mooshing any of the colors together and haven’t had any trouble with uneven application.

I have seen some fallout, though, but that’s pretty typical of Urban Decay.

According to UD, the palette works well for all skin tones, from like to dark and cool to warm, but I have to politely disagree with that… I’m an olive-toned gal with a darker skin tone, and I feel that without the help of some additional products, like a black shadow or eyeliner, or a warm beige or orangey brown, all six Naked2 Basics shadows tend to blend together into a nondescript haze on my skin.

It’s like when the newspaper gets left out in the rain, and then you open it and everything’s a muddled mix of depressing grays… Sad panda. 🙁

Urban Decay Naked2 Basics Palette with a MAC Lipstick for scale — With a MAC Lipstick for scale

[Continue reading…]

With the MAC A Passionate Quest Quad, Blue Is the New Purple

August 4th, 2014 by Karen 21 Comments

MAC loves purple quads.

No, not those purple quads. 🙂

I’m referring to purple quads like these…

They’ve been a recurring theme over the years (see: MAC Kelly Osborne Bloody Brilliant Quad, Archie’s Girls Eye Shadow X 4 in Spoiled Rich and the Private Viewing Quad from Make-Up Art Cosmetics, among many others), and with the new MAC A Passionate Quest Quad, their purple passion lives on. I think it’s one of their most interesting purple eyeshadow productions to date.

Those two shadows on the right side of the quad may look like pretty unassuming purples, but they each contain a surprising amount of blue.

Serenade, the lighter shade, is a mid-tone purplish pink with blue duochrome, while Stay Sultry is a dark navy violet.

The blue in both shadows advertises itself more clearly on my skin than it does in swatches, and it’s weird — layered on top of a black base, both shades look almost more like blue eyeshadows than purple.

A breakdown of the eyeshadows in this look: The Wrong Man (a light cool dusty pink) on my brow bones and in the inner corners), Serenade (a mid tone pinkish purple with blue duochrome pearl) on my lids and lower lash lines, Brazenly (a rich eggplant) in the crease and Stay Sultry (a deep violet navy) in the outer corners. Also, on my lash and water lines, I’m wearing MAC Fluidline Eye Pencil in Black Brilliance. Lashes are Ardell 105s.

It’s as if the quad has a split personality. If you were to split it right down the middle, you’d have a blue duo on the right, and a more traditional purplish pink duo on the left.

A Passionate Quest (limited edition) is one of three quads in the MAC A Novel Romance collection, and I’d say it’s probably the most dramatic — and that’s not just because of the blue surprise. MAC really swings for the fences with the darker shades in the bottom half of the palette.

[Continue reading…]

Giving Thanks for an Epic Summer Glow With the Dolce & Gabbana Smooth Eye Colour Quad in Tangier

July 29th, 2014 by Karen 10 Comments

Dolce Gabbana Tangier Eyeshadow Quad — Wearing the new $60 Dolce & Gabbana’s new Smooth Eye Colour Quad in Tangier and dreaming about corn…

Mashed potatoes, gravy, biscuits, buttered corn…

CORN! Mmm, corn.

I’m trying to get a grip on myself, but my body is acting of its own accord (*tummy rumbles*). Every time I open the new Dolce & Gabbana Smooth Eye Color Quad in Tangier, I immediately think “Happy Thanksgiving!”

It’s not my fault. It’s the orange, man. Seeing it there next to that brown and gold, and I momentarily forget that it’s not fall. I feel like busting out my boots with the fur (with the fur) and jumping into a pile of autumn leaves.

Funny thing is, it’s not a fall quad. Tangier is one of two limited edition quads in the new Dolce & Gabbana Summer Glow collection, available now at counters and online.

With its rich amber and gold, it’s perfect for sexy screen siren looks, whether now in the summer, or later in the fall.

Sixty bones is a lot for an eyeshadow quad, but at least this one is remarkably easy to use. I’ve been wearing it for the past few days, and I’m surprised. I can’t believe how easy it’s been to incorporate into casual and dressy looks — even that cray-cray matte orange.

For these first pics I tried to think outside the box, so I’m wearing it in the crease with a hazy orange smokey eye.

Only semi-cray. 😉

But I’ve also used the quad in more causal ways. Like, the other day I buffed the light peach, which has just the perfect amount of sheen so it isn’t too shimmery, from my lash line up to my brow bone, blended the matte brown into the crease, and then lightly dusted the shimmery gold in the inner corners, before finishing with a bit of black liner and mascara.

[Continue reading…]

Looking for a Polished Party Quad? Chanel Les 4 Ombres Quadra Eyeshadow in Tissé Vénitien Fits the Bill

July 28th, 2014 by Karen 32 Comments

Fact: Chanel’s new Les 4 Ombres Quadra Eyeshadow in Tissé Vénitien ($61) will not be tardy for the party.

No way. She’ll be right on time.

Chanel Quadra Les 4 Ombres Eyeshadow in Tissé Vénitien — Tissé Vénitien, from the new Chanel Les 4 Ombres Quadra Eyeshadow Collection

This quad dazzles with shimmering greens — one of which, the metallic light greenish platinum on the left, is the star of the show for me — and a quiet dash of pink.

The greenish platinum sparkles like the desert sky at midnight during a new moon, yet amazingly, it isn’t obnoxious. For a party ready look in mere seconds, I like to use my finger to apply it to the center of my lids.

Tissé Vénitien is one of the new Chanel tweed-inspired quads with the baked formula.

Like the others, it’s supposed to cover all the bases for an eye look from start to finish, but with that, I have to disagree. I feel like you also need at least one matte up in the mix to contour with, and also to contrast with all of the shimmer here; otherwise, it’s sparkle overload.

[Continue reading…]

The Tarte Rainforest After Dark Colored Clay Eye & Cheek Palette: When This Snake Bites, It’s Good for Your Skin

July 22nd, 2014 by Karen 15 Comments

Tarte Rainforest After Dark Palette — Wearing the new Tarte Rainforest After Dark Colored Clay Eye & Cheek Palette ($38) on my eyes and cheeks

Snakes.

Freak out, man! SNAKES! They’re all over Tarte’s fall collection, including the Rainforest After Dark Colored Clay Eye & Cheek Palette ($38), which is kind of like the star serpent of the nine-piece release slithering now across Tarte counters and online.

The collection includes both limited edition products and new pieces bound for the permanent line, with the After Dark palette being one of the limited edition items.

The palette houses nine powder products — six eyeshadows, a bronzer, a highlighter and a blush — in colors inspired by the deep orchid hues of a rainforest at dusk, and in true Tarte fashion, the whole enchilada is cruelty-free, and made without parabens, mineral oil, phthalates, triclosan, sodium lauryl sulfate or gluten.

Like many of Tarte’s products, this one is designed to deliver skin benefits which, in a way, I’m kind of conflicted about…

I mean, I love that whole idea — the idea of makeup that doubles as a skin care product — but I’m just not sure how well it works.

With serums and moisturizers, I can actually see and feel them being absorbed into my skin, but with makeup, it’s kind of just sitting right there on top, ya know?

Is it doing anything? I don’t know, but I figure it can’t hurt.

The secret ingredient in these is something Tarte calls colored clay, a super absorbent clay able to auto-magically color correct and address your specific skin and complexion concerns, and these powder definitely do absorb oil well.

Might be something to consider if you have very oily lids and/or cheeks.

The colors — plums, tans and golds — are all fairly neutral, and not too cool nor warm, making them good fits for a wide range of skin tones.

It’s hard to really mess up when using the eyeshadows, too, no matter how much I pack on, because they aren’t crazy pigmented (I’d say they’re about a medium). They blend out beautifully without looking too heavy.

I do notice a little fallout, but it’s not a big deal. Just tap off your brush first, or work it into the back of your hand.

In terms of performance, the eyeshadows put up major points. In a perfect world, though, I might darken the darker shades a bit.

As for the blush, wow, so beautiful. That matte plummy tone sure looks natural on the skin, but the Park Ave. Princess bronzer? Eh. I think that one’s just OK. Probably better suited for lighter skin tones than mine.

Oh, about the gold highlighter and gold eyeshadow — holy highlight that, man! We’re talking really, really shimmery.

All and all, I’d say it’s a lovely palette — perfect for gals/guys who like natural looks with a kick.

I usually prefer a little more oomph from my eyeshadows, but I still see a lot here I’m sure I’ll wear this fall.

[Continue reading…]

Calling Mrs. Mia Wallace! The Urban Decay Pulp Fiction Palette Marries Dark Themes With Dark Neutral Eyeshadows

July 17th, 2014 by Karen 17 Comments

If…

You like carrying on entire conversations with friends and family via Pulp Fiction movie quotes (“Bring out the gimp!” “I love you, Honey Bunny.” “All right, everybody be cool. This is a robbery!”).
Your Urban Decay cup runneth over, and yet despite owning all three Naked palettes, you still want more, more, MORE!
You dream of wearing brown, black and/or beige eyeshadow while doing the twist with John Travolta at a 1950s diner.
You don’t mind a little fallout.

Then you might want to say “What happened to my Honda?”

Wait — that’s from the movie. 🙂

Let’s try that again…

You might want to say “I do” to the new $34 Urban Decay Pulp Fiction Palette.

Inspired by Mrs. Mia Wallace herself, Uma Thurman’s character from the movie, this five-piece (three new shadows and two re-promotes) limited edition palette, which is part of UD’s fall collection, is all about the Mrs. and recreating her look.

Urban Decay Pulp Fiction Collection Palette — Inside the palette…

I’ve found that when I wear the shadows in this palette — Righteous (a matte light cream), Tyranny (a matte warm brown), Vengeance (a deep, satiny matte taupe-brown), Furious (a satiny white) and Anger (a satiny black with a slight sparkle) — things get very dark, very quickly, just like they do in the movie.

Urban Decay Pulp Fiction Palette Swatches — Swatches…

[Continue reading…]

With the New NARSissist Smokey Eye Kit, You’ll Have All Eyes on You

July 14th, 2014 by Karen 13 Comments

Honestly, though, I don’t blame you for your NARSissicism. I understand, I really do. That would be like blaming Tabs for being beautiful or the sky for being blue.

No, I blame the NARSissist Smokey Eye Kit ($59), that gorgeous three-piece palette in front of you. 🙂

With a matte beige, a deep matte brown and a shimmery golden brown eyeshadow (as well as a miniature black liner and a travel-sized contouring brush) in it, really, how could you not get NARSissistic on that @ss?

[Continue reading…]