Product Reviews

Target set the beauty world ablaze earlier this month with the release of three new prestige beauty lines — JK Jemma Kidd, Pixi by Petra Strand and NP Set by Napoleon Perdis.

NP Set, by famed Australian makeup artist Napoleon Perdis, may look a little familiar to Perdis fans. The logo harkens back to his first major makeup release, aptly named Napoleon Perdis. The line sells at Ulta stores and at a slightly higher price point than Target’s NP Set.

But that’s the beauty of Target, right? — good prices on quality merch.

What Sets NP Set Apart?

The new line is huge, with more than 80 face, lip and cheek products priced between $12-$30. NP Set bridges the gap between the other two big beauty lines to launch at Target, combining the color vastness and artistry of the JK Jemma Kidd line with the breezy fun of Pixi by Petra Strand.

Breezy, Elegant Packaging

The subtle tropical colors, clean lines and minimalist packaging evoke beach umbrellas and rolling surf — a sense of relaxed elegance, which even carries over to the glossy white compacts and lipstick tubes.

Pretty Colors and Textures, But Limited Staying Power

I tested five items from the line, and most delivered nice texture and beautiful, pigmented color.

There are several things I like about these products, but the one issue that consistently came up was their staying power.

I had trouble keeping this stuff put! For some reason the items I tried weren’t as long-lasting as the products by Pixi or JK Jemma Kidd, fading and creasing within hours, so, if there’s any room for improvement in the NP Set line, that’s it.

Of the items I tested, my favorites were the eye and lip products.

NP Set by Napoleon Perdis Show Loose Dust Duo in Australia, $26

Dust Duo, a double-sided eyeshadow duo, has built-in sponge tip applicators perfect for gals on the go.
[Continue reading…]

She arrived dressed to thrill in a sleek black compact — four sophisticated shadows born to seduce and built to weaken knees. Crafted to create the ultimate smoky eye, she prepared to do her dance of makeup seduction.

Even before I opened the Chanel Smoky Eye Quad ($56), I could hear her siren song…

“Play with me, Karen,” she sung, “You know you want to play with my matte black, shimmery gray and white shadow shades.”

“Don’t you want to try my dark, shimmery gray shade above a layer of MAC Smolder eyeliner?” she probed.

I trembled.

It’s hard enough to resist Chanel on a normal day, but after weeks of self-imposed Chanel makeup lockdown, I was helpless against her.

“You know I’ll look effortless and classic,” she purred in my ear. “Use an angled brush and line your bottom lash line with my matte black… You won’t regret it.”

“Yes…” I replied, defeated, my willpower gone, “and to complete the look, I’ll add a nude cheek and lip.”

“Heavenly,” she demurred.
[Continue reading…]

When I was growing up in the 80s and listening to hip hop in the ‘burbs, I totally wanted a pony. In terms of transportation, I figured a pony would be soooo much cooler (and much more interactive) than my yellow bike with the banana seat. My bike was a’ight, but a pony would have been able to jump fences when I needed to escape the playground bully (let’s call her Tammy… B*tch, you know who you are!).

I never got the pony, but I think that wanting one partly explains why I like Benefit’s Dallas blush ($28).

Look at the cute box it comes in! I could have been that girl riding the pony, le sigh!

Dallas comes with a small, flat brush with a wooden handle. The wearable color would have made it great to take on vacay if the box had been better constructed for travel. It’s just cardboard and doesn’t snap shut. I could see it withstanding a brief Tabs attack (he’s been into swiping at stuff lately), but it might not do well stored in a checked bag or casually dropped into a big purse.
[Continue reading…]

Target’s on fuego right now! They’ve ditched their strict low price image and now carry a growing number of high-end, top quality beauty products like Pixi by Petra Strand. Take Tarte’s “health couture” philosophy, Benefit’s commitment to versatility, and Pop Beauty’s love of color et voila! — you’ve got Pixi.

You gotta plan that next trip to Target because Pixi’s where it’s at. The line features a wide array of more than 90 eye, lip and face products, as well as makeup tools at a reasonable $12-$39 each. Created by Swedish makeup artist Petra Strand, a 20-year veteran of the beauty industry, Pixi aims to make you look and feel like you got a great night’s sleep — fresh, healthy and ready for anything.

Like the JK Jemma Kidd line Target debuted earlier this month, Pixi is an import from Europe, but beyond that the two lines share little in common. JK Jemma Kid seeks to dazzle with trendy, makeup artistry-inspired colors, while Pixi takes a simple, easy-to-use “You, but only better” approach.

Pixi Lip Blush in Happiness, $18

I tested four products from Pixi and went apesh*t for Pixi Lip Blush in Happiness.

An $18 lip stain might seem a little steep for Target, but this is so worth the moolah. A water-based stain that comes in pen form, Lip Blush feels feather-light on my lips yet lasts all frickin’ day long! I applied it in Happiness (a hot pink) onto my lips one morning when I was really hungry. After breakfast, lunch, several glasses of water and a handful of See’s candies my lips were still stained pink (NOTE: That’s how I test the durability of lip products — I eat, lol!).

The Magic Marker-esque tip tickles a lil’ at first, but you get used to it. I learned the hard way that Lip Blush exaggerates any lip faults. Puckers should be in tip-top shape if you’re gonna wear this stuff. The first time I used it, my lips were a little dry and flaky, and the color applied unevenly.

Swatch of Lip Blush in Happiness

Other deets: it’s taste-free and has a light rose scent that fades quickly, yay! I liked Happiness so much that I told myself to get the three other shades — Youth (a light pink), Purity (light peach) and Love (coral) — on my next trip to Target.

Pixi Rose Lip Treat in LipNude, $12

Rose Lip Treat, a sheer lip balm, moisturizes and conditions lips, and, according to the packaging, even protects against free radicals. Boo, down with free radicals!

Packaged in a slim, pink tube with a pretty flower design, it’s all business — no taste or scent to speak of.

It does a great job softening and soothing my lips, too, and comes in two shades — LipNude (light peach) and LipRose (light pink).

Pixi Lash Booster Mascara in Blackest Blue, $19

Pixi Lash Booster also comes in two shades — Blackest Black (uh, black) and Blackest Blue (blue-black). I tried Blackest Blue, which looks like a rich, navy blue on the brush and a pure black on the lashes. The marketing claims it has a unique “push up effect” that lifts and coats each lash. I gotta say, Lash Booster does do a bang-up job of really holding the curl. You want that wide-awake look? — you get it with Lash Booster.
[Continue reading…]