What do you think about a palette that smells like coconuts? Are you intrigued and totally tempted? As a “food enthusiast,” I am, but when I sniff the new $14.99 Maybelline Total Temptation Shadow + Highlight Palette, and I really get my nose up in it, the coconut isn’t nearly as strong as it is in Maybelline’s Total Temptation Mascara, which seems kind of odd to me…
I dunno why, but I just expected the powder products to smell more coco-nutty than the mascara. It’s probably from the years of opening compacts and smelling roses or violets or gardenia or vanilla, or whatever else has been the scent du jour. I’m conditioned.
Or, maybe I’m just hungry and wish these eyeshadows and highlighters smelled like coconut macaroons. 🙂
Part of the Maybelline Total Temptation product family
The list price is $14.99, so it’s a little expensive for drugstore, and it’s part of Maybelline’s new Total Temptation line, which is available on Amazon now (the Amazon price for the palette is $9.49) and coming to drugstores next month.
There are eight powder eyeshadows and two powder highlighters divided into two groups.
One side of the palette has warm browns, peaches and golds, and the other has cool mauve, violet and charcoal shades.
Drugstore palettes have come a long way!
Total Temptation is a textbook example of how far drugstore quality has come over the past few years. I’ve been wearing drugstore makeup for… Well, let’s just say that it’s been a looong time and leave it at that. 🙂
This palette compares well to pricier products from MAC and Urban Decay. Like, you get a lot of pigment, even with one or two layers. Plus, your wrists can take it easy, because you won’t have to spend eons blending the crap outta your edges, and you can even skip that midday touch-up.
I checked my makeup after seven hours with this on my lids and cheeks and was like, “Yeah, that’s not going anywhere,” because it looked like I’d just applied it.
How finely milled are the powders?
So, why not just save the $$$ and go all-in with drugstore eyeshadows then?
You could, and a lot of people do. It depends on the product, but I do generally feel that the finest powders around are from department store brands, and the more expensive an eyeshadow is, the finer and more delicate the grains of powder.
As an over-30 person (OK, over 40!), this is a big deal, since smaller grains don’t settle into lines as eagerly as bigger grains do.
Even within the drugstore category, I think the pricier the palette, the finer the grains, and Total Temptation is somewhere in the middle, with grains that are finer than bargain basement drugstore powders, but larger than Chanel.
Depending on your skin, you may or may not notice a difference at all. I mean, if you’re 20 and you can’t see your pores and don’t have any lines (enjoy it while you can, kid), no big deal, but if you’re in your 30s, 40s and up, any fine line action on your lids will be more obvious, unless you spend at least a few extra minutes doing that windshield wiper motion and making those little circles to buff the grains down and get rid of any powdery-ness.
The final word
This is a quality palette for the price and a great choice for teens, tweens and most 20- somethings. And the 30-somethings and up, yeah, you can pull it off, too, but you’ll have to do more buffing and blending.
Desperately seeking smoothie recipes (and Chanel at Costco)
You guys, I’m getting to that smoothie tipping point — you know, that place where if you have one more of the same spinach smoothie you’ve been making for months, you’re going to gag, so I’m searching for new ways to work the green stuff into my diet.
I just bought a huge tub of spinach for smoothies from Costco last weekend, and I don’t wanna waste it. If you have a spinach smoothie that you love, please share. My body thanks you in advance.
Oh, and speaking of Costco, I just found out that the one in my town now sells Chanel (!).
Well, it was just this one jar of Le Lift Chanel face cream for $99 (it’s $165 on chanel.com), but still. 🙂
I saw a stack of jars on a card table out in front of the optical section, along with some random Coach and Prada bags.
Have you ever seen Chanel at Costco? This was a first for me.
Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,
Karen
Costco sure gets some random stuff! I make a smoothie every morning, that’s usually about all I have for breakfast. I put in some greens, a banana, frozen fruit (usually mango, sometimes a berry mix), soymilk, chia seeds, and yogurt if I have it. I haven’t gotten sick of it yet! If avocados are on sale I’ll throw in half of one and it keeps me really full!
Hi Rachel,
So random. The Chanel was definitely outta left field. I wonder how Karl would be cool with buying Chanel with XXL croissants. Haha!
Your smoothie recipe sounds delicious — can’t wait to try it. I’m gonna swap the soy milk for almond milk (I just found one that I really like by a brand called Califia Farms). Gonna dig around for some chia seeds, too. YUM!
Hope you had a nice Monday. Are you done with all your cookies for your treat bags?
Have you had the toasted coconut almond milk from Califia Farms? It is amazing!
Hi Kimiko,
No, I haven’t but it sounds delicious! I’ll look for it next time I’m at Target. So is it a blend of coconut milk and almond milk? Or is it almond milk with toasted coconut flavoring?
It’s almond milk with coconut cream added to it. This particular flavor only has 45 calories per serving (and only 1 carb per serving ). It’s fantastic to drink by itself, or to make chocolate milk with. And of course, with cereal or in a smoothie!
OK, well that sounds all sorts of fabulous! I’m thinking about it with Cheerios and I’m already drooling. Where do you usually find yours? I really hope that Target has it!
I found the toasted coconut almond milk everywhere that sells Califia Farms. Target included! ?
OK, it’s on my list. I have to go tomorrow to get an extra roll of wrapping paper (someone is a last-minute procrastinator) so I’ll pop by the grocery section to see if they have it. Thank you for the rec! I’m sure I’ll love it.
I hope you love it as much as I do!!!
Yes I think I’m finally done with baking!
Nice! I hope you kept some cookies for yourself. 🙂
I thought the palette was going to be a dud, but it looks nice! I love the look you created!
Hi Lupe,
Thanks! I hope you give it a go.
As a fellow (amost) 40+ I know exactly what you mean by the extra buffing and blending required. I can´t remember having to do that in my Twens! But to be fair, looking back at old pictures I don´t know if I would have, blending was kind of a foreign thing to me.
Me too. Back then I was all about the little sponge applicators!
spinach, frozen pineapple, protein powder and coconut milk
Yum, Em! That sounds delicious. Do you use a specific flavor or protein powder? I’m guessing vanilla would be good.
I use unflavoured whey isolate protein powder as I cannot stand the sweeteners in so many of the flavoured varieties. I add vanilla essence or peanut butter powder or cocoa to make my own flavours.
The pineapple cuts nicely through the spinach giving a bit of sharp sweetness. Apples or apple juice might be nice with spinach.
And you’ve totally got me hooked on MAC!!!
Hi Em,
I need to get some whey protein. My husband used to get this brand in a black jar… I wish I could remember the name! Or I might try egg white protein, which I wanted for baking. Not sure how they would taste in a smoothie though (the thought of an eggy taste in a juice makes me gag). BTW, you’re the second person to mention powdered peanut butter to me in the last two days! Need to grab some of that too.
Oh, and a MAC addiction isn’t a bad habit to have. 🙂 What are MAC products do you use/love?
This definitely seems like a bargain for the younger crowd. 🙂 We don’t have a Costco but I’m amazed to see Chanel in any club-type store!
I can’t help at all with the smoothies. They are definitely not up my alley, unfortunately. I know they’re very good for you, but there is nothing else about them that I like. 🙁
Me too! It’s gotta be legit, right? Because I can’t imagine Costco would sell fake Chanel.
Are the boys home for the holiday break?
I usually gravitate towards warm neutrals, but I’m really digging the cool toned shades. Very pretty!
Sometimes I’ll throw in a handful of spinach with strawberries, blueberries and a banana. I’ll add some flax or chia seeds too if I have them on hand.
Hi Ruchita,
I bet cool mauves would look pretty on your skin. Or maybe a taupe? Have you ever worn MAC Satin Taupe? It would work well for you. You could probably even layer it on top of your Revlon cream shadow.
I haven’t tried that MAC color before. Thanks for the reccomendation!
I don’t know what you put in your spinach smoothies, but I like to add coconut water or occasionally almond milk, with fruits. Usually mangoes, strawberries, and/or pineapples. Or I’ll use vanilla or strawberry protein powder. Or I’ll add flavoured greek yogurt, whatever I have on hand. It’s never a boring spinach smoothie that way, the spinach is little more than a side note 🙂
I don’t think I’ve ever seen it at my local Costco! But I have seen some other great deals, but a I just don’t need 3 bottles of the same product. I think I need a local makeup/skincare buddy so we can share!
To get more greens in my diet I’ve been doing a what my husband calls a “power salad” for dinner half the week because it hits the spot so perfectly. I do a base of spinach, with chicken, garbanzo beans, green onions, cucumber, tomatoes and chunks of cheddar. I sprinkle some taco seasoning over it and then do a ranch-salsa-lime juice dressing. NOM!