When I opened the new Becca Halcyon Days Palette ($65), sunbeams shot out of the pans directly into my gold, bronze and coral-lovin’ heart. BAM! This palette is almost everything I could ever want from summer makeup. Just thinking about it fills the air with the scent of sunscreen, my mouth with the taste of orange Creamsicles, and my ears with the sound of surf pounding on a beach.
Take unseasonably warm weather like we’re having here in the Bay Area this week (this, after last week’s downpours and freeze-your-butt-bones weather), add Halcyon Days, and you get one happy Karen. 🙂
Here, let me show you! Grab my virtual hand because the journey to summer, summer, summertime is just a hop, skip and a Becca palette away…
Becca developed Halcyon Days exclusively for Henri Bendel stores to coincide with the addition of the line to Bendel’s beauty department. For now, it’s only available at the Fifth Avenue store in New York City and online at henribendel.com, but Becca plans to roll it out to other retailers on May 1.
The palette, with its three eyeshadows, lip and cheek cream, and lip gloss, contains everything one might need for a casual summer glow. Eyes will shimmer in shades of gold, bronze and brown; cheeks will blush in bright, creamy coral; and lips will glow in sheer, shiny peach.
The Becca Halcyon Days Palette
- Eye Colour Powder Shimmer in Faille — a golden peach
- Eye Colour Powder Demi Matt in Muslin — a creamy opal
- Eye Colour Powder Demi Matt in Chamois — a light bronzy brown
- Lip & Cheek Creme in Bouganvillea — a bright coral
- Mai Tai Lip Gloss — a sheer peachy nude
- A dual-ended brush — a dual-ended brush with liner and shadow brush heads
Hardcore Becca fans may recognize a couple of these colors as Becca repromoted Mai Tai Lip Gloss and Bougainvillea Lip & Cheek Creme from last summer’s Bombora Palette. I actually loved those shades when they bloomed with Bombora, and I don’t really mind seeing them here again. I think they go well with the eye colors in the palette, but I guess it also would’ve been nice to see something completely new.
About the eyeshadows, my 30-something peepers have a message for Becca: Great job on the shimmer! It’s spot on. You know how really shimmery, frosty shadows will sometimes draw attention to fine lines? These don’t (YEA!).
Muslin and Chamois come in Becca’s Demi Matt finish with extremely fine shimmer particles that deliver more of a luminous sheen than an outright shimmer. Faille, the most shimmery shade here, does shimmer more than the other two, but I think it’s still subtle compared to frosty shimmer shadows.
I like how all three of these don’t just sit on top of my skin like bumps on a log. The formula, which, by the way, is preservative- and fragrance-free, doesn’t look or feel heavy up close or from afar.
A little longer than an iPhone…
Swatches from the left with the flash: Faille, Muslin, Chamois, Bougainvillea and Mai Tai
Without the flash
Now this here’s a palette made for sundresses, flip-flops, shades and tans. Too bad it’s $65, but that’s typical of Becca. It’s one of those niche lines that’s a little hard to get (but easier these days thanks to Henri Bendel). I think the quality compares well to high-end couture lines like Chanel and Dior. Unfortunately, the prices do too.
No doubt it’s a splurge, but if you like the way you look in warm shades and want a head start on summer, look up Becca Halcyon Days.
PRICE: $65 (yowza!)
AVAILABILITY: Available now at the Fifth Avenue Henri Bendel store and also online
MAKEUP AND BEAUTY BLOG RATING: B+ (very pricey, but these are top-notch, wearable colors)
Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,
Karen
Very pretty… I like this!
Me too! The colors are so wearable. 🙂
Been meaning to ask… are you from California? You have our state flower in your thumbnail.
I have to have this palette!! I adore BECCA and warm shades so it’s a match made in …in…..summertime!! The rest of the collection looks lovely too–the new beach tint, mineral blushes and the eyeliners–I want it all! I just wish HB shipping wasn’t so high–guess I’ll wait ’till May–uggg.
Me too! Remember when Sephora used to carry the line? Ah, those were the days.
What else do you like from the brand?
I love the look of this palette! It’s gorgeous! i wish Sephora still sold the Becca, as it is so hard to find here. You look beautiful in these colours!
Thanks, Tracy!
I wish Becca still sold Sephora too. I hope they make it back there someday.
How has your week been? I’m so glad tomorrow is Friday.
I like the looks of the creams, but I’m not sure the orange would be flattering on me.
It’s more coral than orange… try it! You never know.
So, so pretty!
I take it you love it. 🙂 I heart it too!
Peaches, corals, neutral eyes…. what’s not to love?
I know! I’m ready for summer.
Speaking of… it is still hot up your way? We have all our windows open right now!
It was very warm yesterday and last night. I’m not complaining, though! Seems cooler this morning.
Honestly, I detest all cream/powder palettes. The powder gets into everything else, and it all just ends up a grainy mess! I’ve wasted too much of my time trying to keep them clean. I’d rather have separate lip and eyeshadow palettes.
I hear you. Sometimes it bugs me, especially when the pans are super close together. If I really like the colors I can overlook it, though.
Although the Becca palettes are very well made and don’t seem to get messy. I own this one and have not had any problems so far.
Hi Karen,
May I know what kind of undereye routine have you been doing lately (eye cream, corrector, concealer, etc)? For about a month now, I noticed that your undereye areas look really good, well concealed but very natural looking. You look very fresh in your pictures! Please do share with us all the products that you’re using. Thanks!
Hi Tania,
I’ve been using Korres Quercetin & Oak Eye Cream, Smashbox Photo Op Under Eye Brightener, MAC Pro Longwear Concealer and just a tiny bit of Jouer Glistening Brightening Powder to set. You can read more here:
What’s Your Skin Care Routine? Here’s What I’m Doing Now
Glisten Closely, Because Jouer Has Something Shimmery to Say: The Jouer Glisten Up Collection for Spring 2011
Let me know if you have any more questions!
This is a nice palette for summer and Bougainvillea looks very pretty!
That’s one of my fave cheek shades o’ the moment, Gio!
oh my god, what happened…. I CAN SEE COMIC SANS EVERYWHERE O___O *cries* 😀
This is an april fool right?
It’s awesome, right? Yay, Comic Sans!
Hi! Coming out of lurker status because I can’t take all the Comic Sans! Waahhh!
Yes, and don’t you love it?!
Everything is in Comic Sans! :OO
OoOOOooh!
I love the lip gloss and the eyeshadows in this palette! Bougainvillea might be a wee bit coral for me but maybe a little goes a long way?
Also, what’s up with the font? O_O I do hope its an April Fools prank! A Pegasus has lost its wings somewhere!
A little does go a long way with Bougainvillea. I put down a heavier layer here because I was in the mood for bright cheeks!
Wait… so you don’t like the new font? LOL!
Pegasus just lost BOTH its wings Karen! >.<
LOL!
wow! really cute colours! and karen you look amazing! your skin is beautiful!! x
Thanks, Sureyya. That’s good ol’ Laura Mercier Oil Free Foundation and MAC Prep+Prime working its magic.
Comic Sans…. I… Can’t….
Lol. Happy April Fool’s
<3 Comic Sans!
HAHAHAHAH Comic Sans! I can’t stop giggling, my coworkers are going to think I’m crazy!
Love the palette, peach and coral make me long for sunnier days! And it goes especially well with your lovely top. 🙂
(um, can we go back to a normal font now please? my eyes are bleeding..)
I was just about to post about the Comic Sans font abuse right here! HAHAHAHAHAAAAA!!!!!
Topic: As much as I would’ve liked the eye shadows in this palette to be creams instead of powders, I think the colors are lovely. 🙂
Long live Comic Sans!!!
LOLOLOL
It’s the most pleasing font EVER!!!
Karen! No, No, please… I’m begging you… no more comic sans! I could barely get through it without a panic attack. Arrgggghhh! Don’t make me use more “…” on you!!!! I’ll do it!!!! 🙂
PS The Becca stuff looks really nice. Definitely natural looking and very pretty. OMG, I can’t even stand to proof my comments in this font. The horror!!!! HAHA!
LOL… are your eyes bleeding yet?!?
I can’t remember if you guys get Becca up your way. I hope so! The shimmer might not be glittery enough for you, but it’s still nice to have something with a subtle sheen around just in case.
They are. I was trembling earlier. 🙂 It’s so hard to find anything up here so I’m usually the queen of internet ordering.
This is super-random, but what are your thoughts on the Petite Lap Giraffe from the DirecTV commercials? I am so in love with that thing and think it’s genius. The Hubs thinks I’m a dolt and that the giraffe is dumb. He did send me this link today, though. So sweet. 🙂
http://www.petitelapgiraffe.com/index.php
Love those shadows! May need to track down a counter and look at some shadows — that demi matte sheen is gorgeous.
I’m kindasorta obsessed with it at the moment. It adds a nice glow without going all out disco.
Exactly. Perfect for work. Especially since one of our clients pointed out that I must have slept well the night before because I didn’t have the dark circles under my eyes that I’d had the last few times he’d seen me!!!!! Guess I need to make more regular use of concealer and perk up my shadow to distract attention.
*giggle* Comic Sans…
Haha! 😉
i burst out in joyous, ecstatic laughter when i opened up mbb today! goodness, karen – youre silly cute! <3
that palette is lovely — it reminds me of the sunset during summer – oranges, yellows. these are among my favorite colors to wear – regardless of the season!
Hi Nina,
Happy Friday! 🙂
And yes, this palette is like a sunset in a pan… an expensive one, LOL!
Got any plans for the weekend yet?
being lazy counts as a plan, right? i think im getting part of the hubs’ flu. :/
i might meet the bestie for a quick cup of tea tomorrow just to catch up. but thats still up in the air. 🙂
GAH! The font! The font! Can’t. Read. Any. More. 🙂 Good thing I really wanted to read this post, Karen….you’re killing me here!
Sooo… you don’t love it? LOL!
Oooh I’ve been on a becca kick lately. I’ve since purchased 3 different eye tints, which I love and consider worth the price, the mineral primer (I have a love/hate relationship with that), and the tuberose lip and cheek creme (very pretty, but doesn’t last as long as I’d like). Now you’ve starting another lemming…but this one is pretty pricey!
And thank you Karen for reviewing becca products (and so many others). I’m from So Cal, and there’s no place near me where I can test this brand. I’m so glad I can always count on you <3
Nothing better than nude and coral for summer!
Such a pretty, convenient little palette.
Do you think the cheek colour would work on the lips layered with the gloss?