Review: Julep Orbital Eyeshadow in Supernova

I got this shadow in my December Julep Maven box. These shadows are new to Julep this month, and come in 6 shades(although they are coming out with two new shades next month, so stay tuned for that!) These shadows come packaged in a sleek black case with a decent sized mirror inside.

Here's what the Julep site claims:
"Our multidimensional eyeshadow with triple the pigment for intense brightness, incredible stamina, and endless looks."
"• Uses iridescent pearls and vibrant metallic pigments to create an effortless, multidimensional eye look
• Blends the color payoff of a cream shadow and the layering power of a powder"

Here's my experience:
~ Definitely multidimensional! This shade in particular can look plum, charcoal, teal, or a combination of the three depending on what angle the light is hitting it from and how much light is hitting it.

~ The staying power is really good. The longest I've worn it so far is about 7 hours and had no fading or creasing whatsoever.

~ It is possible to get a variety of looks from this depending on how much you layer it. However, you're not going to get "the color payoff of a cream shadow" unless you use it wet(which I highly recommend doing for maximum color and shimmer payoff, and to minimize fallout).

~ You really have to use a primer under it, because it is very shimmery/sparkly it needs something to stick to to minimize fallout.

~ You need to use a flat shader brush or something with some density to it in order to pick the shadow up. If you use a brush that is too round or fluffy you will only pick up the top layer of sparkle and not much(or any really) of the base shadow.

~ You need to sort of swirl your brush in the shadow a little to pick up all of the pigment. If you just dab or pat the shadow, again, you will only pick up the top layer of shimmer.

Here are some swatches!

These swatches are over Avon eyeshadow primer in Light Beige.

The first and third swatch in each picture are dry. The first is 2 layers of the shadow, and the third is just 1 layer. The middle swatch in each pic is 2 layers of the shadow applied wet.

You can see that the color looks different depending on the light. In the first swatch there was bright light hitting the shadow directly, which picks up a lot of the teal shimmers and charcoal undertone and you kind of just catch a hint of the plum. In the second swatches there is a little less direct light, so the shadow shows a little more plum but you still pick up a lot of the teal shimmer as well. In the last swatches there is dim light and the shadow shows as a very sparkly plum.

Overall, I really love this shadow. The multidimensional tones and sparkle factor are SO pretty. I like that it can be used wet or dry, and that it has good staying power. There is definitely fallout with a shadow this shimmery, so do your eye makeup first when you use these so that you can clean it up before applying the rest of your makeup.

If you are not a fan of glitter you're not going to like these shadows. If you are a fan though(like me!), definitely give these Orbital shadows a try:-)

FOTD: Easy Single Color Sparkling Smokey Eye

On the face:
~Graftobian HD creme foundation- 50/50 mix of Ingenue & Vixen
~Yaby concealer in Ivory
~Benefit Watt's Up highlighter
~Too Faced Primed & Poreless loose powder

On the eyes:
~Avon eyeshadow primer in Light Beige
~Julep Orbital eyeshadow in Supernova
~Avon Kohl liner in True Black
~L'oreal Voluminous mascara in Carbon Black

On the cheeks:
~Too Faced Chocolate Soliel bronzer
~Kat Von D Everlasting Face Shaper blush in Belissima

On the lips:
~Avon Glimmersticks lip liner in Peach Envy
~Avon Ultra Color lipstick in Tender Kiss
~Avon Ultra Glazewear lip gloss in Pale Peach

FOTD: Soiree Sparkle

On the face:
~Laura Mercier Radiance foundation primer
~Yaby natural finish foundation in Buff
~Maybelline Dream Lumi Touche highlighting concealer in Radiant
~Avon CC color correcting pencil in Light/Medium
~Ben Nye transparent face powder in Fair

On the eyes:
~Avon eyeshadow primer in Light Beige
~Avon Makeup Studio palette(the violet, navy, and cranberry shades)
~E.L.F Long Lasting Lustrous eye shadow in Soiree
~Avon kohl eyeliner in True Black
~Dior Diorshow Maximizer mascara primer
~L'oreal Voluminous mascara in Carbon Black

On the cheeks:
~mark. Bronze Pro in Bronze
~Avon Makeup Studio Palette blush(the darker shade)

On the lips:
~Avon Makeup Studio Palette lip gloss(mix of mauve and light pink shades)

FOTD: Neutrals with a Pop of Blue

On the face:
~Laura Mercier Radiance face primer
~Avon Ideal Flawless tinted moisturizer in Light
~Avon Ideal Flawless CC color correcting pencils in Light and Light/Medium
~Avon Ideal Flawless pressed powder in Light

On the eyes:
~Avon eyeshadow primer in Light Beige
~Avon True Color eyeshadow quad in Mocha Latte
~Avon Kohl eyeliner in True Black
~Rimmel Exaggerate waterproof eye definer in Deep Ocean
~Dior Diorshow Maximizer mascara primer
~L'oreal Voluminous mascara in Carbon Black

On the Cheeks:
~Avon Glow bronzer in Warm Glow
~Avon Ideal Luminous blush in Antique Rose

On the lips:
~Starlooks lip pencil in Bare
~Avon Ultra Color lipstick in Canela Nacar
~Avon Ultra Glazewear lip gloss in Tickled Pink

FOTD: Neutral Shimmer + Winged Liner

On the face:
~Avon Ideal Flawless tinted moisturizer in Light
~Avon Ideal Flawless CC color correcting pencil in Light/Medium
~Maybelline Dream Lumi Touch highlighting concealer in Radiant
~Nars light reflecting loose powder in Crystal

On the eyes:
~Avon eyeshadow primer in Light Beige
~mark. All Time Eye hook up longwear shadow in Tender Love
~Julep Eye Glide eye pencil in Smokey Taupe Shimmer
~mark. On the Edge hook up liquid eyeliner in Medusa
~Rimmel Scandal Eyes waterproof kohl liner in Nude
~Dior Diorshow Maximizer mascara primer
~L'oreal Voluminous mascara in Carbon Black

On the cheeks:
~Too Faced Chocolate Soleil bronzer
~Maybelline Dream Bouncy blush in Coffee Cake

On the lips:
~mark. Glow Baby Glow hook up lip gloss in Glam Luxe

FOTD: Easy Soft Cat Eye

On the face:
~Pixi Flawless Beauty primer
~Avon Ideal Flawless tinted moisturizer in Light
~Avon Ideal Flawless CC color correcting pencil in Light
~Benefit Watts Up highlighter
~Avon Ideal Flawless translucent loose powder

On the eyes:
~Avon True Color 8-in-1 palette in Not So Neutral-just the metallic taupe shade all over the lid, inner corners, and along the lower lash lines.
~L'oreal Infallible eyeshadow in Eternal Black along upper and lower lash lines.
~Avon Kohl eye liner in True Black to tight line.
~Dior Diorshow Maimizer mascara primer
~L'oreal Voluminous Carbon Black mascara

On the cheeks:
~Avon Glow bronzer in warm Glow
~Avon Ideal Luminous blush in Antique Rose

On the lips:
~Starlooks lip pencil in Bare
~Avon Ultra Color lipstick in Canela Nacar
~Avon Ultra Glazewear lip gloss in Tickled Pink

FOTD: Neutral Eyes + Berry Lips

On the face:
~Pixi Flawless Beauty primer
~Avon Ideal Flawless tinted moisturizer in Light
~Avon Ideal Flawless CC color correcting pencil in Light
~Avon Ideal Flawless translucent loose powder

On the eyes:
~Avon Extra Lasting eyeshadow pencil in Shimmering Sand all over lid, inner corners and along lower lash line as a base.
~Avon True Color quad in Mocha Latte- shade 1 all over lid from lash line to brow bone, shade 2 through the crease, shade 3 on the outer half of the lid and lower lash line, and shade 4 in the outer corner of the eye and along upper and lower lash lines.
~Rimmel Scandal Eyes kohl eye liner in Nude on the waterline.
~Dior Diorshow Maximizer mascara primer
~L'oreal Voluminous Carbon Black mascara(1 coat)

On the cheeks:
~Avon Glow bronzer in Warm Glow
~e.l.f. studio blush in Mellow Mauve

On the lips:
~Avon Ultra Luxury lip liner in Rosebud
~Avon Ultra Color lipstick in Matte Berry
~Avon Ultra Glazewear lip gloss in Candy Pink

First Time DIY: Depotting Disaster!

So, for anyone who follows me on YouTube and saw my "Perfect Palette" tag video, you know that I have been wanting to depot all of my Avon True Color eyeshadow quads and actually make a palette out of the colors from that tag video to use for a pan that palette challenge next year. I've watched a lot of videos on depotting methods and one common theme throughout was that you need a lot of time and patience to depot more than a small handful of shadows...and I am in short supply of both time AND patience. Then I came across an old video from Wayne Goss where he just popped his shadows in the oven and when they came out he was quickly and easily able to pop the pans out of their packaging with a paring knife. So that's the method I decided to go with for my depotting adventure.

In his video, Wayne said he set his oven to 100 degrees centigrade. That's roughly 212 degrees here in the States, and since I can't set my oven to 212 degrees I decided I would go with 210 to be on the safe side. The video also stated to put the shadows in the oven for 2-5 minutes.

Round 1: 2 minutes at 210 degrees. Results: nothing. I couldn't pry up a single pan. Not one. Not even a little.

So back into the oven the shadows went for 5 more minutes.

And...well...I got the shadows out. Even with the extra 5 minutes in the oven the glue was still really strong under the pans. So strong that I broke the tip off the end of my paring knife(and never found it). So I thought, you know, maybe the oven's not hot enough.

So I put my next batch in at 215 degrees for 10 minutes.

And things went a little smoother...but not as smooth as I would've liked.

The shadows definitely came out easier this time, but I still struggled with them. I was happy that none of them had completely broke apart like with the first batch. Since it seemed like the temperature was hot enough, I did one more batch but left them in for 5 minutes longer(so 15 minutes at 215 degrees) in the hopes the glue would loosen enough that I could pry them out easily.

This time the shadows did come out much easier. Some I still had issues with, but overall they popped out without too much hassle and seemed(seemed being the key word here) to be intact and in good condition.

I wanted to do the project cheaply, so I stuck the shadows to the inside of an old CD case with double-sided permanent tape. Now I can easily see what shadows I'm grabbing for, and I didn't have to drop a pretty penny on a magnetic case.

Now, here's the kicker, those shadows with arrows next to them are the same shadows from the previous picture(where they look like they are still in pretty good condition). Since I have made this palette, the plum shade completely crumbled and I've had to repeatedly press it back together, the deep brown shadow broke and fell out on the floor when I opened the case, and one time when I closed the case that shimmery beige cracked all around the corner.

I now have to keep this palette laying flat, treat it with kid gloves, and use the lightest hand humanly possible with the shadows so that they don't fall apart anymore.

Needless to say, I won't be using the oven method to depot my shadows anymore!

Project 10 Pan: The Mini Series! Finale/Reviews

My two weeks are up! Here's what I thought of the samples that I used up for this mini project pan:

1. John Frieda Luxurious Volume shampoo & conditioner was just okay to me. The smell was nice, fresh and clean, but I wasn't in love with it. As far as the performance, it made my hair feel exactly like the new formula of Avon's volumizing hair care line...slightly weighed down:-( So not a fan of this.

2. Origins Smarty Plants CC Skin complexion corrector had pretty light coverage and a dewy, glowy finish. I think if you have normal to dry skin and don't want or like a lot of coverage this might be something to try. For me though, it was a miss with my oily skin and discoloration.

3. Benefit Big Easy multi-balancing complexion perfector This was a miss for me as well. It had better coverage than the Origins Smarty Plants and with the powdery finish is definitely better for oily skin types. My main issue with this is that it is too siliconey and, much like their Porefessional primer, instead of smoothing over larger pores and filling them in it skipped over them and made them more obvious. Also, because this dries down to a powder finish so quickly it gets cakey if you have to build it up.

4. Agave healing oil treatment is most likely going to be a holy grail hair product for me! I can't believe I let this sample sit around for so long!! It is a lightweight oil that absorbs into my hair so well leaving my hair nice and shiny without looking stringy or being weighed down at all. I only needed a very smell amount to smooth through the ends of my hair, so that tiny sample lasted me nearly the whole two weeks. AND, it smells amazing! Very coconut, vanilla, tropical fruit blend type of smell. Super yummy!

5. Dr. Brandt microdermabrasion skin exfoliant was a decent little scrub. I felt like it was pretty gentle, and I liked the lemony scent. I don't feel though that it worked better than any drugstore scrubs that I've tried, so I definitely won't ever be spending $78 on a full sized tube.

6. Avon Anew Vitale day cream was sort of a hit and a miss for me. I loved the performance of the cream. It made my skin look a little brighter and smoother after just one use. It left my skin moisturized without any greasy/oily residue. My makeup sat really nicely on top of it too. The only thing that's stopping me from running out to pick up a jar of this is that it's a little too heavily fragranced for my taste. The scent is nice, a very clean floral smell, but I could smell it all day. I'm still going to keep this cream in mind for the next time I need to buy a full-sized cream since the only other one that I've tried lately that I like as much as the Vitale is considerably more expensive, but I really do wish this had a lighter scent.

7. Kate Somerville HydraClear hydrating acne gel made my face itch and I broke out the first time I used it. Enough said.

8.Spa Towells body lotion towelette was just...ugh... This felt disgusting to me when I pulled it out of the packet, super slimy! It smelled like celery. The claim was that each towelette contained enough lotion to moisturize the whole body, thank God it only had enough to cover my legs because I don't think I could have handled that smell on my upper body. This were just a miss for me in every possible way.

9. Sephora Orange Blossom creamy body wash was okay as well. I picked up some of these capsules a long while back in different scents for travel purposes and this was the last one I had laying around. The packaging is definitely convenient for travel. The scent was alright, kind of a green leafy floral(I don't think it's even available anymore). The formula was kind of meh. Not bad, but also not that hydrating and creamy. I feel like there are better and cheaper body washes at the drugstore. The only real upside to this product is the packaging.

10. Calvin Klein Endless Euphoria is a scent that's not what I typically go for(a little to floral for me, I like sweet/spicy/woody smells), but I could see myself picking this up in the Spring/Summer. This has a little citrus and woods to it and i do really like that, plus it mixed with my body chemistry well and i got a lot of compliments while wearing it.

Project 10 Pan: The Mini Series! October 24th-November 7th

So, recently a couple YouTubers that I follow collaborated on a project 10 pan mini series to use up some of the samples/mini products that they had laying around and I thought it was a great idea! As much as a love getting samples and mini's so that I can try new stuff, they always inevitably end up in a sample graveyard and don't get touched.

I figured I would give the mini series a go myself and try to work through my hoard of tiny beauty products too:-)This is only a 2 week pan, and I feel like I shouldn't have any problems getting through these 10 samples.

These are my samples:

1. John Frieda Luxurious Volume shampoo & conditioner for color-treated hair(I have 2 of these, so probably enough for 4 hairwashes)

2. Origins Smarty Plants CC skin complexion corrector(only enough for 1 use)

3. Benefit Big Easy multi-balancing complexion perfector(only enough for 1 use)

4. Agave Healing Oil oil treatment(enough for 1-2 uses)

5. Dr. Brandt microdermabrasion skin exfoliant(enough for 3-4 uses?)

6. Avon Anew Vitale day cream(enough for 1-2 uses)

7. Kate Somerville HydraClear hydrating acne gel(enough for 1-2 uses)

8. Spa Towells body lotion towelette(enough for 1 use)

9. Sephora Orange Blossom creamy body wash(enough for 1 use)

10. Calvin Klein Endless Euphoria mini-rollerball(enough for 1-1 1/2 weeks)

Like I said, I should have no problem getting through these. I will check back in after the 7th to update on the progress and let you guys know what I thought of these products.

Have a beautiful day!!

XOXO,
Jo

FOTD: Nuetral Eyes + Matte Nude Lips

On the face:
~Avon Ideal Flawless liquid foundation in Light Ivory
~Avon Ideal Flawless CC color correcting pencils in Light and Light/Medium
~Avon Ideal Flawless Translucent loose powder
~Benefit Watts Up highlighter

On the eyes:
~Avon eyeshadow primer in Light Beige
~Avon lash conditioner and primer
~Avon True Color eyeshadow quad in Mocha latte
~shade 1 all over lid, blended up toward brow bone
~shade 2 blended in the crease and along lower lash line
~shade 4 blended into the outer corner of lid, up halfway into crease, and along outer 1/3 of the lower lash line
~Avon Kohl eyeliner in True Black(on upper lash line)
~Rimmel Scandal Eyes waterproof kohl liner in Nude(along water line)
~L'oreal Voluminous carbon black mascara

On the cheeks:
~Avon Glow bronzer in Warm Glow
~Avon Ideal Luminous blush in Antique Rose

On the lips:
~Maybelline Color Sensational creamy matte lipstick in Daringly Nude

FOTD: Easy Neutral Metallic Smokey Eyes

On the face:(All products from Avon)
~Ideal Flawless liquid foundation in Light Ivory
~Ideal Flawless CC color correcting pencils in Light and Light/Medium
~Ideal Flawless Translucent loose powder

On the eyes:
~Kohl eyeliner in True Black smudged into both upper and lower lash lines and used to tight line
~eyeshadow primer in Light Beige
~matte beige from the Mocha Latte quad used in the crease as a transition/blending color
~Eye Dimensions trio in Neutral Haze
~deep shimmery brown used all over lid and blended into crease and along lower lash line
~metallic pinky beige used all over lid on top of the deep brown shade
~Sparkling white used on the inner corner of the eyes
~lash conditioner and primer
~Super Shock Ma mascara in Black

On the cheeks:
~Glow bronzer in Warm Glow
~Ideal Luminous blush in Antique Rose

On the lips:
~Glimmersticks lip liner in nude to line and fill in lips
~Totally Kissable lipstick in Natural Glow
~Ultra Glazewear lip gloss in Pale Peach

FOTD: Neutral Smokey Eyes + Amethyst Lips

On the face:

~Ideal Flawless cream-to-powder foundation in Light Ivory
~Ideal Flawless CC color correcting pencils in Light and Light/Medium
~Extra Lasting eyeshadow pencil in Shimmering Sand(as highlighter)
~Ideal Flawless translucent loose powder

On the eyes:

~eyeshadow primer in Light Beige
~True Color 8-in-1 eyeshadow palette in Not So Neutral
~matte beige through the crease, and along lower lash line
~dove grey across the lid
~matte plum-burgundy on outer third of lid, and outer third of lower lash line
~matte black on outer quarter of lid
~gold on inner corners
~kohl liner in True Black
~lash conditioner and primer
~Super Shock Max mascara in Black

On the cheeks:
~True Color eyeshadow quad in Mocha Latte(#2 & #4 blended together) for contour
~Glow Bronzer in Warm Glow
~Smooth Minerals blush in Blushing Mauve

On the lips:

True Color Matte lipstick in Matte Amethyst

New Avon True Color 8-in-1 Palettes! Swatch & Review

Avon recently launched 3 new 8-in-1 palettes in their True Color range. I picked up 2 of them, the neutral and the purpley palettes:-) All of the swatches below are over the Avon eyeshadow primer in Light beige.

This first one is the Not So Neutral palette:

Top Row: The first shadow is a matte vanilla. This one is a little powdery, but the pigmentation is pretty good. This will make a good base color all over the lid, and brow bone highlight shade. The second shade is a matte beige. Great pigmentation! This will make a good all over lid color, or crease/transition color. The third shade is a dove grey with a satin finish. There is a slight hint of warm golden-champagne sheen to this shadow that looks so much prettier on the lid than it does in the pan. The pigmentation of this is pretty good as well. The last color in the top row is a metallic light taupe. Again, pretty good pigmentation. This will make a really pretty all over the lid color as well. Bottom Row: The first color is a shimmery gold. I feel like the pigmentation of this shadow is just okay, and the application is a little patchy. It really has to be built up to get solid, even gold. The second shadow is a metallic bronze. This shadow has pretty good pigmentation and application. The third shadow is a matte plum-burgundy. This shadow has good pigmentation, and blends well. I was very happy to see this color in here instead of a dark brown. It keeps this palette from being your typical neutral palette! The last color in the palette is a matte black. When I initially swatched this without primer it was a soft black and not too intense. As soon as I put it over primer though, It was BLACK! A little goes a long way:-)

And here is the Plum Essentials palette:

Top Row: The first shadow is a vanilla with a satin finish. There are some really pretty lavender colored micro-fine shimmers throughout this shadow, but you really have to build the shadow up to get the full effect of them. The pigmentation of this shadow is just okay. The second shadow is a pale icy lavender with a shimmer finish. The pigmentation of this shadow is pretty light, but buildable. The third shadow is a soft golden-taupe with a metallic finish. Again, the pigmentation is a little lackluster. I can work with it, but it really needs a primer/base and needs to be built up. The last shadow in this row has the best pigmentation, but is the weirdest color? In the pan looks like a shimmery moss green. On the skin it is a deep muddy brown, with very fine brassy colored shimmer. Bottom Row: The first shadow is a matte pale pink. The pigmentation of this shadow is pretty good. The color is so light though that it hardly shows up on my skin. The second shade is a shimmery silver. The pigmentation is a lot like the gold from the Not so Neutral palette. A little patchy and needs to be built up. The third shadow is a matte rosey-taupe. This color was my favorite in the pan, unfortunately the pigmentation is so weak that I REALLY had to pack it on to get a ho-hum swatch. The last shadow is a pretty vibrant purple. In the right light you can see a hint of micro-fine blue-violet shimmers in this shadow, but they don't show up at all on the skin so I'm going to consider this a matte shadow. The pigmentation of this color is pretty good!

Overall, I definitely prefer the Not So Neutrals to the Plum Essentials palette. The pigmentation is pretty good across the board and there is a good mix of light, mid-tone, and dark shades, as well as mattes and shimmers. The Plum Essentials palette is really hit and miss. Some colors are good, while others require a lot of building and blending. There also isn't a great range of tones, all of the colors are either really pale or really dark. This one definitely lacks in mid-tones.

If you are wanting to try one of these palettes, I would say go with the Not So Neutral. You won't be disappointed!

FOTD: Blue-Green Smokey Eyes for Summer

Here's what I used~

On the face:
Graftobian HD creme foundations in Ingenue and Vixen(50/50 mix)
Maybelline Dream Lumi Touch highlighting concealer in Ivory
Avon Ideal Flawless concealer in Light/Medium
Nars light reflecting loose powder in Crystal

On the eyes:
Coastal Scents 252 eyeshadow palette
Avon Always On Point eyeliner in Black
Avon Super Shock Max mascara in Black

On the cheeks:
Sephora Micro Smooth bronzer in Spicy Heat
Avon Ideal Luminous blush in Classic Aura

On the lips:
Avon Ultra Glazewear lip gloss in Tickled Pink

FOTD: Simple Sparkling Mauves

Products Used(all from Avon):
On the face:
Ideal Flawless tinted moisturizer in Light
Ideal Flawless CC color correcting pencils in Light and Light/Medium
Ideal Flawless loose powder in Translucent
Glow bronzer in Warm Glow

On the eyes:
Extra Lasting eyeshadow pencil in Amethyst
True Color eyeshadow quad in Barely There(shade #3)
True Color eyeshadow quad in Romantic Mauves(shades 1, 3, and 4)
Eye Dimensions eyeshadow in Sweetheart Plum(the middle shade)
Ultra Luxury eyeliner in Dark Brown
Super Shock Max mascara in Black

On the cheeks:
Glow bronzer in Warm Glow
Smooth Minerals blush in Copper Glow

On the lips:
Glimmersticks lip liner in Simply Spice
Ultra Color lipstick in Apricot Spice
Ultra Glazewear lip gloss in Crystal Lilac

FOTD: Blue Lashes + Coral Lips

On the face:
~Avon Ideal Flawless tinted moisturizer in Light
~Avon Ideal Flawless CC color corrector pencils in Light and Light/Medium
~Avon Ideal Flawless translucent loose powder

On the eyes:
~Avon Extra Lasting eyeshadow ink in Endless Purple
~Avon True Color eyeshadow quad in Purple Pop
~mark. No Place to Run eyeliner in Ultra Violet
~Avon Super Shock Brights mascara in Royal Shock

On the cheeks:
~Avon Glow bronzer in Warm Glow
~Avon Ideal Luminous blush in Antique Rose

On the lips:
~mark. All Butter Now lip treat in Coraltini

Swatch and Review: New Avon True Color Eyeshadow Quads

Recently, Avon launched four new True Color eyeshadow quads. All four quads are neutral and beautiful, and designed to be the perfect nude palettes for various skin tones. I will say right off the top that I am loving all of these new quads, and I really love that Avon has incorporated some color in with the neutrals as well!

The first quad is Naked Truth. This is the palest of the new quads and designed for light skin tones. Color #1 is Shimmering Beige and is a shimmering cream color with really good pigmentation. This color makes a really brow bone and inner corner color. Color #2 is Peach Sparkle, which is a pale peach with a satin finish and not much sparkle. This color is the least pigmented of the quad, but it's still pretty decent. Depending on the look you're going for it could make a good lid color or a blending/transition color for the crease. Color #3 is Glimmering Sand. This shade is a warm shimmering beige with a tiny hint of micro-fine champagne glitters in it. I like to use this color all over the lid if I'm doing a quick neutral look, and in the crease as a transition color for smokey eyes. Color #4 is Coffee, and is a gorgeous medium neutral shimmering brown.

The next quad is Barely There. This one was designed for light/medium skin tones. Color #1 is Soft Vanilla, and is a matte vanilla shadow with really good pigmentation. This one makes is a nice brow bone highlight color. Color #2 is Rose. This a matte, neutral pink shade. I love this color in the crease as a transitional color. Color #3 is Satin Taupe, which is a neutral taupe with some shimmer to it. This is a great all over lid color. Color #4 is Cool Coccoa, and is a dark neutral brown with a satin finish. The pigmentation of all four shades in this palette is really good.

The next quad is Go Natural, and is designed for medium skin tones. Color #1 is Shimmering Beige. This is the same color as the lightest shadow in the Naked Truth quad. Color #2 is Shimmering Stone. This shadow is a warm shimmering brown with golden undertones to it. I feel like this shadow is the least pigmented in this quad, but it's easily built up. Color #3 is Radiant Orange. This is a vibrant reddish-orange with a hint of shimmer to it. Very pigmented! This is one of my favorite colors from all of these new quads. Color #4 is Burnt Brown, and is a matte deep brown with plum undertones.

The last quad is Grin and Bare It. This one is designed for deeper skin tones. Color #1 is Bronzed. This shade is a golden bronze with a metallic finish. REALLY pretty all over lid color! Color #2 is Burnished Copper. This is a medium reddish brown with a satin finish. Color #3 is Patina, which is kind of an antique brass with greenish undertones and golden shimmer to it. Color #4 is Sahara Sunset, a deep cool brown with a satin finish and fine golden glitters here and there. This color is the least pigmented from this palette. I feel like this palette as a whole is a tiny bit less pigmented than the other quads, but all of the colors are easy to build up and blend.

Overall, I'm really impressed with the new additions to the True Color quad range. Though they were designed with certain skin tones in mind I think that most people would be able to use all of the colors in some way. Definitely give these new shadows from Avon a try if you are looking for some new neutrals!

Swatch and Review: Avon Eye Dimensions Eyeshadow Pt.2!

So, I loved the first two Eye Dimensions palettes that I picked up so much that over the last month I have picked up the other four! Here they are:

*side note: all swatches are dry, over bare skin

Sultry Smoke is a great neutral trio for doing a shimmering smokey eye. The top shade is a metallic silvery white with very fine silver glitters throughout. This shadow is pretty well pigmented and blends very easily. The middle shade is a shimmery taupe with tons of fine silver glitter throughout. The pigmentation of this shade is very good, and it blends really well. The bottom shadow is a matte black. It does seem like there is a tiny bit of shimmer to it, but that blends out on the skin leaving a matte finish. The pigmentation is decent, and it builds up and blends very easily.

Neutral Haze is also a gorgeous neutral palette for anyone that loves their brown shadows. The top shade is the same as the top shade from the Sultry Smoke trio, that shimmering, sparkly, silvery white. The middle shade is a beautiful metallic soft mauve. Excellent pigmentation and blendability! The bottom shade is a deep shimmering chocolate brown with fine bronze glitters throughout. Again, excellent pigmentation and blendability.

Bronze Star is such a fun palette! The top shade is a shimmery soft golden yellow with tons of fine golden glitters throughout. The pigmentation of this one is a little light but it almost suits it to not be heavily pigmented, it gives it a slightly ethereal feel:-) It builds and blends well. The middle shade is a metallic golden fern green. Excellent pigmentation and blends well. The bottom shade is metallic golden bronze. Again, excellent pigmentation and blends really well.

Diamante Purple is the only one of these palettes that I was not terribly impressed with. The top shade was impossible for me to pick up accurately with my camera. In the palette it looks like a shimmery white base shadow with a ton of fine silver and holographic glitters in it(only the silver glitter would pick up with my camera, so you will just have to imagine the swatch above having twice as much shimmer!). The texture of the shadow is drier than the rest of the shadows from this collection, and somehow it actually applies transparent? It's hard to see in the pic above but virtually none of the white from the base shadow shows up, so you just end up with a lot of sparkle and no actual color. I think this shadow will work great as one of those new sparkle overlay/topcoat type shadows that I've been seeing popping up all over the place, but if you are looking for that white base to translate to the eye it's not going to happen. The middle shade is this amazing shimmery medium violet with a slight pink shift in the pan. Unfortunately, this shadow is a little on the dry side too. It does show up true to color on the skin, but you really have to build it up to get the intensity you see in the pan. The bottom is a deeper shimmering violet with tons of fine purple sparkle throughout. Again, a little on the dry side so it has to be blended and built up a bit to get that same pan intensity. Even though this is my least favorite of the six, I did get an idea while swatching this for an easy sparkly purple smokey eye tutorial. So keep an eye out for that!:-)

All in all, I really love the colors in these Eye Dimensions palettes. The metallic shades are a dream to work with, buttery smooth and great pigmentation!

FOTD: Simple Blue Shadow Look

I really loved this blue shadow worn on the Marc Jacobs Spring '14 runway, and every time I see the new Marc by Marc Jacobs ads(with the same makeup) I get an overwhelming urge to put a bunch of blue shadow on :-)

I decided to do my own version today, a little toned down and not quite as bright as the catwalk version!

This is definitely one of the easier eye looks that I've ever done. I just used my Avon Extra Lasting eyeshadow pencil in Sapphire as a base all over the lid, topped it with the periwinkle blue shade from the True Color 8-in-1 palette in The Blues, and finished with one coat of the new Avon Aerovolume mascara.

The rest of the face was kept pretty bare with just a little Ideal Luminous blush in Coral Radiance and some Totally Kissable lipstick in Natural Glow patted on the lips.

I think that the mark. i-mark shadow in Electro would be a really good option for doing the brighter version of this look:-)

Swatches!: Ben Nye Sparklers in Silver Prism & Black Diamond

I got these two glitters in the mail yesterday and...wow! These are the Ben Nye Sparklers loose glitter, and they are only $6 on the Camera Ready Cosmetics website. These were actually a last minute add to my order just so I could bump the total up a little to get free shipping and I'm so glad I picked these up! I've been looking for a black glitter for a long time, but every one that I picked up looked dirty(literally,like black glitters and dust and sand mixed together). This Black Diamond glitter(the one on the right), however, looks exactly how I wanted it too. Jet black, slick, and sparkly. The glitters are medium in size. There are some smaller silver and holographic glitters mixed in to add to the shine, but just a little so that it maintains the integrity of a really black glitter and doesn't muddy the color. The Silver Prism glitter(on the left) is one of those glitters that I'm never going to be able to catch accurately with my camera. It is pretty in the picture, but SO much better in person. A combination of fine silver and holographic glitters, it's one of those that shifts color as the light hits it from different angles. I am going to try to do haul video of these and the other items I got from Camera Ready Cosmetics soon, and I will post that here when I do because I think the true brilliance of that silver glitter is going to be best caught on the video camera:-)

If you want to check out the Ben Nye Sparklers for yourself, head over to the Camera Ready Cosmetics website!

Here's my Camera Ready Cosmetics Haul. You can see the glitters around minute 6:

#ManiMonday: Retro Sparkly Spring Nails

I got the idea for these nails from Madelaine Poole's book 'Nails, Nails, Nails!". They didn't turn out how I imagined in my head, but it's not too shabby for a first try:-)

For this look I used:
Zoya polish in Jacqueline as the base on all of the nails
Zoya polishes in Cole and Dot for the design
Zoya glitter top coat in Monet
Sally Hansen I Heart Nail Art fine nail art pen in Black

To do:
1. Paint all nails with two coats of your base color
2. Using whatever colors you want for the design, starting half way down the nail

Swatch & Review: Avon Eye Dimensions Eyeshadow- Khaki Chic and Sweetheart Plum

First, let me start this off by saying that I'm in LOVE with these little palettes! They are chock full of shimmery, glittery goodness, and I really just can't get enough of them(I have two more on the way). That being said, if you are a matte shadow girl these are not going to be your cup of tea.

The pigmentation of both of these palettes is really good. The staying power is also really good. The fallout factor is pretty high, so I would recommend (1)using an eyeshadow primer, (2)patting the shadows on, as opposed to using sweeping motions, and (3) doing your eye makeup first so that you can wipe any fallout away before applying your foundation etc.

Here is the Khaki Chic palette:

Khaki Chic is a very sparkly neutral palette. The top shade is a metallic soft gold. The texture is very soft, almost creamy, and it blends really well. The middle shade is a shimmery golden taupe with with fine golden glitter throughout. This one has a slightly drier texture, but still blends really well. The bottom shade is shimmering deep khaki green with fine golden glitter throughout. It has the same texture as the middle shade, and blends really well. Again, excellent pigmentation for all three shades.

Here is the Sweetheart Plum:

Sweetheart Plum is more of a warm toned purple palette. The top shade is a super pale matte mauve base with micro-fine golden shimmers throughout. The texture is a little on the dry/powdery side, but it still blends well. Even though it's technically not matte, the shimmers are so small that they practically disappear on the skin making it a nearly matte shadow. The middle shade is really hard to explain, kind of a shimmery rose gold/soft plum duochrome with fine golden glitter throughout. It's very sparkly, and blends out well. The bottom shade is a metallic plum. Absolutely gorgeous! This is one of my favorite purple palettes that I have ever owned!

I haven't tried these shadows wet yet, but given the excellent pigmentation and high shimmer factor I feel like they would be amazing used wet!

Have you guys tried any of these Eye Dimensions shadows yet? What do you think?

Here are a couple of looks that I have done with these palettes:

Swatches: Avon Ultra Color Absolute Lipsticks

I only have a couple of these, but I did a get a few samples too. Another Avon rep did a really good swatch video on YouTube, so I will post that at the end of this post so you can see all of the colors:-)

Here are the swatches:

This one is Caramel Comfort. It is a light beige nude, with medium coverage. This one went on pretty evenly and has a nice balm-like texture to it.

Creamy Melon is a pretty, bright peach shade. I love the color of this lipstick, although, I did feel like it clung to dry patches on my lips and went on a tiny bit streaky.

Pink Renewal is a very pale creamy pink. This was honestly the least favorite for me because it just didn't look good with my skin tone and washed me out a little. This one also seemed to cling to dry patches.

The next two colors are so similar in person that I honestly had a hard time telling them apart until I put the pictures side by side. The one on the left is Tender Mauve, and on the right is Ripe Rose.

Tender Mauve is a nice, light, neutral beige-y pink. This will be a good nude pink for anyone with fair to light/medium skin tones.

Ripe Rose is really similar to Tender Mauve, just a couple shades darker. This one is my favorite. It's a great nude pink for me, and probably will be for anyone with light to medium skin tones.

Radiant Raisin is a really pretty dark berry shade. This is a great color for this time of the year!

Here is Lorena's video of all of the swatches if you want to check out the rest of the shades: