Review and Swatches: Tarte and Bare Escentuals

Ok, so... I've been meaning to do a review on this stuff for weeks now; since these products were purchased  during Black Friday weekend. Still, some of these products are available individually regardless, so I figured I'd mention them as more gift ideas :D

I purchased 3 sets: 1 Tarte and 2 Bare Escentuals. These were AMAZING deals at the time; for example, the Tarte set included a full sized amazonian clay blush, a full sized amazonian clay cream shadow, and an eye brush for $22... For those of you that shop for Tarte cosmetics, you know the full sized blush ALONE is $25. So you really can't argue here. The other 2 sets were $10 each.

Now, again, while these may no longer be available as sets anymore, I figured I could still do a review on them since the majority is available all on it's own, so you all might be interested in them. :)

First up is the Tarte set I mentioned. It came with an Amazonian Clay Blush in 'Flush,' an Amazonian Clay Eye Shadow in 'Slate,' and an eyeshadow brush. Flush is a berry-pink blush that is HIGHLY pigmented. Actually, I was very intimidated by this color since I'm extremely pale... However, when used with a VERY light hand, it gives a nice 'flushed' tint to your cheeks, kinda like you've been out in the cold for a while. Slate is like a champagne-taupe color. I'm really not too sure about how I feel about this product quite yet, simply because I haven't used it very much. However, when doing the swatches for it, the formula seemed way too drag and draggy. It also set very quickly, making it hard to work with. Now, it could just be that I'm not using it correctly, but once I get a better grasp on it, I'll update my review on it ^_^;;

Amazonian Clay Blush and Eyeshadow 

Amazonian Clay Blush and Eyeshadow  (natural lighting)

Amazonian Clay Blush and Eyeshadow (Flash) 

Swatch: A.C. Eyeshadow in 'Slate' and A.C. Blush in 'Flush' [natural lighting] 

Swatch: A.C. Eyeshadow in 'Slate' and A.C. Blush in 'Flush' [flash] 

Next are the two Bare Escentual sets. Both had a specific theme to them; one being for eyes while the other was more of for the total face. 

The eye set came with a full sized "Flawless Definition" mascara in black and two deluxe sample eyeshadows:

-Cultured Pearl: a pearly off-white color

-Muse: a satiny charcoal

The mascara is interesting in the sense that it's not the way I remember it. I once used to use this mascara a while back, and the brush was way different. Back then, it was like a wirey pipe-cleaner type applicator. Now, it's a rubber applicator with shorter bristles. I might like this one a bit more, simply because I think the bristles give better separation of the lashes. The shadows are very nice for something like a simple yet classic look. They are a slight bit sheer, but also buildable (especially in the case of Muse). Paired with the mascara, it's perfect. 

The face set included:

-Bare Minerals Natural lipgloss in Citrus Tart: Sheer golden peach

-Bare Radiance all-over face color: shimmery peach highlight

-SPF 15 Mineral veil in Translucent

The lip gloss is pretty sheer, but has a sort of "Your lips but better" look to it. It's not really on the sticky side, but has more of a thick cream feel. There's very light fragrance which doesn't really bother me, nor do I think it's strong enough to bother anyone else for that matter. It also has a brush applicator which I like since it feels like I get more control of the product. The Bare Radiance powder give a very shimmery peach glow. On my skin, it's almost like a subtle bronzer, as if I had been walking out in the sun for a little while. As for the mineral veil, It's a very nice setting powder to place over your makeup for a flawless finish. I've honestly used this stuff non-stop for the past god-knows-how-many years now. It truly leaves my skin looking like it has an air-brushed finish.

 Bare Escentuals eye and face sets

Bare Escentuals eye and face sets [flash] 

Flawless Definition mascara wand 

Natural Lip Gloss in Citrus Tart 

Swatches: 'Muse', 'Cultured Pearl', Bare Radiance, and Citrus Tart [natural light] 

Swatches: 'Muse', 'Cultured Pearl', Bare Radiance, and Citrus Tart [flash]

Hopefully, this will be helpful for anyone who may want to get these sort of items as stocking stuffers for the holidays, or just in general. I'm hoping to get one more post up for a gift idea. I've just fallen so far behind with everything going on. So, hopefully the world won't end before then... LOL I KID!

Over the weekend, I hit Holiday Matsuri and had an amazing time! Got to meet J Michael Tatum (Sebastian from 'Black Butler' [Kuroshitsuji]), who I thought I'd NEVER meet since everyone convinced me that he never went to Florida conventions; as well as a few other amazing actors. Can't even expressed how much I spazzed when Mr. Tatum and Todd Haberkorn sat next to my friend and  for lunch. I'm sure all the surrounding fangirls wanted to kill us xDD

It's certainly an experience I'd never forget. I gotta admit, I have a bit of a starstruck crush on Tatum, even if he's gay. Hahaha! ^/////^

Quinton Flynn (Axel from Kingdom Hearts) singing "The Yaoi Song" while Todd Haberkorn (Italy from Hetalia and Hikaru from Ouran High School) sits on J Michael Tatum's (Sebastian from Black Butler) lap. {I SHIP IT!!!}

Hahahaha! Well, that's all for now. 

So, 'til next time~

Stay beautiful, both inside and out~<3

x~PhantomRose~x

Review and Swatches: Crimson Amulet (Dark Shadows) by NYX

Tim Burton has always been one of my most favorite directors. From Edward Scissorhands to Nightmare Before Christmas, Corpse Bride to Sweeney Todd. Burton has always captivated me with his Gothic yet sweet romantic style (well, Sweeney Todd was in no way sweet, but his personal style put together with one of my favorite plays swept me away). It seems that he has done it once again.

Dark Shadows is a remake/film adaptation of a show that was once popular before I was even a thought in my mother's mind. LOL

I remember seeing an episode or two when I was a lot younger, and found it interesting that it'd be made into a movie. However the fact that Tim Burton would be directing it won me over. Haha!

Now, while I haven't seen the movie yet, I did happen to get my hands on the NYX makeup palette based on the movie itself. ^o^ It's called The Crimson Amulet Collection inspired by the movie Dark Shadows.



This palette is actually VERY impressive. I've always loved NYX cosmetics, considering it's pretty decent quality for the drugstore price. Even better, their color selection is amazing. This palette is no exception.
It includes 24 eyeshadows, 5 blushes, 1 highlighter, 4 lip glosses, 1 travel HD eye shadow base, and 1 travel sized eyeliner. Even more badass, this collection retails for $24.99!!!

Before I get into the swatches, let me just explain how I set everything up.
The colors in this palette have no names. So, instead, I labeled them all with numbers. This way it'll be easier for me to explain it all. ^u^

When you first open the palette, you'll see the 24 eye shadows and a fairly large mirror. The shadows are displayed in a particular way; the top half of the palette has more vibrant colors, many of which would be perfect for a smokey eye, or a more dramatic statement. The bottom half has more neutral, everyday colors. 

When you turn the page, you'll find the blushes, highlighter, lip glosses, primer, and eyeliner. Also, there's 3 descriptions of makeup styles for some of the Dark Shadows characters. They aren't quite "get the look" tips, but they help give you a general idea.

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NYX Crimson Amulet shadows (natural light)

Now, let's get into the eye shadows. As I said, they don't have their own individual names, so I labeled them with numbers in order to make it easier to follow.

1) Deep brownish-charcol grey matte

2) Pale pinkish/white champagne with glitter

3) Eggplant with gold glitter

4) Copper-Orange metallic

5) Shimmery Lilac

6) Taupey grey pearl

7) Pinkish champange pearl

8) Deep black-navy with glitter (reminds me a bit of Too Faced "Midnight Mist")

9) Medium navy shimmer (a lot like L'oreal Infallible 24Hr shadow in "Midnight Blue")

10) Forest Green shimmer

11) Medium chocolate brown with gold shimmer

12) Deep merlot brown shimmer

13) Vanilla matte

14) Medium taupe matte

15) Light taupe brown matte

16) Stark white shimmer

17) Champange taupe

18) Sable brown matte

19) Pale pink shimmer

20) Charcol grey matte

21) Mauvey pink shimmer

22) Light taupe shimmer

23) Bronze shimmer

24) Pale yellow/gold pearl

NYX Crimson Amulet shadows (with flash)

These eye shadows have pretty good color payoff. They go on rather smoothly with a creamy texture. One or two are a bit chalky, but it's really not bad at all. Either way, I'm impressed, considering the price of the palette.

Swatches

(applied with primer)

Crimson Amulet shadow swatches 1-12 (natural light)

Crimson Amulet shadow swatches 13-24 (natural light)

 

Crimson Amulet shadow swatches 1-12 (with flash)

Crimson Amulet shadow swatches 13-24 (with flash)

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Turn the 'page' and you'll find the blushes, highlighter, lip glosses, primer, and liquid liner. Once again, everything is labeled with numbers to make it easier.

Blushes

1) Medium pink matte

2) Deep berry pinkish red matte

3) Peachy pink shimmer

4) Sweet pink shimmer

5) Medium peach shimmer

These blushes are CRAZY pigmented. I'm absolutely in love~

The only one I've very iffy with is blush #2. It's TOO bright, at least for my pale skin tone. However, it would probably work on darker tones. Also, I labeled #5 as a blush because although it might have been meant as a bronzer, it's totally more of a blush. It reminds me a bit of "Orgasm" from NARS.

Highlighter

Pale yellow-white

I'm definitely a fan of the highlighter, especially for my skin tone. It has a slight bit of shimmer, but only in the sense it gives you a nice glow.

Lip Gloss

1) Deep pinkish red

2) Dusty rose

3) Flamingo pink

4) Nude brown

These glosses are more on the sheer side, but they are buildable. The only thing that might be a turn-off for some people is the fact that they are a bit sticky. I'm not a HUGE fan of the glosses, but I'm sure I'll still be using them for when I want a more natural look; nothing loud.

HD Eye Shadow Primer

The primer is like most other primers. It goes on nude and blends out to be transparent. When I did the eye shadow swatches, I used this primer as a base. I can't really say much about the staying power quite yet since I haven't actually tried it on my eyes, but after the swatches, I washed it off. The shadows didn't come off immediately until I scrubbed with soap, and even then, some colors were harder to get off. So, it might not be such a bad one.

Liquid Eyeliner

Jet black

I love this liner. The brush is very thin, so you can do anything between bold lines to very fine. It's a VERY deep black, so it define your eyes perfectly. It also lasts through the day which is a major plus. I might have to look into buying a full sized one from NYX :D 

Crimson Amulet Blushes, Highlighter, and Lip gloss (with flash)

Swatches

Highlighter and Blushes 1-5 (natural light)

Highlighter and Blushes 1-5 (with flash)

Lip Glosses 1-4 (natural light)

Liquid Eyeliner and HD Eye Shadow primer

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My verdict:

For $24.99, this palette is TOTALLY worth it~! ^o^

The pigmentation is impressive, and the color range is pretty decent. I can't wait to try out different looks with it all, whether it be neutral to loud. It has it ALL!

Kudos to you, NYX! <3

Now, all I have to do is actually go out and see the movie! :3

How about you guys? What are your thoughts on this palette?

And have you seen the movie? :D

Until next time,

Stay beautiful, both inside and out~ <3

x~PhantomRose~x

Review and Swatches: Tokidoki Arte Eyeshadow Palettes

So, my friends and I were at the mall, shopping for some clothes and stuff for the trip we're taking later on in the month. While we were there, we couldn't help but pass through Sephora since... well... It's like the sanctuary for all makeup junkies!! XD
Anyway!
We were looking around to see if there were any good deals going on. That's when we came across these absolutely ADORABLE Tokidoki Arte Palettes. They were $10 per palette (with a value of $48 each).

They kinda remind me of those Stila palettes; the Tokidoki palettes include 4 eyeshadows and 1 blush.

Supposedly, all 5 were part of their Holiday 2011 collection. 

Each palette is different in their own way as far as color scheme goes. And the packaging... omgggg the packaging~!! Mucho Kawaii going on there. LOL

First, I'll show you all the palettes and swatches, then get into my own personal opinions about them. ^_^

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*Til Death Do Us Part palette

  - Eyeshadows: matte cream pink, shimmer light pink, pearl denim blue, matte black with sparkle

  - Blush: golden pink

"Til Death Do Us Part" packaging

"Til Death Do Us Part" palette (natural light)

"Til Death Do Us Part" palette (with flash)

"Til Death Do Us Part" swatches

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*Lion Pappa palette

  - Eyeshadows: pearl nude, matte light brown, pearl gold, pearl dark brown

  - Blush: golden peach

"Lion Pappa" packaging

"Lion Pappa" palette (natural light)

"Lion Pappa" palette (with flash)

"Lion Pappa" swatches

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*Vegas palette

  - Eyeshadow: pearl white, pearl grey, iridescent purple, pearl dark purple
  - Blush: soft bronze pink

"Vegas" packaging

"Vegas" palette (natural light)

"Vegas" palette (with flash)

"Vegas" swatches

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*SANDy in the City palette

  - Eyeshadows: pearl champagne, matte cream, pearl camo green, pearl eggplant

  - Blush: peach pink

"SANDy in the City" packaging

"SANDy in the Beach" palette (natural light)

"SANDy in the City" palette (with flash)

"SANDy in the City" swatches

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*24 Karat palette

  - Eyeshadows: shimmer white, pearl royal blue, shimmer silver, matte black with sparkle

  - Blush: dusty rose

"24 Karat" packaging

"24 Karat" palette (natural light)

"24 Karat" palette (with flash)

"24 Karat" swatches

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Now, let's get to the reviews.

I'll be perfectly honest. At first, I thought I was going to be very disappointed with these. When I first started swatching the shadows, they almost seemed WAY too sheer. But then I realized that it was probably because I wasn't getting enough product on my finger (one or two swipes on the shadow, one swipe on my arm). However, when I re-did the swatches, they came out a lot better. They turned out to be a lot more decent than I thought.

The blushes are very soft and pigmented, almost to the point that if you're not careful, I can imagine them getting a little out of hand. As long as you get a good feel on how much product you need, you shouldn't have a problem.

Staying power is good. I've been wearing the "Lion Pappa" palette all day at work, on top of Urban Decay primer potion, and it hasn't faded or creased.

Overall, I like these palettes. I'm really happy that they didn't turn out to be the disappointment I thought they'd be. Because of this, I may want to try some of the other Tokidoki cosmetics.

Anyone else have thoughts about these?

Until next time,

Stay beautiful, both inside and out~ <3

x~PhantomRose~x