$20 Gets You What? Say Hello to Milani's Most Loved Mattes & Bold Obsessions Palettes

Sorry, Wet 'n Wild. Your buzzed about relaunch of your shadows has been dethrowned by a stealthy release. The first time the brand teased this release was January 17, having only been beaten by Reddit by one week and bloggers first mentioning it on January 15. By contrast, we've all heard about the Coloricon reboot for months.

These palettes retail for $20 each on the Milani website, but I picked mine up in-store at Walmart for $14.97 each. I haven't spotted these at local CVS or Walgreens stores that carry the line. None of my local Targets carry Milani in-store, so I can't speak to availability there. Ulta likewise isn't carrying these as of the drafting of this post.

These come in a box that looks high-end. That's the start of the luxe feel. I think these are priced perfectly although they're high for the drugstore. The box and the palettes themselves are a reflective gold- which, as you know, is a bear to photograph.

These honestly look like Stila palettes. However, I'll readily credit Reddit's detectives for researching that these are the same formula as the brand's existing small palettes.

That $20 nets you 12 1g pans (or, 0.04oz if you prefer). These do contain carmine, meaning that they're not vegan-friendly, but the brand is cruelty free (cross-checked with three sources I trust).

There are two palettes in this release- 01 Must Loved Mattes and 02 Bold Obsessions. Let's go in order, shall we?

Must Loved Mattes comes with the tag "a matte color for every mood." I'd say ok, but only if you're looking for a rosy/nude look!

This is the top of the palette- they're simple, chic, and easy to tell apart. Full information and shades are on the bottom:

From daytime to playtime? I like this theme. Now, let's take a look inside.

That's beautiful and perfectly on-trend. I can see this being a go-to, a palette I eventually pan. Daytime is brown, anytime is mauve and plum, and playtime is rich warm oranges.

To show swatches, I've done top two rows together and bottom two rows together. Let's look at the first two rows:

And the bottom two rows:

I really love this as a base palette. These mattes last all day and blend out well (as opposed to other palettes I've been testing... yes, that's shade. You'll see what I'm shading soon).

I don't have a full eye to show you, but these looked awesome after 13 hours. Bravo!


Now, the other palette- 02 Bold Obsessions.

This is the first one that I picked up of the two- and the palette that prompted me to pick up the other.

Same beautiful packing, same luxe feel.

Now, unlike the other palette, this palette has more than one finish.

That's a mix of mattes, satins, shimmers, and metallics. I think I recognize some of these shades from Milani's classic line (and why I'm decluttering most of the classic palettes in favor of these two).

I've been reaching for these quite often- let's go to the swatches.

Rows 1-2:

Rows 3-4:

Admittedly, I usually foil the shadow going on my lid- those swatches are all dry.

This palette, despite being called bold, can be used for some muted looks:

Side note: only thing not drugstore there is my liner (Inglot). The drugstore has come a long way. And that one rogue brow hair is driving me nuts.

I didn't photograph a bunch of looks due to the lighting challenges I'm up against (winter + leaving before sunrise + crappy weather = bad reflectivity).

Here's the deal on these- they're totally worth it. I can do bold looks, or I can do subtle work looks. I'm a little sad that these aren't a new formula, because I should've been using my palettes all along. Since I'm trying to streamline, these are likely to be the two Milani palettes that remain in my collection- I can do most looks that I want out of them.

I tested these over the course of multiple days using the Smashbox lid primer, not even the Milani primer (which I like and it's great). I think they're great for a more natural look that can be bumped up at the end of a workday for drinks and dinner. They blend well, and the shimmers foil wonderfully. I can see these ending up in my "to pan" pile- and that says a lot.

I know they're expensive, but they're fantastic. They're well worth the investment.

Viseart Friday: Viseart Editorial Brights Eyeshadow Palette

This is it- the last of the 10 Viseart eyeshadow palettes. Although I purchased some of mine during 20% off sales, let's sit and reflect that I've brought you $1104 of eyeshadow from Viseart during this series to date.

I kind of have no words.

This is Editorial Brights; I chose to feature this as the final palette partially because it comes in and out of stock frequently. According to the brand on Instagram, it should be back in the new year.

I know that photo is a bit wonky with glare, but look at the contrast between the navy background and (albeit muted) hues. This is some serious pop.

Urban Decay electrics, this is coming for you.

Oh wait, here's what they really look like.. and I'm going to post these two photos back to back to show the difference that some inexpensive photography lights make.

BAM!

If you're only into neutrals, spending $80 on this baby is not going to be worthwhile. If you're not either a pro, a Viseart collector, someone into theatre or drag... this is not the Viseart palette for you.

She's beautiful.

Take a look at row 1:

I can't wait to use these shades next summer.

Row 2 is when the intensity cranks up:

I can't, you guys. I just can't.

Row 3:

These are just incredible bright shades. I need to do more research to see if the reds are suggested for the eye area or not (like the UD electrics).

Regardless, this is the platinum version of the bright palettes. If you have this, you don't need any others. They're slightly stiffer than the normal Viseart mattes (but the higher levels of pigmentation generally do that to formulas) but pack a punch and do blend.

That's it.  We've made it through a journey that started back in August with these eyeshadow palettes. We've reached the end!

I may have one more product already by my side to feature next week that I used my Rouge $25 off on, and know of one other Viseart product I'm likely to purchase relatively soon. I'm writing this in advance (like most of these posts), so I don't know if I did something crazy on the 16th or not. Perhaps commenter QBB will peep in down below if so.

I'm not sure if the Viseart Fridays will continue into 2018 or not. The blush palettes largely aren't practical for me the way that I can justify the eyeshadows. But if the brand brings out a new release, I'm there.

What's been your favorite palette that I've featured in Viseart Friday?

NYX Beyond Basics Holiday Kit 17

Confession: I was trolling for a new palette at Ulta recently during the 5X point multiplier (I have something in mind for my 20% off coupon and I want to combine with as many points as possible to lower the price.). I was literally frustrated, and this attacked me in the leg.

So, I brought it home.

Say hello to the NYX Beyond Basic Holiday Kit- Version 17 ($20, in-store only at Ulta but online here at NYX Cosmetics). According to the brand's website, there are two versions of this kit.

For your $20, you receive three items- a six pan eyeshadow palette (same size as the Lingerie palette if you're curious), a black Matte liquid liner, and a Matte Liquid Lipstick in Nude Rose.

I'll be honest, I haven't had much time to play and test this because I got it 48 hours before the allergic reaction on my eye. So this is more of a swatch overview in case you'd like to pick this up as a last-minute gift.

For me, the six-pan shadow palette is the star. There are five mattes and a lone shimmer.

The six 0.04 pans are only numbered. It's worth noting that the brilliant magenta is marked as a pressed pigment that's not eye safe.  This usually means that there's a non-FDA approved dye involved. It's also worth noting that there's an explicit waterline warning because this contains carmine. So, don't use this on the waterline.

These shades just look like this time of year, don't they? Here's how they look swatched:

That creme is almost the same as my NW15 skin, that's why you can't see it. I'll get a lot of use out of this and will be sure to report back once I've thoroughly tested it.

To pair with the palette, you receive a Matte Liquid Liner. This looks to be close to full size, if not equal.

It's got a brush tip, and will be pulling this into my rotation in 2018.

Lastly, there's a Matte Liquid Lipstick in Nude Rose in the kit. I've not seen this formula on their site, or in a NYX store before. It's close to a full size though.

Admittedly, I didn't let this dry down before taking the photo, but it's representative to the color. With my furnace now running all the time, I have to be careful with drying items on my hands. Nude rose is a nice warm nude that I'll be happy to try once it gets a little warmer and my lips a little less chapped.

This is a fun little stocking stuffer- I know we're up on it in terms of holiday shopping, but there were plenty of years where I worked until the 21st, shopped for 14 hours on the 22nd, drove home to my parents' home on the 23rd, and wrapped the 24th. So I know there are still people shopping. These kits appear to be in-store at Ulta but online from NYX. I think it's a nice little value for sure.

bareMinerals Bare Naturals READY Eyeshadow Palette

Today I have a palette that I've experienced all the feelings with to discuss today. I'll readily admit to being swayed by some of my favorite YouTubers (the ladies of Beauty News have raved about the formula, and I trust them for being brutally honest) and the pre-Thanksgiving sale on Ulta.com to purchase it.

This palette contains 14 pressed eyeshadows (they weigh in at XXX each) in a hard plastic palette with an exceptionally awesome mirror (I keep using it in general) and retails for $45. I purchased mine for 50% off as a part of the "Cyber Fundays" sale.

I'm going to quote from the product listing on Ulta.com:

The bareMinerals bareNaturals READY Eyeshadow 14.0 Palette gives you ocean views with nature inspired neutrals. READY Eyeshadow is a super-pigmented, blendable formula that stays-put for up to 12 hours while delivering line-fighting, brightening benefits with a proprietary SeaNutritive Mineral Complex. 

Inspired by the rugged California coastline along the shimmering ocean, these shades range from soft matte oyster taupe to rich metallic twilight blue. Curated with a variety of textures - creamy mattes, to rich mineral metallic finishes, these universally harmonizing hues are longwearing up to 12 hours. Three easy eye tutorials plus the perfect tool for creating flawless and foolproof eye looks are included. Get READY to be swept away

I thought it was important to include the palette inspiration when discussing the shades. In reality, it's deliciously cool-toned neutral.

In a plethora of warm palettes, there were equal forces of being attracted to these shades and simultaneously being bored with it. Even though I didn't find it revolutionary, something told me this would be perfect for the work week.

I ended up giving this palette a more thorough test than I anticipated; this is what I've been reaching for on a daily basis since the end of Project Use them ALL- not my Viseart palettes.

There are four new shades in the palette- I've noted them below:

I like that there are both matte (oyster and unearthed) and shimmer (quartz and twilight) new shades. Since this is my first experience with the formula, I went in splendidly unspoiled.

I love them.

Let's dig into the palette.

Row 1: Celebrate, Oyster (new), Quartz (new), Head Over Heels, Pale Silk, Unearthed (new), Mahogany

I really like this row of shades. I can make a whole look out of these shades- and it's light enough for me to use. For some reason, light cream mattes are being left out of palettes recently, and those are the shades I pan first.

Row 2: Creme, Mixologist, Bewilder, Hot Commodity, Couture, Twilight (new), Blackout

These shimmers are mysterious little buggers. They're decidedly more complex than they appear in the pan, and are a stunning all-over lid shade.

I didn't take any photos with this on my eyes simply because I either had family visiting (and truth told, I only revealed the existence of this blog to my family a few weeks ago) or it was pre-dawn. Even though I used many different shades, I did end up with basic neutral looks. There's nothing revolutionary here, but it's good.

These last (with primer) a full 16+ hours on me, which means they'll last my commute and workday. I'm stunned. I wish I hadn't slept on this formula for so long.

In sum, I think this is a thoroughly boring but beautiful neutral palette that will likely be a staple for me. I can see this being a palette that I'd like to pan- and that says something. And please note that when I call it boring, that's not a negative. I work in an exceedingly conservative workplace and this delights me. I can make so many work-appropriate looks, and I find the formula a dream to work with.

I love this so much that I suspect it's about to earn a place of honor in my holographic letter organizer (yes, it's real holo) where I keep my go-to palettes for easy access. And, I ordered a second palette in this line. I swore I was done buying palettes after purchasing the Viseart gems, but I'm making a giant exception for these bareMinerals palettes. Say hello to my new obsession.

Sleek Hella Good Eyes for Holiday 2017

One of my favorite new drugstore brands at Ulta has to be Sleek. I've long coveted products from this British brand, and one of my local Ultas was an early adopter. I've slacked on reviewing the products I have from the brand, but keep in mind I've got a huge queue- and permanent products slot in where they can. This time of year, it's all holiday sets!

I spotted the Sleek Hella Good Eyes Set at my local Ulta and snapped it up. For $20, you get two of the 12-pan eyeshadow palettes.

They're packaged really well and look really cute. These are two full-sized palettes, and I think they're both in the permanent line.

The two palettes are 1152 Gleaming in Gold and 141 Vintage Romance.

Here's a shot of both palettes together- sadly after I'd already played with them.

Let's dive on in.

As an aside, this is what all Sleek palettes look like on top:

Palette Gleaming in Gold is different in that it's all shimmers.

These look really pretty in person, but honestly I can't work with just an all-shimmer palette very much these days. Gold is tricky though- and I'm always looking for more.

This palette has twelve different interpretations of gold, one of my favorite shades on my eyes.

Here's what the top row looks like:

And the bottom row:

I haven't had the time to play with it this much, but I wanted to share the contents of this gift set in case you saw it at Walgreens or Ulta and wanted to grab it for yourself or someone else. I'm planning to dive into Sleek as a brand in 2018.

The other palette is Vintage Romance.

This has a mix of mattes and shimmers, and leans more cool-toned. There are pops of pinks but it's predominantly a cool palette- which really draws me to it.

I feel like I own this somewhere in my messy beauty room. I originally purchased two Sleek palettes and feel like I have this on account of that matte transition share in the upper right.

Let's dive in.

Row 1 is lighter:

And the bottom, deeper row:

I feel like Vintage Romance will produce more varied looks than the Gold palette, but I'm glad to have both. This won't be the last that you see them on this space.

Given that you are getting the palettes at a discount, I found this set to be a good value.