AitU♔

Kat Von D's newest palette release is a stunning selection of jewel tones inspired by Egypt. It's a beautiful modern interpretation of ancient beauty; glittering gold, jade green, blood red, and more. Not only is the palette of amazing quality, but is also cruelty free and vegan. Kat's palettes are always highly anticipated and treasured, and this one is no exception.


The packaging is a unique shape; both longer and taller than any other palettes I have, giving it a hefty (and yes, a bit coffin-like) feel. It's the standard pressed cardboard with a strong magnetic closure and a sizeable mirror. The loose shade, Prophet, can be pulled out with a little muscle, is not glued in or attached, and is a regular circular plastic jar with a sifter insert. The shadow pans seem to be the same size as the Mi Vida Loca palette pans. Adding a brush would have made everything too big and bulky, and considering KVD has a line of brushes, isn't needed.


The box design and palette design is pretty much identical, showing the shades on the back.



All of the shades are types of metallics, other than Bloodmilk and Venom. On my eyes, Bloodmilk was a little chalky at first but was fine with some blending. I haven't used Venom yet as of the moment but it was fairly difficult to swatch. Every other shade was very easy to use. Their textures vary; Ankh has thicker glitter chunks in a more so matte base, and Nile feels more velvety and less metallic than the others. Scarab has a bit of a two-tone reflect. Hieroglyph is a little thinner of a texture, but still buttery and pigmented. Prophet is a "thick" sort of loose shadow, and swatched very pigmented and soft, a more yellow-gold than Medusa. It was very interesting to feel the slight texture differences among metallics.

This is a beautiful, quality palette whether you already enjoy non-neutral colors or are fairly new to them. The jewel tones aren't too bright or unnatural, making them great for day to day wear as well as use in every season, and especially stunning for holidays. Medusa, Ankh, and Prophet are the palette's neutral shades; they could be worn alone or together for a natural look, or paired with one or two jewel tones.


Worth The Hype?

Absolutely! The quality is even beyond previous KVD palettes, and the range of colors is tasteful and clever. At $45 it isn't on the cheap side of palettes, but I feel it is definitely worth it for eight excellent pressed shadows and a loose shadow. The palette is limited edition, so if you are interested in it, definitely grab it up during Sephora's next restock.


xx,
       Charity

I don't watch either of the shows, but I couldn't pass up the gorgeous packaging and colors!
Strobe Cosmetics is an indie cruelty-free and vegan makeup brand, as well as talc-free and gluten-free. They have a range of glitters and pressed shadows, as well as currently two palettes inspired by American Horror Story.









xx,
          Charity

There they were--those cute pink and white tubes, minimal design, and intriguing name. I had seen the products splayed out in flatlays or sitting in bathroom cabinet "shelfies", but I had never really researched into what the actual brand was. I saw that a trusted blogger I follow really enjoyed their Milky Jelly Cleanser, so that sent me on a hunt--it didn't hurt that I was also armed with her 20% discount link! Before I knew it, I'd ordered their Phase 2 makeup set in my preferred colors, along with the Cleanser, and the interesting Balm Dotcom. The prices are pretty great and I'm a sucker for simple designs and natural-as-possible ingredients.

It's not often I purchase from brands not sold at Sephora, but when I do, it's because I really believe the products will be up to par and worth the venture.

Inglot is a brand started over 30 years ago (!!) in Poland, and they expanded internationally in 2006. Their products are used backstage at anything from fashion shows to broadway musicals, boasting the most extensive collection of colors I have ever seen in a makeup brand. Their eyeshadow options are endless and a bit intimidating. Numbered naming may be efficient, but is a bit of a challenge to us lesser beings. I placed a small order to give them a try and dip in my toes. The single one-color shadows are currently $7 USD each. You can also order them with palettes of varying sizes, but I went for just the singles.

Urban Decay's nod to the newest Alice film is a hypnotic whirlwind of pattern and fun. It has all the whimsy of Wonderland, from the bright colors of the Queen of Hearts, to the beautiful blues and shimmers of the White Queen, to the Hatter's mix of neon and old antique neutrals. Beautiful packaging holds an eclectic collection of colors and textures.

   I love this palette! If you already have neutral shimmer palettes, this isn't super new, but if you're looking for one, definitely give it a try! The shade selection is great; I wish there was a black, but I can't complain. The dark brown goes pretty dark if packed on. There's two light shades, one matte and one shimmer, and several mid browns in different tones. You could go very warm or slightly more cool. The formula is very smooth and consistent throughout the palette. There isn't a chalky or odd-textured shade. My one qualm is the one thing I find with Tarte shadows; if you layer too many, they get muddy and you lose depth. It's better to choose one mid-tone shade to put all over, one dark shade, and then keep a light shade just in highlight areas.

   So far I have used it for a nice natural look with a soft lip, and a darker look paired with bold lips. It's very versatile. Use a good primer if you have hooded eyes!




xx,
        Charity