MAC released their much talked about Wonder Woman collection, and the first thing you’ll notice (if you’re a MAC fan) is that the prices and product size have gone way up but just for this collection. The MSF’s ($35 ea.), blushes ($24 ea.), and lipglasses ($20 ea.) are all notably larger, and combined with licensing, you’re paying a bit more for everything. Same deal with Venomous Villains sans larger size. The lipstick’s in this collection ($15 ea.) are regular size.

I didn’t even attempt to buy the eyeshadow quads, despite having my eye on Valiant. When I saw swatches of these shadows on various blogs who received the collection early, I was less than thrilled. The pigmentation wasn’t worth $40 in my opinion, and I already have similar colors of pretty much every eyeshadow they’re selling in this collection. I didn’t buy any of the pigments or glitters, liners, or mascaras…I just stuck with the following:

• Amazon Princess blush duo – bright yellow pink/deep blue pink with gold pearl
• Mighty Aphrodite blush duo – warm peach coral with gold pearl/bright coral pink with gold pearl
• Golden Lariat MSF – Left: True coral with fine gold shimmer/Center: Soft suntanned bronze/Right: Soft gold with fine shimmer.
• Pink Power MSF – Left: Peachy rose with pink shimmer/Center: Soft rosy bronze/Right: Soft shell pink with fine shimmer.
• Wonder Woman lipglass – bright red with soft pearl
• Athena’s Kiss lipglass – bright blue fuchsia
• Secret Identity lipglass – midtone copper with soft pearl
• Marquise d’ lipstick – sandy cream peach (lustre)
• Spitfire lipstick – bright creamy magenta (satin)
• Heroine lipstick – brown bronze (frost)

MAC Wonder Woman collection

MAC Wonder Woman collection

MAC Wonder Woman collection

MAC Wonder Woman collection

MAC Wonder Woman MSF
Golden Lariat

MAC Wonder Woman MSF
Pink Power

MAC Wonder Woman blush duo
Amazon Princess

MAC Wonder Woman blush duo
Mighty Aphrodite

MAC Wonder Woman lipglasses

MAC Wonder Woman lipglass
Athena’s Kiss

MAC Wonder Woman lipglass
Secret Identity

MAC Wonder Woman lipglass
Wonder Woman

MAC Wonder Woman lipsticks
l-r: Marquise d’, Heroine, Spitfire

MAC Wonder Woman lipsticks
l-r: Marquise d’, Heroine, Spitfire

MAC Wonder Woman lipglass
l-r: Athena’s Kiss, Secret Identity, Wonder Woman

MAC Wonder Woman lipstick swatches
l-r: Marquise d’, Heroine, Spitfire

MAC Wonder Woman lipstick swatches
l-r: Heroine, Spitfire, Russian Red

MAC Wonder Woman collection
Golden Lariat MSF swatch

MAC Wonder Woman collection
Pink Power MSF swatch

MAC Wonder Woman collection
Mighty Aphrodite

MAC Wonder Woman collection
Amazon Princess blush duo

**I will post swatches of all lip products worn on actual lips soon. I wanted to hurry and get this up for you. I’ll edit later!

OVERALL THOUGHTS

To be honest, nothing in this collection (product-wise) is a must-have, in my humble opinion. I think that if you’re a serious collector or a die-hard Wonder Woman fan, you’ll wanna grab a few items if not all. Or, if you don’t have any colors like these, you may wanna pick up a few things. The colors are nice, but they’re so similar to shades you may already own — I know I may not have 100% exact dupes, but I have a few “close enough’s”. I’m on the fence because I really like the collection, but at the same time I don’t feel many of the products are even worth pouring out your hard-earned money. I also have an issue with the way the new mega-size lipglasses are packaged. You literally have to yank the wand out because it gets super tight when pulling thru the stopper — causing you to actually fling a nice amount of gloss somewhere other than your lips. I’ve lost a few traces of lipglass on my desk when doing swatches. You have to pull the wand very slowly and firmly so that it doesn’t splash around, in order to preserve your product that you paid $6 extra for.

I did notice that the new blushes have a much silkier formula, and aren’t nearly as chalky as some MAC blushes can be. They both leave a very subtle yet beautiful sheen on the cheeks. Mighty Aphrodite is really gorgeous, probably my favorite item from the entire collection. I can’t wait to rock that in the summer. The lipglass formula’s feel smoother to me, but this could be because of how they’re applied — creating a smoother line across your lips. Golden Lariat is beautiful in theory, but it didn’t give me a ton of color. It’s still very pretty though, I got a nice glow from it. Pink Power would look great on lighter skin-tones, or as a simple highlight on darker, cooler skin-tones. I didn’t get much color from that one either. I already had Russian Red (who doesn’t??), so I wasn’t gonna spend $15 just for comic book packaging lol.

I like the stuff, but I definitely don’t love it. I think this is a collection everyone should try out in person first if they can. A lot of things I was excited for, only turned out to be “just okay” for me. I wouldn’t personally rush out to get anything from this collection unless I just wanted to spend some money or was a huge Wonder Woman fan. MAC accidentally sent me an extra Athena’s Kiss lipglass, so I’ll be giving it away here soon

-Stay beautiful

Availability: MAC Cosmetics

Each Urban Decay Big Fatty colored mascara is decorated with a psychedelic 70′s print and appropriate font. There’s a colorful 7.5g/0.26 US oz. of product, meant to give your lashes some fierce bangitybangness.

They come in four colors:

• Electric Blue – bright turquoise
• Flipside – bright teal
• Black Cherry – burgundy
• Indigo – ink blue (looks like a deep violet to me)

If you love the extra-thickening powers of Big Fatty Mascara, round out your collection with these wearable shades. Turquoise and navy hues give brown and blue eyes a jolt, purple shades make green eyes more dangerous, and burgundy adds drama to any eye color-a refreshing alternative to basic black.

Check out photos!

Urban Decay Big Fatty colored mascaras
packaging (front)

Urban Decay Big Fatty colored mascaras
packaging (back)

Urban Decay Big Fatty colored mascaras
packaging – top

Urban Decay Big Fatty colored mascaras

Urban Decay Big Fatty colored mascaras
Electric Blue wand

Urban Decay Big Fatty colored mascaras
Indigo wand

Urban Decay Big Fatty colored mascaras
Black Cherry wand

Urban Decay Big Fatty colored mascaras
Flipside wand

Urban Decay Big Fatty colored mascaras

Urban Decay Big Fatty colored mascaras

Urban Decay Big Fatty mascara
Electric Blue

Urban Decay Big Fatty mascara
Indigo

Urban Decay Big Fatty mascara
Black Cherry

Urban Decay Big Fatty mascara
Flipside

PROS

• Incredible color payoff!
• Shows up wonderfully on very dark lashes (mine are black)
• Because they’re so pigmented, you may not even need two coats
• Provides decent lash thickness

CONS

• Dries out quickly in the tube
• Can flake pretty badly
• Urban Decay could have sealed these to help prevent them from drying out so quickly
• Slightly fume’y…causing light irritation

OVERALL

My review is pretty subjective, only because I do not know if the mascaras I received are even how Urban Decay usually makes these. There is a huge possibility that they’ve been sitting on the Hautelook shelves for a good year before they arrived to me. Or, this could very well be how they are. I’ll get into the cons a little further, but here’s a positive..they are super pigmented! Crazy pigmented. My lashes are very black, and with just one coat of this mascara you can see the color very vividly. The only color that didn’t show up on me as well was Black Cherry — but my lashes are black, and it’s already a dark color. It’s pretty though, and would pop on blond or even brown lashes.

To elaborate a bit more on my cons, I think that if Urban Decay sealed these mascaras then there would be less of a “Did I get a bad mascara?” ponderation, and more certainty that it just might be the actual formula. Since I can only speak on the mascaras that I have, if they are dried out, it’s a shame because they’re actually very bright, gorgeous mascaras. Sadly, my favorite color of the four — Electric Blue, was also the driest of the bunch. I gently flicked my lashes around after it dried and several flake-balls fell off. I was pretty heartbroken, the color is amazing. The other three also felt slightly dried out, and were less clumpy than Electric Blue — I still don’t know if that’s because they’re slightly younger than the Electric Blue mascara, or if that’s the formula prime of their production. Since these were a little dried out, they were also a tad fume’y. My eyes didn’t water full-on, but they had that “someone’s blowing air in my eye” feeling — even hours later. That sucks.

I’m going to give Urban Decay the benefit of the doubt and say that these mascaras aren’t normally like this. I know my other mascaras turn like this when they’re starting to get too much air into the tube. I’ve also noticed this happens a lot more with smaller mascara tube sizes. You know how MAC used to give away those mini Zoom Lash mascara samples? These are around the same size as those, and therefore dry out at the same rate. Most mascaras can last me a good 6-8 months with cycled use — but anything in the smaller packaging only lasts about 2-3 months. So yea…I said all that (LOL!) just to say that they do dry out fast — or at least that’s my assumption.

I’m very curious to know if anyone else has tried these, but who might have purchased them directly from Sephora or the Urban Decay website — and if there are any differences/similarities in formula. I did get these from Hautelook, and it took about 2 weeks to ship..so, who knows. For now, I have to give these mascaras the following grade below. Who knows, this may change if I’m able to try a guaranteed fresh mascara and compare.

RATING

(a very hopeful C+ lol)

Availability: Urban Decay

Each Rock & Republic eyeshadow is $28 and weighs in at a good 0.11oz/3g, and is gorgeously tucked away into it’s signature metal case donning the super sexy R&R logo. There’s a little mirror inside of each eyeshadow compact, which is something you don’t get with most eyeshadows (but will find in a few high-end brands). You get double the amount of product as you would a MAC eyeshadow (which is 0.5oz/1.5g and $14.50). However, If you hurry, you can buy these babies at $14 $7 a piece (use code ROCKCOSMETICS to get the additional 50% off)…

Available in three finishes: matte, satin or shimmer

Long wearing, formulated for easy application

Richly pigmented

Fine jet-milled powder

Full range of shades

So I ordered 26 additional Rock & Republic eyeshadows, after being beyond pleased with the first 12 I purchased. I also ordered an additional color, Snakeskin, which should be here soon. When it arrives, I’ll update this post with a swatch.

Rock & Republic eyeshadow packaging

Rock & Republic eyeshadow packaging

Rock & Republic eyeshadow packaging

Rock & Republic eyeshadows

Rock & Republic eyeshadows
how I’m storing them as of now…

Rock & Republic eyeshadows
Fade, Asphalt

Rock & Republic eyeshadows
Corrosive, Jaded

Rock & Republic eyeshadows
Emerge, Hangover

Rock & Republic eyeshadows
Chain Link

Rock & Republic eyeshadows
Love Rocks, Scorch

Rock & Republic eyeshadows
Adrenaline, Privilege

Rock & Republic eyeshadows
Femme

Rock & Republic eyeshadows
Wicked, Revenge

Rock & Republic eyeshadows
Provocative, Paranoid

Rock & Republic eyeshadows
Fiend, Electric

Rock & Republic eyeshadows
Brink

Rock & Republic eyeshadows
Lost, Diffused

Rock & Republic eyeshadows
Vintage, Sabotage

Rock & Republic eyeshadows
Veil, Carat

Rock & Republic eyeshadow swatches on nw43 skin
Fade, Asphalt, Corrosive, Jaded, Hangover

Rock & Republic eyeshadow swatches on nw43 skin
Corrosive, Jaded, Hangover, Emerge, Chain Link

Rock & Republic eyeshadow swatches on nw43 skin
Love Rocks, Scorch, Adrenaline, Privilege, Femme

Rock & Republic eyeshadow swatches on nw43 skin
Wicked, Revenge, Provocative, Paranoid, Fiend

Rock & Republic eyeshadow swatches on nw43 skin
Provocative, Paranoid, Fiend, Electric, Brink

Rock & Republic eyeshadow swatches on nw43 skin
Lost, Diffused, Vintage, Sabotage, Veil, Carat

Rock & Republic eyeshadows
wearing: Exile, Chronic, Ambition and Tribal

You can see 12 more Rock & Republic eyeshadow swatches here.

These are my favorite eyeshadows that I own, brand’wise. To me, they’re everything an eyeshadow should be — smooth, silky, richly pigmented, non-chalky, long-lasting, blendable, buildable, and beautiful. Rock & Republic totally nailed the formula, it’s gorgeous and these eyeshadows have the best texture. I really do love all of these, and feeling rather foolish after saying just last year, “Ehh, I don’t need anymore eyeshadows…I’m not interested in these at all”. Welp! That was a lie LOL!

Out of the 38 shades I have, here are my personal favorites:

• Exile
• Denim
• Ammo
• Alloy
• Chronic
• Tribal
• Hangover
• Brink
• Love Rocks
• Lost
• Diffused
• Sabotage
• Vintage
• Corrosive
• Scorch
• Ambition
• Privilege
• Fiend

A lot, I know…I do love them all but those are my top picks. There are a good 4 or 5 shadows that I didn’t buy yet, but will more than likely pick up soon. I think that you guys would truly love these eyeshadows if you haven’t already tried them. To pretty much have $21 taken off the $28 price is simply music to my wallet.

Hope this post was helpful to some of you Don’t forget to check out more swatches here.

-Stay beautiful

Availability: Rock & Republic

L’Oreal Voluminous Million Lashes mascara comes in a “gold” tube with a fat, spiky, rubberized wand that tapers on both ends to allow you get every lash on your inner and outer corners. You get 0.03fl oz. of product for around $8 or so, wherever L’Oreal products are sold.

L’Oreal Voluminous Million Mascara

L’Oreal Voluminous Million Mascara – the wand

L’Oreal Voluminous Million Mascara – the wand

L’Oreal Voluminous Million Mascara – the wand

my bare, uncurled lashes

L’Oreal Voluminous Million Mascara
-two coats

L’Oreal Voluminous Million Mascara
-two coats

L’Oreal Voluminous Million Mascara
-two coats

L’Oreal Voluminous Million Mascara
-two coats

L’Oreal Voluminous Million Mascara
-two coats

extreme closeup of L’Oreal Voluminous Million Mascara
-two coats

PROS

• Inexpensive and easy to find
• Doesn’t irritate my sensitive eyes
• Great wand design allows you to get just about every lash
• Decent formula, smooth and not super clumpy
• Lengthened and volumized my lashes really nicely
• Really makes my lashes stand out and more noticeable, even behind my glasses
• Buildable up to 3 coats, so I can go for something subtle or really dramatic without risking a clumpy mess
• My lashes hold their shape with this mascara all day until I’m ready to remove it

CONS

• For me, after a good 8 hours this stuff can seriously flake
• Weird scent, as typical with most drugstore mascaras

OVERALL

I really like this mascara. Million Lashes is so easy for me to apply without making a huge mess on my eyelids or lower lashline, but then again it took me a while to nail proper mascara application lol. The only thing I really don’t like about this mascara is that when it eventually does start to flake, it’s not just one or two lil specks….it’s a whole mess of flakes. Thank goodness this only happens (to me) after a long day when I’m about to remove it anyway. It won’t flake that bad on me really, as long as I don’t touch my eye lol. I think it can flake on anyone sooner though, if you’re applying too much or if you happen to rub your eyes while this stuff is on your lashes. I think if L’Oreal can figure out how to make a less flaky formula, it would get higher marks from me. I know a lot of people who have used this mascara and have hated it, but your love for any given mascara depends greatly on the current condition of your lashes and your application technique. My mom has shorter lashes than me, so she hates just about every mascara that promises “length” — I mean, it can only do but so much if you already have super short lashes. My lashes aren’t super long either, but they’re slightly longer than hers and mine naturally curl while her’s are straight. I have always liked the L’Oreal “Voluminous” series of mascaras, I think it’s a solid drugstore brand overall. This actual mascara isn’t waterproof, so be careful if you’re emotional and prone to crying a lot. I’m not sure if they have a waterproof version, but it might be worth looking into.

Have you guys tried this?

RATING

Availability: Amazon, drugstores

*this post contains an affiliate link

I was contacted by a cosmetic company called One Night Cosmetics to review their ‘One Nite Set‘ in the color Tan. Each kit costs $34.95 and  contains 2 shades of concealers, eye shadow, cake eyeliner, shine control powder, bronzer, lipstick, lipgloss, mascara, and brow tint. It is not designed to replace your normal makeup, but just to have that ability to fix some unexpected situations. The compact is roughly the size of a credit card, and comes with two pouches to carrying the complete set.

From the website:

One Night Cosmetics was developed out of the frustrations of being a woman always on the go. We all want to look our best at all times, without carrying a suitcase of supplies.

Don’t you hate trying to fit bulky make-up into your clutch when going out on the town? What about traveling, and wanting to touch up without having to dig through luggage? Quick and compact, one night is there for you for a quick touch-up or in an emergency. We developed a credit-card size, slim and sleek touch up kit that will fit in your sexy little clutch or wristlet, or slip into a pocket or purse!

* With a One Night Touch-up kit, you can leave your regular bulky makeup in your bathroom, yet still have all the necessities for your night on the town.
* It’s also a must have for travel: Keep your big makeup in your checked luggage and you can touch-up easily even sitting on the plane.
* The One Night Set is designed to last many uses, despite it’s convenient small size.
* Keep one in your day purse at all times, so you can dash out the door without taking your bathroom with you. You never know when you might meet a friend for a drink after work.

There are some things in life that you can tell aren’t made very well just by looking at a few photos. So without further ado…

just for reference…a $34 Kat Von D eyeshadow palette

Yep…

The basic idea of their products is to give you a quick and easy solution to fix your makeup without having to lug around 45 different products in your purse or clutch. We like this idea, right? I know I do. However, the issue isn’t the idea…it’s pretty much everything else. The company shouts on their website that you’re getting “premium quality” makeup solutions…but you’re not — there is no quality. This set can easily be compared to dollar store quality makeup at best. Kat Von D palettes are around that price and completely surpass these compacts in the quality category (and every category). It’s possible to create tiny items in a much more beautiful package — Smashbox does it all the time. I’m having such a hard time understanding why this costs so much, because again, where is the “premium quality”? The brushes are extremely flimsy and cheap, and impossible to work with. The super tiny mascara wands aren’t very functional and the mascara formula really smells like plastic. Because the mascara wand is to awkwardly tiny, it’d be easy to scrape your eyeball with the edge of the cap. Did you notice how poor the swatches were? Believe me, I swiped each color a good 4-5 times. The actual compact itself is extremely cheap looking, and you just don’t see where your $34.95 went with this set. The print-outs (business cards, product box) that came with the package are also basic and poorly done.

*sigh*

I really wanted to love this product because I do love the idea behind it…but if you want to charge people $34.95 for something, then you have to give them their money’s worth — no excuses. I don’t think anyone should have to pay over $3.95 for this, to be honest. Everything about this set is cheap and the actual makeup really isn’t good. It’s definitely NOT worth the money and I wouldn’t recommend it to anyone. It needs to be completely redone and reformulated, because despite being a great idea, its poorly executed.

RATING

Availability: One Night Cosmetics

*No matter how critical the review, I made a promise to always remain respectful and diplomatic — meaning no cussing and overly offensive language. My loyalty is to my readers, and they deserve my complete honesty. For more on how products are reviewed on Accidental Beauty, please read our Policy & Disclosure.

MAC Style Curve lipstick (cremesheen)

MAC Style Curve lipstick (cremesheen)

MAC Style Curve lipstick (cremesheen)

MAC Style Curve cremesheen worn on lips
-taken with flash

MAC Style Curve cremesheen worn on lips

MAC Style Curve cremesheen worn on lips
-taken with low flash

l-r: MAC Violetta, MAC Style Curve

l-r: MAC Violetta, MAC Style Curve

l-r: MAC Violetta, MAC Style Curve

MAC Violetta lipstick (amplified) vs. MAC Style Curve lipstick (cremesheen)

old FOTD wearing MAC Violetta lipstick

Dupe city, huh? They pretty much look alike, but I would say that Style Curve is more subtle than Violetta. Style Curve is a slightly plummier shade of violet, and Violetta is more purple and vibrant. Style Curve is also less opaque than Violetta, but buildable. They both have a pearlescent sheen, but Violetta’s fierceness has a slight edge only because it’s an amplified finish — making the pearlescence aspect of it last a bit longer. Because Style Curve is creamier, it will tend to lose a bit of its pearl-bang quicker than Violetta. You may find that Style Curve is more day-time friendly. If you have Violetta, you may not need to rush out and buy Style Curve…but if you’re looking for a more subtle version of Violetta, you have a winner in Style Curve. I really like them both and think that once you wear either one, you may not even care about their slight differences because no matter which shade you choose, you’ll look amazing.

You be the judge

-Stay beautiful

Availability: MAC Cosmetics

You know the drill, each MAC pigment is $19.50 with 4.5g/0.15oz of product.

Pigment is a highly concentrated loose colour powder that contains ingredients to help it adhere to the skin. Create a subtle wash of colour or an intense effect. Does not streak or cake. Easy to blend and long-lasting. Please note: Pigments are sold by weight not volume. Containers can appear to be less than full due to settling of the product.

• Follow Your Fancy – bright coral with small pearl particle
• Madly Personal -bright pink
• New Fixation – bright fuchsia red with soft pearl
• Violet – vivid bright violet purple (frost)

On to the photos and swatches…

MAC Stylishly Yours pigments
l-r: Follow Your Fancy, Madly Personal, New Fixation

MAC Stylishly Yours pigments
l-r: Follow Your Fancy, Madly Personal, New Fixation

MAC Stylishly Yours pigments
Follow Your Fancy

MAC Stylishly Yours pigments
Madly Personal

MAC Stylishly Yours pigments
New Fixation

MAC Stylishly Yours pigments
l-r: Follow Your Fancy, Madly Personal, New Fixation

MAC Stylishly Yours pigments
Violet

MAC Stylishly Yours pigment swatches
l-r: New Fixaction, Follow Your Fancy, Madly Personal, Violet

MAC Stylishly Yours pigment swatches
l-r: New Fixaction, Follow Your Fancy, Madly Personal, Violet

MAC Stylishly Yours pigments
Violet

MAC Stylishly Yours pigment
l-r: Follow Your Fancy, New Fixation, Madly Personal

I really love these new colors, and from first glance I thought they’d be similar to pigments I already had but they aren’t at all really. They’re all very subtle shades as far as glitter chunks and sparkle goes, except for Violet — which has a frost finish. You can use these in different ways, I bet they’d be beautiful as blushes

I’m going to keep buying pigments because I love them dearly, but I cannot lie — I absolutely hate the new packaging as far as functionality goes. I think it looks cute, but it’s so much easier to knock them over and spill everything because it’s a skinnier, yet taller jar than before. The older jars were pretty solid on your table and wouldn’t easily knock over. That packaging wasn’t perfect, but it wasn’t as clumsy-prone as the newer jars. I’ve almost knocked over these skinny little jars so many times it’s not even funny.

So yea…just a quick post for anyone curious. I’ll post that Style Curve lipstick the second I get it and try it on for you

-Stay beautiful

Availability: MAC Cosmetics

Each Rock & Republic eyeshadow is $28 and weighs in at a good 0.11oz/3g, and is gorgeously tucked away into it’s signature metal case donning the super sexy R&R logo. There’s a little mirror inside of each eyeshadow compact, which is something you don’t get with most eyeshadows (but will find in a few high-end brands). You get double the amount of product as you would a MAC eyeshadow (which is 0.5oz/1.5g and $14.50). However, If you hurry, you can buy these babies at $14 $7 a piece (use code ROCKCOSMETICS to get the additional 50% off)…

Available in three finishes: matte, satin or shimmer

Long wearing, formulated for easy application

Richly pigmented

Fine jet-milled powder

Full range of shades

Just like their amazing blushes, the eyeshadows are insanely pigmented, lush and gorgeous. Do you know what this means? This means I want them all. Every single last one lol. I MUST HAVE THEM!!! If you could see the maniacal spaced-out yet serious look I’m giving you all right now

But no seriously, they’re beautiful eyeshadows and I’m kicking myself in the ass for not buying them sooner.

Rock & Republic Eyeshadows
l-r: Fatalistic, Denim, Ammo

Rock & Republic Eyeshadows
l-r: Fuel, Envy, Tribal

Rock & Republic Eyeshadows
l-r: Wrath, Spy, Exile

Rock & Republic Eyeshadows
l-r: Alloy, Ambition, Chronic

Rock & Republic Eyeshadow Swatches
l-r: Fatalistic, Denim, Ammo, Fuel

Rock & Republic Eyeshadow Swatches
l-r: Ammo, Fuel, Envy, Tribal

Rock & Republic Eyeshadow Swatches
l-r: Wrath, Spy, Exile, Alloy

Rock & Republic Eyeshadow Swatches
l-r: Exile, Alloy, Ambition, Chronic

All eyeshadows were swatched with a MAC 252 brush, using Lorac Behind the Scenes eye primer as a base. I’m gonna try my best to describe the colors and finish of each eyeshadow I have here…don’t laugh..

• Fatalistic – smokey matte charcoal black
• Denim – dark smokey matte blue
• Ammo – shimmery golden bronze
• Fuel – shimmery sunshine gold
• Envy – satin smokey green (similar to MAC’s Humid eyeshadow)
• Tribal – matte chocolate brown
• Wrath – shimmery rosy golden brown
• Spy – satin neutral nude
• Exile – shimmery golden taupe
• Alloy – shimmery rosy peach
• Ambition – shimmery light yellow gold (very similar to MAC’s vanilla pigment)
• Chronic – satin golden army green

So, should you buy these? Well, they’re on sale right now for just $14 $7 each…so my answer for you would be “Heck yes!”. Right now they’re $7.50 cheaper than a MAC eyeshadow and double the product, so they’re MORE than worth it. If you have room for these gorgeous little darlings then I think you’ll be pretty darn happy with your purchase. I will be buying the rest of them over the course of the sale, hopefully. If I don’t buy them all, I will definitely get a good amount lol. I’m completely sold on Rock & Republic, they’ve proven to be a phenomenal brand with incredible sales!

Check out 26 more Rock & Republic eyeshadow swatches!

-Stay beautiful

Availability: Rock & Republic (currently $14 $7 each if you use code ROCKCOSMETICS for an additional 50% off)

The Alima Pure “Fairy Tale” collection is made up of two mini collections (“Happily Ever After” and “Once Upon A Time”), featuring beautiful colors perfect for the upcoming holiday season. The collections are $25 each, with $2 going to the Global Fund for Women — hooray for charitable proceeds! Here’s a bit about the company:

We are a small, independent mineral cosmetics company based in Portland, Oregon. We were the second cosmetics company in the US to receive the prestigious “Certified Natural Cosmetics” seal from the BDIH in Germany. Our foundation contains only four ingredients, and is perfect for sensitive skin. Our brushes are also ideal for sensitive skin, as they are all man-made bristles rather than animal hair, which can be irritating to some people.

“Happily Ever After” ($25) includes:

• Poison Apple – rosy blush with a peachy shimmer
• The End – almost-black eyeliner, sparked with diamond-like silver shimmer
• Magic Wand – magical, do-anything nude shimmer with multi-toned sparkle that can be worn on the eyes, cheeks or décolleté

“Once Upon A Time” ($25) includes:

• Enchanted Forest – soft taupe sprinkled with gold and silver shimmer
• Spun Gold – deep golden shade (this is GORGEOUS ya’ll!)
• Glass Slipper – soft silvery yellow
• Fairy Godmother – medium purple w/ generous serving of silver sparkled

Ingredients: Contains: Mica (CI 77019). May contain: Titanium Dioxide (CI 77891), Iron Oxides (CI 77491, CI 77492, CI 77499), Ferric Ferrocyanide (CI 77510).

Photos and swatches for ya!

Alima Pure: Happily Ever After
l-r: Spun Gold, Glass Slipper, Enchanted Forest, Fairy Godmother

Alima Pure: Happily Ever After
l-r: Poison Apple, Magic Wand, The End

Alima Pure: Once Upon A Time
l-r: Poison Apple, Magic Wand, The End

Alima Pure: Once Upon A Time
l-r: Spun Gold, Glass Slipper, Enchanted Forest, Fairy Godmother

Dude, their friggin foundations only have FOUR ingredients?? I can barely make a sandwich with just four ingredients, so you know I’m intrigued lol. Okay that’s a whole ‘nother post, lemme stick to the subject at hand. I found the shadows to be very soft and smooth, and their intensity will heighten the more you pack the color on. The colors in this collection are very holiday friendly, nothing is too scary or too bold — making it perfect for those of you who are still a bit makeup shy.

PROS

• Affordable, all things considered
• Beautiful colors
• Richly pigmented, yet very buildable (can also be sheered out)
• Smooth formula, the powder is very buttery and soft
• Minimal ingredients, perfect for those with sensitive skin
• Blendable
• Versatile (can be used wet)

CONS

• Loose powders will always be messy
• Might be difficult to use if you don’t have decent brushes/tools

OVERALL

I really love these products. I may be biased because I love mineral makeup anyway, but not every mineral is created equal. I’ve had a few crappy experiences with a few other companies I won’t mention, but I love Alima so far. The fact that their products contain so few ingredients is a huge plus because a lot of people are allergic to bismuth, talc, parabens, etc. Just goes to show that you don’t need all that extra stuff to have a beautiful product. These products would go great with your collection if you’re looking for gentle makeup solutions — as well cool stocking stuffers I love that the eyeshadows don’t feel scratchy, gritty or cheap. Instead they’re soft, smooth and very buildable. You can sheer them out or really pack them on — it’s up to you. If you love mineral makeup as much as I do, give Alima Pure a try. I’m definitely ordering more from the line very soon, itching to try those foundations

RATING

Availability: Alima Pure

*this post contains a product sample sent for consideration

Here’s what I picked up..

• Torrid – beautiful shimmery coral
• Amour – peachy pink
• Lovejoy – shimmering bronzed rose

NARS blushes – Lovejoy, Amour, Torrid

NARS blushes

NARS blushes – Lovejoy, Amour

NARS blushes – Amour, Torrid

NARS Torrid blush

NARS Amour blush

NARS Lovejoy blush

NARS blush swatches
l-r: Lovejoy, Amour, Torrid

NARS blush swatches
l-r: Lovejoy, Amour, Torrid

I looove these colors, but then again I don’t really have a NARS blush that I don’t like. Lovejoy is very natural looking on my face, though not easy to photograph when I’m actually wearing it. It’s very close to my skintone when blended out, but give a really nice bronzey-rose tint. It’s a great everyday blush for the NC40-NC45 range. Amour is a pinkier blush than Torrid, but both are really pretty when worn. If you’re into corals, try Torrid.

MAC LOVEJOY vs. NARS LOVEJOY

So both MAC and NARS have blushes called “Lovejoy”, and to be completely honest they are extremely similar. Both blushes run in the same family but there are very subtle color differences.

MAC Lovejoy vs. NARS Lovejoy

MAC Lovejoy vs. NARS Lovejoy swatches

MAC Lovejoy vs. NARS Lovejoy swatches

MAC Lovejoy vs. NARS Lovejoy swatches

MAC Lovejoy vs. NARS Lovejoy swatches

As you can see, they are very similar but just a tad different color-wise — NARS is rosier than MAC, which is more bronze. The MAC blush will run you $21 for 0.11oz of product, and the NARS will run you $26 for 0.16oz of product.

• MAC Lovejoy – bronzier, more pigmented, softer, has a bit more shimmer, will show up better on darker skintones versus NARS Lovejoy — yet it works for all skintones.
• NARS Lovejoy – rosier, finer in texture, more subtle than MAC Lovejoy, will show up better for lighter to medium-dark skin tones.

WELL DANG, WHICH ONE SHOULD I BUY?

While I can’t answer that for you, because everyone’s tastes are different…I personally like the MAC version of Lovejoy more than the NARS. I have to really get the NARS Lovejoy to show up on me, while the MAC one requires very little effort. If you’re lighter than me, either one will show up on you. If you’re darker than me, I’d say try the MAC version over the NARS.

Hope that helps you lovely little boogers <3

-Stay beautiful

Availability: Sephora, MAC