Aug 20, 2015

SWATCHES | Stila Cosmetics Eyes Are The Window Shadow Palettes - Body, Mind, Spirit and Soul

 
Eyes Are The Window Shadow Palettes


  

Eyes are the window to the body, mind, spirit and soul.
This year, Stila celebrates 20 years of infinite style. Create endless looks with our new Eyes Are The Window™ shadow palettes. Inspired by the spiritual notion that true beauty is revealed from within, each palette is curated with 12 luxurious eye shadows to illuminate your inner beauty. Encased in exquisite, jewelry-inspired compacts-a precious mix of rose, yellow and white golds-the shadows will inspire intrigue and delight.

 Each palette comes with a look book curated by Sarah Lucero, Stila’s Global Executive Director of Creative Artistry.


Size:  12 x 0.051 oz

Price: US $49.00


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The Stila Eyes Are The Window Shadow Palettes retail for $49 for 12 x 0.051 oz of product. Keep in mind that typical small eyeshadows on the market are 0.05 oz each - think MAC and Urban Decay eyeshadow pans.

The Stila Eyes Are The Window Shadow Palettes fall middle of the road when it comes to price point and has a competitive price tag when compared to other mid-end makeup brands. They also contain the average amount of product for eyeshadow palettes with 12 eyeshadows at the same size as a full sized MAC or Urban Decay eyeshadow.

One thing to note, is that these palettes do not come with a bonus item such as an eyeshadow brush or deluxe primer sample, etc. Some more pricey palettes do include these add-ons which somewhat 'balance out' the price. There is, however, a look book in each box which shows a variety of inspired looks with guides on how to achieve each look from the shades in the palettes.



 


 
The Stila Eyes Are The Window Shadow Palettes are currently available for purchase in store and online at the following locations:



 
 
The Stila Eyes Are The Window Shadow Palettes come in beautiful metallic rose and yellow gold themed hard plastic palettes. Each palette is color coded with a different shade of gold or rose gold lid which makes it easier to differentiate among the 4 palettes.

Mind - white gold
Body - rose gold
Soul - yellow gold
Spirit - pale rose gold

Inside each palette is a full sized mirror (in the lid) and the eyeshadows (in the base) are housed in a gold grid of 4 rows and 3 columns. The lid itself opens via a hinge which pivots at a 120º angle rather a full 180º. This comes in handy when you use the mirror in palettes for makeup application.

The eyeshadows are not individually labeled with names inside the palette. However, there is a label on the back with all the eyeshadow names in the grid layout. Be careful not to flip the names (I only mention this because I did)....the names read as if your were looking at the eyeshadows from the top rather than matching them from the bottom....that may not confuse anyone else but myself  :(

Another thing of note - the eyeshadow pans are embedded a bit deeper than the divider grid which actually helps to keep the extra powder from mixing into neighboring shades as you use the palette. Or maybe it's just me that can appreciate the separation? Yes? No? :)

While the palettes are gorgeous on display, they will hold on to fingerprints due to the metallic finish of the palettes. Some people may find this bothersome....but they are quite easy to wipe clean so I have no worries.

Oh yea....there's a clear protective plastic sheet inside each palette with a quote from a renaissance or modern scientist/engineer/philosopher/artist...'cause you know beauty and science and stuff  *wink*  ;)

Overall I think the jewel themed compacts were beautifully done and are solid without being bulky. There is a feel of luxury without the overly expensive price tag.




 
"Each palette inculdes 12 luxe eye shadows that range from calming, soft shades to smoky hues that can be mixed and matched and worn wet or dry."


COLORS/SHADES
The Stila Eyes Are The Window Shadow Palettes come in 4 different color themes ranging from brights to neutrals. Overall the palettes tend to lean toward more wearable everyday shades rather than in your face brights.


Body: A colorful collection of 12 bright and neutral shades
Mind: A well-edited assortment of 12 matte eye shadows
Spirit: A stunning palette of 12 of Stila’s most iconic shades
Soul: A luxurious palette of 12 sumptuous, everyday eye shadows


TEXTURE & FINISH 
The Stila Eyes Are The Window Shadow Palettes feature various finishes from matte to satin to frost and glittery shades. The Mind palette is, however, an ALL matte palette. 

PIGMENTATION 
The Stila Eyes Are The Window Shadow Palettes are overall nicely pigmented with/without a primer or eyeshadow base. The shimmer shades have the best color payoff with the matte/glitter hybrids being the least pigmented. We will talk more under the swatches.

APPLICATION & WEAR 
The Stila Eyes Are The Window Shadow Palettes are nice palettes with good color payoff and are blendable without being overly patchy. I did not have issues with fading or creasing when I used these palettes.

The glitter shades will undoubtedly have fall out so be careful when using these shades. The matte shades can be on the drier side so they do kick up some powder and can cause fall out as well.

The shimmer shades are the best performers and they are really creamy with excellent pigmentation. They are not highly frosted shades which is a plus for all ages, skin tones and tastes.

We will talk more under the swatches.





 
The Stila Eyes Are The Window Shadow Palettes are some great palettes that don't get enough recognition. But alas in the ADHD world that is makeup what can we do? They are nicely pigmented and easy to work with. And they come in a good selection of wearable shades with a decent price point. I enjoy them a lot and I do recommend them....except maybe the Body palette. 



Have you tried these palettes?  Interested?


 




Aug 13, 2015

REVIEW & SWATCHES 💋 *NEW SHADES* Kat Von D Everlasting Liquid Lipstick 💋

 



A long-wear, full-coverage liquid lipstick with a smooth, matte finish. 

Drench lips in Kat’s extreme-pigment potion that redefines serious staying power. The full-coverage, long-lasting formula glides over lips like a gloss, but dries to a velvety, matte finish. Infused with nourishing vitamins A, C and E for added comfort, it won’t dry out or feather like other matte lipsticks. Go bold with daredevil brights, bare it all in neutral nudes or experiment with two-tone and ombré for undying expression.

Now with 16 additional, bold shades of Everlasting Liquid Lipstick for all-night wear, this innovative formula gives lips long-lasting wear and high-pigment color. Its creamy, color-rich formula glides over lips like a gloss but dries to a true matte finish. It’s infused with natural comfort-enhancing ingredients, including vitamin E and sunflower seed so you can flaunt lasting matte color that leaves lips feeling comfortable. 


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Size: 0.22 fl. oz

Price: $20 
  
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The Kat Von D Everlasting Liquid Lipsticks retail for $20 each for 0.22 fl. oz.

There are quite a few liquid lipstick options on the market these days - from indie brands, mid/high-end brands and even some popping up at the drugstore! The Kat Von D Liquid Lipsticks have stayed at the same price as the original launch and is one of the formulae that offer the most bang for your buck at 0.22 fl. oz. each. Most other brands of liquid lipsticks come in at half the size for a similar price.





 

The Kat Von D Everlasting Liquid Lipsticks are currently available for purchase in store and online exclusively: 



 

 
The Kat Von D Everlasting Liquid Lipsticks come packaged in long, slender see-through tubes with Kat Von D's signature tattoo designs in black and silver and a solid black cap. On the bottom of each tube is label with product details and shade name.

The applicator is the typical medium sized doe foot type. Some may find the length of the applicator awkward for applying the lip color so a lip brush will come in handy. Personally, I have no issues with the length of the applicator and the doe foot tip is small enough to give decent precision. 


Also, I have no issues with product overflow and leakage from the tube. The packaging is sleek and fun but you may have problems with storage if you prefer to store your lip products upright in a drawer. These are best stored flat in a drawer or upright in jar or pencil holder.






"The full-coverage, long-lasting formula glides over lips like a gloss, but dries to a velvety, matte finish. Infused with nourishing vitamins A, C and E for added comfort, it won’t dry out or feather like other matte lipsticks."

COLORS/SHADES
The Kat Von D Everlasting Liquid Lipsticks now come in a pretty large range of colors - 28 shades!

There are a good selection nude shades, reds, pinks, berries, purples, orange, and vampy shades. Most (all but two) of the shades are wearable colors - of course depending on your skin tone. There are two more "expressive" shades of blue and black in the mix. But no yellow, green, etc. or more "artsy" shades.

TEXTURE & FINISH 
The Kat Von D Everlasting Liquid Lipsticks are creamy liquid lipsticks that cry down to a flat (chalkboard) matte. They are not overly watery or mousse-y - they are the perfect medium for liquid lipsticks. 

PIGMENTATION 
The Kat Von D Everlasting Liquid Lipsticks are nicely pigmented across the board. However, the lighter shades (as well as Echo) require 2 or more layers for full color payoff.


APPLICATION & WEAR 
The Kat Von D Everlasting Liquid Lipsticks have a great formula which applies well, layers without any issues and wears beautifully for at least 6 hours. 

These shades wear comfortably on my lips without tightening or drying out my lips. However, after about 6 hours of wear and through normal movement of the lips (talking and eating) there will be fading on the inner part of the mouth. 

Also, these won't survive a very oily meal as the oils will break down the formula. I typically will take these lip colors along with me for quick re-application after eating. I did not have any issues reapplying over existing product but you can always remove and start from scratch.

 I do not recommend using a lip balm before applying these lipsticks but a lip primer will definitely help with wear and application. Anastasia Beverly Hills has a good lip primer, so does MAC and ColourPop. 

And nothing beats a good exfoliated lip for lip products...but for matte and liquid lipsticks in particular. A simple at-home sugar scrub and washcloth does the trick!





 
The Kat Von D Everlasting Liquid Lipsticks are still my favorite liquid lipstick formula to date. I really enjoy this formula and the new shades that have been added to the range. There are colors here to suit any skin tone and preference.



Have you tried these liquid lipsticks?  Interested?


 




Noble
Pale peachy nude. Sheer opacity in 2 layers.


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Bow N Arrow
Light neutral taupe. Full opacity in 2 layers.

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Ayesha

Medium cool toned purple. Full opacity in 2 layers.


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Beloved
Neon pinky coral. Full opacity in 2 layers.


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Mother
Muted rose pink. Full opacity in 2 layers.


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Double Dare
Cinnamon (orange toned) coral brown. Full opacity in 2 layers.


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Susperia
Neutral toned purple berry. Full opacity in one layer. Slightly more pink and neutral than L.UV.


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Santa Sangre
Neon candy apple red. Full opacity in one layer.


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Nosferatu
Deep blood red. Full opacity in one layer.


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Echo
Deep purple toned blue. Needs at least 3 layers for full color payoff.


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Exorcism
Rich deep cranberry. Full opacity in one layer.


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