SWATCHES ♡ Natasha Denona Eyeshadow Palettes 28 | Purple-Blue and Green-Brown

From Natasha’s world to yours.

After years of being frustrated with eye shadows that were dull, dry, and difficult to blend, internationally renowned makeup artist Natasha Denona decided to develop her own. To create eye color that performed better than anything else on the market, she insisted on sourcing the finest ingredients from around the world.

Today, Natasha uses these eye shadows on celebrity clients, runway models, and students at the Natasha Denona Makeup Academy alike.


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Natasha Denona
Eyeshadow Palette 28

This pro-quality palette features 28 pans of ultra-pigmented eye color in a variety of unique finishes. The breakthrough formula glides smoothly across lids, delivering vivid color payoff with a silky-soft feel.

A finish for every occasion.

Natasha Denona Eyeshadow comes in four finishes, each packed with concentrated pigments and finely milled minerals such as mica and pearl. Moisturizing botanical oils create a creamy texture that sweeps over delicate skin without any fallout.

Pigment that goes on and on and on...

Super-saturated pigments deliver intense color payoff that stays vibrant from pan to skin. No fading, creasing, or smudging—even without primer.

Unlimited looks at your fingertips.

Never settle for the same old eye look again. From soft, shimmering neutrals to bold pops of color, the wide array of shades offers endless possibilities.

The total package.

Originally designed for a professional makeup artist’s kit, this sleek palette is perfectly packaged for any beauty lover on the go. The sturdy foam interior protects shadows from movement while the high-shine casing easily wipes clean.

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The Natasha Denona Eyeshadow Palettes 28 retail for $239 for 28 x 0.07 oz (1.96 oz net. wt.) of product. For reference typical small eyeshadows on the market are 0.05 oz each - think MAC and Urban Decay eyeshadow pans.

 

 

The Natasha Denona Eyeshadow Palettes 28 are available for purchase online at the following locations:

• On the Natasha Denona website (out of stock)
• On the Beautylish website (coming soon)

 

 

The Natasha Denona Eyeshadow Palettes 28 come in a hard cardboard and foam palette with a white patent leather covering. The front of the packaging is embossed with Natasha Denona and a series of zeroes (not sure what the significance is...).

Inside we have the 28 eyeshadows arranged in 4 rows of 7 eyeshadows on a matte black grid. There is also a small mirror in the cover and an attached (and perforated) transparent sheet to protect the eyeshadows. 

The palette is sleek and lightweight and is held together by four magnetized tabs. The eyeshadows names and numbers are ONLY located on the box that these palettes come in so...that may not mean much to you or it may irritate you....

“This pro-quality palette features 28 pans of ultra-pigmented eye color in a variety of unique finishes. The breakthrough formula glides smoothly across lids, delivering vivid color payoff with a silky-soft feel.”

COLORS/SHADES

The Natasha Denona Eyeshadow Palettes 28 has a good variety of shades with a mix of neutrals with bright, bold shades mixed in. The selection of colors are based on the palette you choose. The Purple-Blue Palette features more cool tones with blues, purples, taupes and berries while the Green-Brown Palette has more warm earthy tones with greens and golds mixed in. 

TEXTURE & FINISH 

The Natasha Denona Eyeshadow Palettes 28 included various finishes from metallic to sparkling to duo-chromes and a couple of mattes. There are very few matte shades in the selection so you will need to combine with other shades from your collection.

INGREDIENTS

The Natasha Denona Eyeshadow Palettes 28 contain Talc and Mica in case these are a no-go for you or if you have sensitivities to these ingredients. Also, they use parabens for their preservative - again in case this is a no-go for you. These are the ingredients listed on my box and currently on the Beautylish website.

 Natasha Denona Eyeshadow Palettes 28 | Green-Brown

Natasha Denona Eyeshadow Palettes 28 | Purple-Blue

Have you tried these palettes?  Interested?

 

REVIEW & SWATCHES | MAKE UP FOR EVER 15 Artist Shadow Palette (Limited Edition)

15 Artist Shadow Palette

 This 15-shade palette featuring the breakthrough Artist Shadow formula lets you create endless eye looks with infinite combinations. The advanced gel-powder formula blended with ultrafine pigments provides vivid color payoff and superior blendablilty. An artist’s favorite, Artist Shadow leaves a smooth, even finish that gives lids super-saturated, lasting color. Arranged into five easy-to-apply color trios, this extensive collection ranges from soft, subtle neutrals to daring bolds and brights. The included step-by-step leaflet lets you effortlessly create endless holiday looks. 

Shades:

          I550 Olive Gray         I524 Pinky Beige        I916 Frosted Mauve      D236 Lagoon Blue      S102 Onyx 

          S522 Pinky Nude      D826 Fig                 D830 Black Rose        S228 Petrol Blue         S114 Pearl Gray

          I528 Pearl               I662 Amber Brown     I922 Electric Purple     ME216 Electric Blue      ME122 Snow 

 Size:  15 x 0.06 oz

Price: US $59.00

($221 value)

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The MAKE UP FOR EVER 15 Artist Shadow Palette retails for $59 for 15 x 0.06 oz of product. For reference typical small eyeshadows on the market are 0.05 oz each - think MAC and Urban Decay eyeshadow pans.

The MAKE UP FOR EVER 15 Artist Shadow Palette is a higher priced palette, however, it is still competitively priced alongside other mid-end brands on the market. The single shadows from Make Up For Ever are $21 for 0.07 ~ 0.08 oz of product - which means this palette contains a product value of $221 (0.9 oz).  

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

 

 

The MAKE UP FOR EVER 15 Artist Shadow Palette is available for purchase in store and online at the following location:

• Exclusively at Sephora Stores and on the Sephora website - LIMITED EDITION

 

 

The MAKE UP FOR EVER 15 Artist Shadow Palette comes in a black hard cardboard packaging with a beautiful bright orange glittery front cover.

The glittery cover it not at all gritty to the touch since it has a glossy overcoat that secures the glitter in place....bonus since the glitter won't flake off and cause a sparkly mess! The front cover also has the Make Up For Ever brand name and the *new* red lip with brush logo which I personally adore. 

On the back of the palette is a grid of the shadow numbers and function - eyeshadow or blush (there is one 'blush' shade in the palette) - along with the size and company/manufacturer details. The shadow grid lines up with the shades inside the palette but I would prefer if the numbers were printed inside the palette instead.  

Inside, the shadows are laid out in 3 rows/5 columns on a basic matte black background...which gets really messy over time and is difficult to wipe clean. The 5 columns are arranged in trios to coordinate with the included step-by-step guide. 

There step-by-step guide/look book, included in the box, shows 5 different looks based on each set of 3 shadows. You can use this as inspiration when determining how to incorporate and mix the shades in the palette.

The palette itself is quite weighted (heavier than I expected) and is held closed by a magnetized tab. There is also a medium sized mirror in the lid that I don't particularly find useful due to the size.

 MAKE UP FOR EVER 15 Artist Shadow Palette

💋  Front Cover 💋

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 MAKE UP FOR EVER 15 Artist Shadow Palette

💋  Back 💋

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 MAKE UP FOR EVER 15 Artist Shadow Palette

💋  Palette + Step-by-Step Guide (Overall View) 💋

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 MAKE UP FOR EVER 15 Artist Shadow Palette

💋  Palette + Step-by-Step Guide (Overall View) 💋

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 MAKE UP FOR EVER 15 Artist Shadow Palette

💋  Step-by-Step Guide 💋

 MAKE UP FOR EVER 15 Artist Shadow Palette

💋  Step-by-Step Guide (Nude LOOK) 💋

 MAKE UP FOR EVER 15 Artist Shadow Palette

💋  Step-by-Step Guide (Bronze LOOK) 💋

 MAKE UP FOR EVER 15 Artist Shadow Palette

💋  Step-by-Step Guide (Orchid Aura LOOK) 💋

 MAKE UP FOR EVER 15 Artist Shadow Palette
💋  Step-by-Step Guide (Mosiac Blue LOOK) 💋

  MAKE UP FOR EVER 15 Artist Shadow Palette

💋  Step-by-Step Guide (Smoky LOOK) 💋

 

"The advanced gel-powder formula blended with ultrafine pigments provides vivid color payoff and superior blendablilty. An artist’s favorite, Artist Shadow leaves a smooth, even finish that gives lids super-saturated, lasting color."

COLORS/SHADES

The MAKE UP FOR EVER 15 Artist Shadow Palette has a good variety of shades with a mix of neutrals with bright, bold shades mixed in. The selection of colors are more on the neutral cool side of the spectrum so if you prefer pinks, greens, golds, etc., you probably won't like the shades here. There are a few highlight shades and smokey shades also mixed in for good measure.

TEXTURE & FINISH 

The MAKE UP FOR EVER 15 Artist Shadow Palette included various finishes from satin and iridescent to metallic to diamond from the Make Up For Ever line up. The one finish that is missing is matte which I think should be included in any palette to make it an all-rounder.  

PIGMENTATION 

The MAKE UP FOR EVER 15 Artist Shadow Palette  are overall nicely pigmented with/without a primer or eyeshadow base. 

APPLICATION & WEAR 

The MAKE UP FOR EVER 15 Artist Shadows have a great formula which applies well, blends easily and wears beautifully throughout the day without fading and fallout. 

While I had no issues using natural or synthetic bristle brushes with these eyeshadows, I did find that a more densely packed brush worked best for the non-matte shades. Also, be careful not to press too hard on the eyeshadows as they can get a bit crumbly and more difficult to apply.The non-matte shades also have a tendency to get crepe-y so less is more - start with a little and build up from there.

The diamond, iridescent, metallic and satin shades do have a strong silicone (dimethicone) base which allows for slip and high sheen. However, this can also leave to clumping of the product and even creasing. I always recommend using an eyeshadow primer with oily lids and in this case I highly recommend it! Personally I didn't have issues with creasing and I do have ridiculously oily eyelids!

 

The MAKE UP FOR EVER 15 Artist Shadow Palette is a great way to jump build your Make Up For Ever collection. The price is phenomenal when you consider the individual costs of each shadow. I also really like the packaging - minimal but beautiful. Overall, I think this palette that will appeal to the majority of tastes since it includes neutrals and pops of bright shades. I only wish they included some mattes this time around...I mean come on they have an abundance of them in the range.

GRADE: A-

Have you tried this palette?  Interested?

 

(after the break…)

REVIEW & SWATCHES ♫ ⋆NEW⋆ from Urban Decay ♫ UD | Gwen Stefani Lipsticks

We developed everything in the limited-edition UD | Gwen Stefani collection in close collaboration with Gwen. Wende and our product development team spent countless hours at Gwen’s house, talking makeup and working with her on every detail of the collection.

Gwen even directed the packaging design, which was inspired by her love of black-and-white graphic prints and antique gold accents. We created everything with Gwen, filling a void by developing all of the perfect shades she always wished she had in her collection. And with these products in your arsenal, you’ll have all the essentials to recreate her signature looks for yourself.

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LIPSTICKS

(8 SHADES)

Gwen knows how to rock a bold lip. Luckily, she was game to get down and dirty with us to mix her perfect shades and ideal textures. She’s worn every lip color in the book, and these are her must-haves. The lineup: eight NEW shades (including two exclusives you can only find here)—from a bright red matte to a shimmering sheer nude and a creamy deep fuchsia. This collection includes our first-ever shade in a finish we’ve dubbed Mega Matte—a super-intense matte that lays down a lot of color in one coat. Every shade features our proprietary Pigment Infusion System™—for a super-creamy texture, rich payout and superior color dispersion. 

 Ex-Girlfriend - sheer nude-rose with pink shimmer

Firebird - deep fuchsia cream

714 - bright red mega matte

Rock Steady - deep wine red cream

Spiderweb - satin red cream

Wonderland - dark pink-red cream

Phone Call - sheer bright pink (UD Exclusive)
Plaid - sheer deep berry (UD Exclusive)

Price: $18

Size: 0.11 oz.

The UD | Gwen Stefani Lipsticks retail for $18 and contain 0.11 oz of product. Interestingly these lipsticks are actually $4 cheaper than the existing lipsticks in the Urban Decay lineup and contain 0.02 oz more product.

 

The UD | Gwen Stefani Lipsticks come in a black two piece case and tubes with gold abstract striping with the UD x Gwen Stefani logo printed in the middle. 

The lipstick packaging is kept closed by integral tabs at the base of the tube that fit into the case (cap). The bottom ledge of the tubes are thin so gripping them to remove the caps is a bit awkward. 

The inside tubes are all black with the Urban Decay logo embossed on the side. The lipstick bullets themselves are the traditional shape and are also embossed with the UD logo in the center.

On the bottom of each tube is a color coded label with lipstick name - it's quite handy when grabbing a shade from a size-able collection. 

 

"Every shade features our proprietary Pigment Infusion System™—for a super-creamy texture, rich payout and superior color dispersion."

COLORS/SHADES

The UD | Gwen Stefani Lipsticks comes in 8 shades of pinks and reds with a sheer nude tossed in for good measure. The shade selection came as no surprise to me based on Gwen Stefani's personal makeup style. 

There are a few varying shades of red here so I don't think any one person needs them ALL but for sure you can find a shade here that is right up your alley.

TEXTURE & FINISH 

The UD | Gwen Stefani Lipsticks feature various finishes from a Mega Matte (new finish to Urban Decay) to creams and sheer finishes. 

PIGMENTATION 

The UD | Gwen Stefani Lipsticks have various levels of pigmentation based on the shade and finish - see more under the swatches.

APPLICATION & WEAR 

The UD | Gwen Stefani Lipsticks vary in wear time based on the shade and finish - see more under the swatches. Overall they all glide on smoothly without skipping or being patchy.

 

The UD | Gwen Stefani Lipsticks are the highlight and most versatile part of the entire collection. There are shades here that will suit the full spectrum of skin tones. If you are not interested in bold red shades then these may not be up your alley...but if you are on the market for a great red tone or you just love red shades on your lips, then this collection is sure to have a fun shade for you.

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