Marc Jacobs Eyecon Palette 7 in Dreamer

Last week I showed you my latest palette, only as a teaser. Today I'm gonna swatch my Marc Jacobs Eyecon in Dreamer.

Marc Jacobs' Eyecon palettes have gotten some mixed reviews. The case was supposed to be not that luxe, the eyeshadows were not as good as ...[fill in a good name]...

I still bought this palette and basically for the gorgeous mix of sunset colours. There was also this mustard-y colour which was still golden enough not to mix with pickles or hotdogs...

But before swatching, I'll show you the pleasure of a new palette layout:

 

Now the joyous experience of feeling 'back to school' has passed a bit, let's check the content:

 

Earlier reviews told me that there would be a mirror, and no brush. I don't mind the absence of a eyeshadow brush, as I prefer my Suqqu or my Hakuhodo ones anyway. Often the brush with a palette is not that fancy, but there are exceptions, ofcourse.

As for the colours inside, MJ has the simplicity of the numbering system. So you can make up your own names like 'sizzling sunset', 'almost sex at the beach but he had BO' or 'I tripped over a coconut'  kind of names:

For your reading sake, I'll keep to Marc J.'s one to seven:

Swatches: shadow

This set of swatches has been photographed in sunlight:

 My base is Kose Addiction Dewy Glow Foundation in 2 Madeleine: it might be that it expired because I think it looks a bit pasty on my arm. In my earlier review (here) it looked a lot glowier.

Now I have to describe colours, which is not really my thing.

1. A slightly ashy vanilla with a micro-glow, not entirely matte

2. A neutral to slightly warm gold with a gorgeous lustre

3. This one is more glowy than on my photos: coconut & banana with a lovely glow. Perhaps my latest favourite highlighter colour now I have a bit of a faux-tan

4. A charcoal dark, also with microglow and not entirely matte

5. Peach with milk: it reminds me of Rouge Bunny Rouge Bashful Flamingo

6. Glowy peach, similar to D&G Quad Stromboli (the peach colour)

7. YES, mr Mustard is all I want him to be! So unlike my other mustardy colours. It's a burnished gold with a tiny hint of green. I think it lights up different in different kind of light: see the 2 different swatches.

Verdict:

• the pigment in on the sheer to medium side. A good primer helps to make it vivid let it last for 9 hrs 
• I personally love the colour blend and think they are so Summer-adequate
• The charcoal dark is a bit off IMO. I think it would be too stark for shading with the softer other colours.
•  The case is sturdy enough without being heavy. I'm sorry to contradict the other reviewers but a lot of so-called stronger cases will have their flaws too and Urban Decay is made from almost carton
• So I think it's a pretty and sleek case so perfect for travelling/around and the 'pencil' protection case is another extra protection that looks elegant.
• It's on the expensive side

 Conclusion:

 A palette can be a personal hit based on some personal preferences. Or, I'm a happy dreamer...so a husky-voiced tune to conclude:

Pupa Princess Palette for eyes

*looks like teen-spirit?*

I'm slightly nostalgic for finally being drawn into a spontanious purchase of a palette based on the mere premise of pretty colours. It doesn't happen a lot these days as I meticulously investigate the whole beauty-blogosphere before I plunge in.

This created a mature and well-defined collection of Burberry eyeshadows, Rouge Bunny Rouge and the creme-de-la-creme of Le Metier de Beaute Kaleidoscopes.

 And then this cutie came along with the right set of colours and princessy atmosphere.

(also, I still like Pupa...a fab Italian brand)

Pupa Princess Palette: no flash, natural light, no sun

 No further investigation...the swatches on my arm looked really good and pigmented and for a mere €17.50 I bought in on the spot.

Pupa Princess: flash

I'll keep the suspense going on if it really was such a good decision...not in a Hitchockian way but still..

What remarked me is that Pupa's 'face' is a girl that reminds me of fashionblogger Chiara (theBlondeSalad):

 

Though, now Chiara isn't that blonde anymore, but probably still salady

Anyway, the Chiara-fication is quite prominent in Italy as she is one of their main export-products in fashion. Although Marni, Miu Miu and Prada will have a good stand in this field as well.

That brings me to the palet again...Instructions are quite clear in the brochure:

And the 1 to 8 format in their eyeshadows. (9 is an eyeliner)

Sparkly & flash closeup from 1-5 (will make better photos soon):

And 6 to eyeliner:

Swatches over RBR Time Defying Foundation in Wheatgrass:

The pigmentation of the colours are a bit of a mixed bag. I probably swatched the best ones before my impulse purchase. However, it still makes my purchase a good value.

1. One of those imo useless white (tinge of rose) shades that's oftenly in the Adult-industry sector or on girls who are a bit clueless/beginning with makeup. Ok, slightly exaggerated, but not the most convincing of highlighter eyeshadows. It is quite pigmented but I do not like the frosty/chalky quality of this.

2. A more buttery variant of 1...still a bit too chalky for my liking but it merges to a more skin-appropriate colour

3. Now we're getting to better shades (no greys intended)! A softly flecked golden peach that makes that delightful pop on the middle of the moving eyelid.

4. YES to PEACH! A slightly pinked peach that got me into this palette. The texture is buttery and it has the right satiny luminescence.

5. PEEEENK! Talking about fashionbloggers (and yes, I read them) that it will match those heap of pink coats they have been buying lately. Guilty, I  have one too but bought it before the hype. As for the texture, satiny bordering to matte.

6. "I thought it was Taupe" but it translate as a brownish Charcoal on my skin. Mmm, odd. It lacked a bit of pigmentation, however, it glides evenly over the skin so the texture is quite good.

7. Darn, look at how pretty it looks in the pan: pure mauve delight! And then it has this uneven application (3 swipes on that little spot).

8. Mmm, Chrismassy hue! A purple with multicoloured flecks with a reddish base...An even application and the flecks are not glitters but shimmery goodness.

9. Wow, an eyeliner in a palette that is actually good! This eyeliner stayed put after I washed the eyeshadows away. I love the matte-black colour, it swipes perfectly in one swipe without feathering and that is even in the 'crooky' part of my arm.

Conclusion: 

Not too bad for an impulse buy. It does need a good primer and not all eyeshadows have a good quality about them, but some are surprisingly nice. The plastic case is a bit cheap but for the price it's a nice addition for someone beginning in makeup or people who will always need more nuances in their eyeshadows.

Palette Swatch Project: Givenchy Travel (older version)

Travel palettes on Airports are those alluring boxes that can either be a treasure box or a total lure-a-crappy. Excuse my not-so-French but they stare at you in the Duty-free shops and they look like everything and more you have ever wanted in a palette: all colours, textures for different facial parts and...ofcourse...that flashy designer logo that looks so haute when you tediously apply your makeup in the airplane.

But let's face it...some can be really bad. How often can you really swatch a palette in that Duty free shop and how clear-minded are you at that time being? Meh, right? You're either into pre-holiday haze or business-stressness.

Enter Givenchy (read Pink Sith's article of how to pronounce it: here and lust over their latest lipstick). I think I have it for a couple of years now, but it looks hardly used: for a reason, this time.

  So we have a thicker palette with a double layers...me like me some double layers...So how is the treasure box doing so far?

 On first glance: it's doing well. It's versatile with many fun & neutral colours for eyes.

 A handy powder and a slightly brick-toned blush for the cheeks.

Some flesh, peach & reddish brown coloured lipsticks...
So it's "craptasticness" is not about the colours: I totally love the mixture of neutrals with a bit of sparkly blue for the eyes. And it's paintedness is good too: you have almost all of the face featured. This time it is texture/durability

Good test, the eyeshadows:

This is also a premium example of HOW GOOD Edward Bess Eyeshadow Primer in Suede works -stripe in the middle-: it totally makes craptastic eyeshadows do the thing they were supposed to do: show up and give colour. The rest of the faded out parts beyond that fleshy-browned stripe in the middle is the exact same amount of eyeshadow as in the middle: so do we see anything of that? Big Meh!

The lipsticks show up better:

 Only this time its texture: they are that oldfashioned lipstick fraganced quality that was good when there weren't newer formulas.

The blush isn't that fantastic either: texture-wise (see swatch).
The powder...ehm, let's say it's neutrally useless.

Last but not least: the Mascara. Parad'eyes is one of their older versions.
Basically, it was too dried up when I tried to use it so I cannot review this one.

Conclusion: Don't get tempted by every palette on the field! Especially when hitting Duty-free shops...(or buy some Edward Bess eyeprimer to make it work for eyes and carry it around like your newborn baby)

Palette Swatching Project: Maquillage Alexander Wang BR365

In the category "so many new collections, but what about some of the past?" I'll continue to swatch my precious limited editions for you.

*So I am not going to discuss colours in depth, but more the useful-ness of the palette*

as 'palette-ness' has certain standards of *compatible colours* travel-friendly *nice exterior for showing in public* not-too-messy* etc

Alexander Wang was an upcoming designer when he collaborated with Shiseido Maquillage in 2009. Fastforward to 2013:  Everybody who frequently wants to buy something fashionable knows who this Mr Wang is, as his name has become quite the household name in fashion. Or, that bag with the studs at the bottom.

small letters top-left says "a collaboration with a new talent".

The line consisted of their gorgeous eyeshadow palettes and some lipsticks too. In the line of Maquillage the colours are neutrals and this particular Br365 consists of a beautiful collection of taupes, mushroom beige and the red-flecked black eyeliner.

I bought this palette in 2009 more as being incredibly into everything that Maquillage released. Somehow, I forgot to swatch it for the blog, so I am truly late :

In Maquillage's mode, the instructions are in Japanese on the rear of the palette:

Swatches: warm light: 

• the three on the left are powders of the top row in same order (no 2,3,4)
• the two on the right (1 & 5) are cream formulas placed in the bottom of the palette
• the consistency of all powder e/s are buttery and smooth (no dud texture/shade)
• the creams can be used as either an eyeliner as an eyeliner base
• The black on the right has reddish flecks in it, quite beautiful (best seen in upper swatch)
• the cream swatches are good and pigmented.

Swatches in cold daylight:

The palette is really on the go perfect. When I look at Alexander Wang's contemporary designs, they still match his aesthetic of neutral colours with a dash of daring.

All textures are high quality: even that weird white colour that is frequently featured with Japanese e/s palettes. Not that the colour white is weird but often the featured white comes with too much glitter, chalky or hardly any colour-payoff: this is a useful whitish base with a tinge of silver/mushroom beige inside.

As the aesthetics: it's a minimalistic, matte black exterior with a matte & glossy look enhancing the sleek monochomatic M. This totally fits Alexander Wang's fashion aesthetic combined with Maquillage mature feel. Or, perfect for showing off when topping up your eyemakup during the day (not that you would really need it, as the pigmentation and hold of the eyeshadows is really good).

The only complaint about the palette is the messiness:

A palette who has both powder & cream units have the danger of transferring them into each other. This happened to my palette as well.

Still, I have it for 3 years now and it is not that messy yet, so the design and the borders between the separate units are quite good.

Overall, I really like this palette and am glad I found it in my stash again. Why did I forget about it in the first place?

Upcoming posts

• Blush-palettes are the latest thing?

Nope, I've seen it before by Shiseido Maquillage. I was remembered by Frontrowbeauty's FOTD how fantastic these are, and will compare them with the Le Metier de Beaute's one.

•  More on the Palette Swatching project:

I finally will swatch The Shiseido Maquillage Alexander Wang palette. It has been a couple of years old when Alexander Wang was an upcoming designer.

• Black is the new black

This amazing post made me buy a Pixi Endless eyeliner pencil. I will compare them with my other 5 fave black eyeliner pencils to see how they can be different in their eyepencil blackness.

The Palette Swatching project: Julie Hewett Boudoir

I have been lacking on the colour-front lately. Somewhat I feel saturated with the heaps of stuff that I hardly can store around. So I decided to swatch the things that I have, starting with ♥palettes♥.

What I love about palettes...

• Often colour-coordinated (not always, and sometimes they add the funniest colours aside)
• smaller sizes to try out (I cannot remember once that I finished one eyeshadow completely, this is perfect for the fickle and experimental amoung the makeupsquad)
• travel-friendly (most of them)

• the treat-factor: so nice to give to other people, but most to yourself when you were good (or you were bad and you try to make yourself feel better about it)
• Sometimes eyes only, sometimes blush and lip, sometimes lip...what's next?
• "Hurray, a new limited edition!" Want Want Want (for no particular reason, makes me go to that Rolling Stones song again, "you can't always get what you want...you get what you neeeeeed"      

Julie Hewett palettes are made of cardboard and keep looking sleek and glossy even after being toted around by me:

They have 4 colours inside:

 

• one specifically for lip (Vampie) 
• Cleo is a overal highlighter but pigmented enough for eyes
• Natural is their Cheekie blush: I have this in full-size and it makes an awesome shader
• Goldie is  a frosty gold and more a highlighter 

However, all have a cream-formula so they are multiple-applicable for the total face.

SWATCHES (natural, cool light & 1 layer )

Visuals:

• Vampie applies beautifully on the lips: both as a flush stain, or more sophisticaded as a burgundy lipstick
• Cleo's lasting power is long and works even longer over a primer (UDPP)
• Natural has already been a favourite blush of mine (read here comparing hybrid blush)
• Goldie looks wonderfully layered over other eyeshadows or fantastic in the inner corner of eyes making them larger

CONCLUSION:
I enjoy this palette for the excellent Julie Hewitt quality inside, the versatility of the different colours, the naturalness of the total colour-scheme without going too safe (by keeping the lipshade sensually deep).   Also the thin-ness of the palette is like a little notebook easy for carrying around. It also carries the minimum of colours that it doesn't complicate people not being into a multitude of products, and the cream-formula is easy on the makeup-minimalists too. The exterior cardboard isn't perhaps the most luxury one but that also means it doesn't break either. As for hygiene? When you take out clean brushes this wouldn't be the largest problem. At least, it doesn't get (too) messy because all formulas are creams, whereas some palettes mixing creams with powders can get messy with powders ending up in the creams.

Availability:
Gosh, I've just wrote this whole review seeing it has been discontinued...Darn, still keeping it up as her other palettes have a similar quality/value (see some sold here and here).