Paula's Choice - The Nudes Matte Palette REVIEW!

I happen to come across a You Tube Review on this new eye shadow palette by Paula's Choice.  I am a sucker for any new eye shadow palette. 

Take a peek at the review here:

What is it?  It is the new "The Nudes Mattes Eye Shadow Palette".  

As a make up artist and beauty guru - I love trying new products. 

Make up .... for me .... is my creative outlet.  

So, when I saw this palette being reviewed - I was intrigued.  Mostly - because I truly do love all the neutral palettes that are out there and I loved the fact that his palette was all matte!

I am closely approaching 50 years old and so - the shimmer does not always work on me!  The review on You Tube got me wondering - just how wonderful IS this palette?  

Honestly, I had never heard of Paula's Choice.  

I've been a faithful skin care user of Estee Lauder and Clinique for 30+ years.  

And I recently became a consultant for Rodan + Field. I LOVE their skin care line and I love the fact that they make skin care simple to follow - step 1, 2, 3 and 4!   

So, I decided to take the plunge and spend the $40.00 for the eye shadow palette.

I have to say - the shipping and turn around time was incredible! I ordered it and in less than a week - it arrived at my door step.  The eye shadow was packed well, although the box it arrived in was quite beat up.  

I always love opening a new eye shadow palette when it arrives. It's like Christmas in a box!  You never truly know what you are getting until you open it and begin to use it!

When I opened the eye shadow palette - I will tell you - my first impression was not very good.  

I was very disappointed with the packaging. The eye shadow palette itself was made of a cardboard container and it was very flimsy.  

With the new Urban Decay Naked 2 and 3 Palettes being in a super nice metal package - well, the packaging on this one got a D-.   

I was so disappointed.  To be honest, I am not a fan of the cardboard packaging. I know many of the $40 price range palette's come with this sort of packaging - I - just don't like it.

I think one of the things us ... beauty guru's love about make up ... is the creative packaging.  

We love something whimsical and something creative!  When I think of exciting, fun and adventurous make up - I think of Urban Decay, Rouge Bunny Rouge,  Too Faced or The Balm - they all have that special feminine flair to them.  

Do you know what I mean?

When I purchase make up - I want quality and value! 

So, when I dove in to use this palette for the first time - I was not expecting much.  

I was thinking it would have a drugstore quality to it.  HOWEVER ... I was humbled and surprised when I started to apply it!

Once I got it on my brush and then onto my eyes - I was OH SO HAPPY!  I really started to do the happy dance in my heart.

What they lost in packaging they made up for it in quality and then some! 

Not only did the eye shadows apply like butter - they truly had great coverage, highly pigmented and they blended flawlessly.   I mean one dab of my brush into the color - one swoop on the eye lid and it covered OH SO well.

Each color in the palette was special.  I know that is hard to say for a neutral palette - but they truly are SPECIAL! 

When I was applying the eye shadow - they really reminded me of a Burberry eye shadows.   

I put the eye shadow on - and I was SO thrilled at how it turned out!  The shadows went on like a charm and they lasted ALL day!  Of course, I used my Milani Eye Shadow Primer underneath them - to be sure they lasted all day and they did! 

If you are on the fence about whether to get this eye shadow palette or not - I would say - GET IT!  

Especially if you have aging eyes like me - or if you need a great gift idea for Mother's Day.  This would be the perfect holiday gift for any aging woman in your life! 

I just know the matte eye shadows don't show off the fine lines and wrinkles! 

Well, really .... any woman of any age would love this palette! This palette is perfect for any day time look - and it would work wonderful to create a sultry smokey eye as well.

This eye shadow palette turned around BIG TIME and I rate it an A+ in my book.  I can easily see me reaching for this daily!  

The only thing I would love to see with some of these cosmetic companies - is more creativity in the packaging of these palette's.  

So much of the joy of using these palette's is in the packaging. 

This palette ranks up there now .... with some of my favorite eye shadow palettes ..... 

• MAC Cosmetics - Create Your Own Palettes
• INGLOT - Create Your Own Palettes 
• Urban Decay - Naked Palettes 1, 2, 3
• Lorac - Pro Palette
• The Balm - Nude Tude Palette 
• Tarte - Matte Magnificent Palette
• IT Cosmetics - Naturally Pretty Palette 
• Smashbox - Full Exposure Palette 

A Review of the Smashbox's Must Have Metallics in the Rose Gold Kit!

I am a sucker for anything pink, rose or mauve. Anytime I see something with a bit of pink in it, I have to touch, feel and swatch it. Like most make up artists - they love color and they love the texture and feel of products.

In addition to loving pinks, I love kits! Why? Because it is a great and inexpensive way to try new products ... items that I might not be quick to buy on their own.

I first saw this kit when I was browsing through the Ulta catalog and I thought I would swing by for a very mini-haul.

A couple quick facts on this kit ....

This kit is $39 and for that amazing price you get...

• a beautiful soft lights blush/highlighter
• an eye shadow trio in color Rose Gold
• a full size lip gloss in color Rose Gold
• a full size angled eye shadow or contour brush (contour brush #11)  

If you were to buy each of those products individually you could easily pay close to $20 each!

When I got home, I immediately played with this product.  It's pink and so I wanted to touch it and play around with it!

The soft lights .... well, I wouldn't use this product as a blush. The soft lights is really that - created to add some light or dimension to your face. This product has alot of shine and sheen to it - so it would be perfect for a highlight either on your cheek bones or right under your brow bone. It is very beautiful but not as a blush. I personally don't like too much shine and shimmer on my cheeks. This product is very pigmented and so be sure you dab some on your brush and then apply lightly to your face unless you want to glow like a glow worm.

The eye shadow in Rose Gold is very pigmented, blends well and really provides a beautiful pink, rose eye. One sweep of the eye color and you have more than enough coverage. You can apply the lighter color for a day time look or use the darker colors to create a nice sultry smokey look. Smashbox's eye shadows always seem to have great pigment and blend well.

The lip gloss also comes in a color called Rose Gold. It is a beauty nude shade with a tad bit of rose gold under tones. But, all in all - it is really more of a nude shade with a hint of pink. It is very pretty by itself or with a nude lip stick .... or it can add some beautiful shine to your favorite lip color.  All in all - this lip gloss is a winner.  Not sticky at all.

Bottom line - this is an AMAZING kit for the price! I might have to go back and get it's companion kit the Smashbox's Must Have Metallics in Chic Copper! This truly is a bargain of a price! Remember, each item in this kit is a FULL SIZED product! If you are a fan of Smashbox, you might want to take a pick at this kit or the Chic Copper!  Both of these are available at Ulta.

Smashbox's ...Must Have Metallics Kit in the color ROSE GOLD:

Smashbox's ... Must Have Metallics Kit in the color CHIC COPPER (now on my wish list):

FUN LITTLE FACTS

• I spent the day mentoring a young woman.  There is something so life-giving when we set aside time to encourage others and be apart of their life journey! 

AN ENCOURAGING WORD

• You were made to contribute something wonderful to life.  Do you know what it is?  Have you explored your heart to see what beautiful deposits are placed within you?  
• If you could do anything in life and fear was not an option, what would it be? 

What is the dream that is deep in your heart?  

  

Urban Decay Anarchy Face Case - Quick Thoughts!

Is this case worth getting?  Yes, if you love pinks!

I recently picked up the new Urban Decay Anarchy Face Kit from Sephora.  Some of the products I enjoy trying the most - are these face kits that include everything you need to complete one look - an eye shadow, eye liner, blush, highlighter and lip product all in one! I think these kits are especially helpful when you are trying a new brand.

My first thoughts in seeing this new Urban Decay face kit was a big - wow! The colors looked so pretty and when I began to play with them -  the colors really had that something special.  

If you love pinks, silvers and taupes - you will love this kit!   

I tried this palette today and I loved the staying power. I did my make up at 8 am and went all day without the need for touching up. Of course, the lip product had to be touched up after eating and drinking lots of coffee! Each of these products are highly pigmented and the colors really are stunning. 

I think for any make up fan - one of the things we love most about the products we choose - is we love color, we love texture and we love it when that make up product brings us that something "special" factor. This face kit will not let you down! 

The price runs $44.00 and to me, it is worth this price. The eye shadows have a bit of shimmer to them which is typical of an Urban Decay product. I am hitting close to 50 years old and so I have to watch how much shimmer I put on these old eye lids - but, I really do like this kit.  

I did find though, in doing my make up today with this kit - I had to bring in one of my matte MAC eye shadows for blending.  This is the one downside to this kit.  So much shimmer and sheen to these shadows that it really lacked that great matte color needed for blending and for highlighting under the brow bone .... (unless you like shimmer there).

On first glance of these blushes, I was a little worried about the bright pink blush.  I wondered if it was going to give me that "clown" face! But, in applying it - it was super pretty!  

But beware - the blush is super pigmented and a little bit goes a long way!   Both of the blushes are beautiful!  

All in all - this kit is a winner.  I can't wait for the release of all the holiday kits.  Preparing my Christmas list already!  :-)  

FUN LITTLE FACTS

• I am a wife and a mom to two teenage sons!  I have loved raising young men who respect and honor women.
• I had lunch with a dear friend today that I have mentored for years.   I met her while she was in college and now she is married and a mom to three little ones.  
• I am watching Avatar while writing this blog. 
• I've been battling a menopausal migraine for three days.  Staying joyful in it!

AN ENCOURAGING WORD

• Believe in yourself.  Don't allow the negativity of others to steal the dreams that have been planted in your heart - keep blooming!