The Go-To Eyeshadow Duo

bareMinerals READY 2.0 Eyeshadow in The Nick of Time - £20*

This post has been on my 'To Write' list for absolutely ages and it is safe to say that this beautiful eyeshadow duo from bareMinerals no longer looks as pristine as it does in the photos above! Since I was kindly sent this a few months ago it has been well and truly loved and I don't think I have reached for anything else during the last few hectic months at University. Everybody needs a perfect matte brown and a neutral cream duo to put in their handbag and The Nick of Time* has become an absolute staple in makeup routine. 

The bareMinerals READY eyeshadows are serious rivals of my favourite Urban Decay shadows. The shadows are highly pigmented, particularly the darker shade Kismet, and they are so soft that they glide onto the lid and blend effortlessly. They have a smooth and buttery texture and they're just such a pleasure to use, especially when you're in a rush as there's never any need to worry about fall out. As for the shades, Chance is a lovely cream shade that I think would suit both warm and cool skin tones. It's primarily a matte shade but it has tiny, finely milled white glitter in it that adds a little bit of texture and dimension to a matte duo. For an everyday, subtle neutral eye I like to wash Chance over the lid, under the arch of my eyebrow and dab a tiny bit into my inner corner as a minimal highlight. The darker shade, Kismet, actually really surprised me. I didn't expect to love it as much as I do but it's truly one of the prettiest brown shades I own. I think I'm in love with the red, warm undertones of Kismet as it really makes my green eyes pop and there's just something different and unusual about it that sets it apart from the rest of my brown shadows. 

As for the packaging, it's just as sturdy and luxurious as the rest of the READY collection. The mirror is just the right size for touch ups and the little sponge applicator is actually quite handy and great quality. Usually I completely disregard the applicators as they fall apart but this one applies the shadows rather well. 

I've already added to my collection of bareMinerals READY shadows and picked up the Perfect 10 palette in one of their flash sales which contains 6 other eyeshadows that are just as lovely in formulation, pigmentation and application as The Nick of Time. I have my eye on The Hollywood Ending duo for its incredible green shade Dazzle and The Dream Sequence quad.

Have you tried any of the READY eyeshadows? Or do you have any of your wishlist?

I'd love to know in the comments below!

*contains a PR sample.

Review & Swatches | Stila In the Light Palette

Maybe I should just let the pictures do the talking on this one? Say hello to Stila's In the Light palette and my new obsession. The shade selection is what immediately caught my eye and swayed me into spending even more money on eyeshadow (but I'm so so glad I did!) The palette contains the perfect mixture of 6 shimmers and 4 matte shades that can be worn dry and wet. The swatches below are all taken dry but the shadows transform into even more pigmented and opaque shades when applied wet (applying the matte shades wet really improves their pigmentation and staying power!)

The eyeshadows themselves contain talc, an ingredient that initially concerned me as it can often make the shadows powdery or crumbly. The Stila shadows, however, feel rather creamy and leave a smooth, velvety finish on the lids. As for colour pay off, the shimmery shades are extremely pigmented and so beautiful. The shimmer shadows are quite soft, so you should use a gentle hand to apply and I find that Kitten and Bubbly appear almost metallic with their light-reflecting finish. I immediately found the matte shades to be less pigmented than the shimmers but the formulation of the shadows does help you build up colour nd blend easily. I also haven't noticed any fallout, even from the shimmery shades, which is something even the Urban Decay shimmer shadows do!

The selection of shades and finishes make this a truly versatile palette - there's really a shade for every kind of eyeshadow look. Overall, the palette contains more warm toned shadows but there are a few cooler shades mixed in. You can create an all matte look with the 4 shades Bare, Bliss, Sandstone and Ebony and there are endless amounts of day and night looks you can experiment with. I'm completely in love with Kitten, the most perfect champagne shade and I think it even rivals my favourite over the lid shade by Too Faced - 'Silk Teddy'. The beautiful blue shade Night's Sky was a colour I admired from afar but assumed I wouldn't really use it. However it completely surprised me by becoming one of my most reached for shades and I can't stop wearing it - even during the daytime!

Below are two of my favourite combinations so far:
~ Kitten all over the lid, Bare in the crease, Sunset as a transition colour and in the outer corner with Sandstone along the bottom lashes.
~ Kitten all over the lid with Night Sky in the crease and Ebony in the outer corner.

The palette also contains a Smudge Stick Waterproof Liner in Damsel, a very wearable dark brown shade. It glides on easily and smudges nicely but begins to set quite quickly - if you want a smudged effect I'd blend it out quickly. This staying power is due to the liner being waterproof which makes it perfect for the waterline and, as I often struggle with finding liners that stay put in the waterline, I was very impressed at how long the Smudge Stick lasted! The only annoying thing about the liner it comes in a retractable form without a sharpener so creating a sharp point is quite difficult if you were looking to create a fine line on the lid!

As for the packaging, my photos don't really show how beautiful the rose-gold palette is. It's pretty yet minimalistic and the lid contains a huge mirror underneath which is very handy! The only criticism I would have is that the palette is made of cardboard and, even though it's not bulky,I do worry about how well this will wear in my bag - although this was a concern of mine when I reviewed the Balm's Nude Tude palette and I've never had a problem so maybe cardboard is more sturdy than it initially appears!

Stila's In the Light palette retails for £25 which I think is a wonderful price - especially as it contains a Smudge Stick and the famous shade Kitten. You can purchase it online from Stila, Marks & Spencer, Feel Unique and other various beauty stores (if you're a member of Birchbox it's available on their shop too - I used my points to purchase mine!)

Have you ever tried Stila's In the Light palette?

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Review & Swatches | the Balm Nude 'tude Eyeshadow Palette

(Swatches left to right: Sassy, Snobby, Stubborn, Stand-offish, Selfish, Sultry, Sophisticated, Seductive, Sexy, Silly, Serious, Sleek)

the Balm Nude 'tude palette £24.99 (or £26.50 from feelunique)

Just over a month ago, I found myself in need of a new neutral palette. I'd hit pan on a couple of my favourite shades in my Naked 2 palette (mostly the highlighting and lighter shades, seriously does anyone ever hit pan on black eyeshadow?) and I found myself in an exciting and rare scenario where I actually needed to buy another palette and I wouldn't feel guilty about the purchase. My first instinct was to head straight to an Urban Decay counter and check out the original Naked or the Naked 3 but, as I was browsing the Birchbox shop, I stumbled across this palette from the Balm!