Kat Von D Serpentina Eyeshadow Palette

So this is what an impulse buy looks like. Yep, a little while ago when I realised that this palette wasn't going to be around much longer I just HAD to have it, so 'Add to Cart' I did. I didn't need another eyeshadow palette, and I certainly didn't need one with such bright, rainbow shades that can't be used on a daily basis, but, even though I open this up and just stare at it longingly way more than I actually use it, I still don't regret buying it. It's an addiction!

The Kat Von D Serpentina palette contains 8 colourful shades plus a loose gold pigment that can be used alone or over the top of other shadows.

It comes in nice, solid cardboard packaging that closes with a satisfying magnetic catch. It also has a fairly decent size mirror on the inside of the lid.

It's definitely not one of the most practical eyeshadow palettes out there and I find I really have to plan specific looks to get any use out of it, but it's so pretty to look at so I can forgive it's shortcomings, which there are a few of unfortunately.

Firstly, it really needs a nude or lighter shade that can be used as a base and built upon. I find that I reach for one of my nude palettes first before using this one as some extra colour in the crease or as a highlight.

Some of the shades really are beautiful to use and are highly pigmented while others are a bit disappointing and don't show up very well at all.

(Kat Von D Serpentina Palette - L-R - Prophet, Bloodmilk, Medusa, Ankh, Queen, Hieroglyph, Nile, Scarab, Venom)

Here is a little breakdown of the shades:
* Bloodmilk - probably the most disappointing shade in the whole palette. Looks like it should be a spectacular matte red in the pan but ends up being so hard to swatch and get any pigment out of on the lid. Good for blending with other shades but not any good for using on it's own.
* Medusa - this one is a dark, antique gold that has good pigmentation and is nice to blend out. This one is probably as close to a base shade as you can get with this palette.
* Ankh - a dark brown/black with a golden shimmer mixed through. Very hard to blend and can look more dirty on the eye rather than smoky. Good to use to slightly darken the crease or to blend out edges but not much else.
* Queen - a dark burgundy that is nice to blend and has pretty good coverage.
* Hieroglyph - a coppery-orange shade that seems like it should be so much brighter when applied that when it really it.
* Nile - a gorgeous royal blue with a pretty sheen when applied. This one has nice, strong pigmentation and is one of the better shades in the palette.
* Scarab - a pretty, dark green that is definitely the best performing shade as far as pigmentation and blendability go. This one is my favourite.
* Venom - a medium purple with a matte finish. This is the second most disappointing shade. It's very sheer and almost impossible to build up or even out. Such a shame as it looks so pretty in the pan.
* Prophet loose pigment - a pretty, shimmery gold that works great as a highlight shade or for some extra oomph over the top of another on the lid. This one can be very easy to go overboard with though if you're not careful and accidentally pick too much up on your brush.

(L-R - Prophet, Bloodmilk, Medusa, Ankh)

(L-R - Queen, Hieroglyph, Nile, Scarab, Venom)

Overall, it's a palette that definitely has some hits and misses but if you are a Kat Von D fan or just like to have palettes that are more pretty on the eye rather than practical then this one is for you. I'm pretty sure you can still get them on E-bay right now if you feel like being impulsive like me.

What makeup product have you bought on a whim but ended up hardly using?

Have a great week everyone!

Michelle xx

The Balm 'Balm Jovi Rockstar Palette'

First things first, the only reason I purchased this palette was because of the name. I seriously didn't care what was in it, I just love the name of this palette and it makes me giggle every time I use it. Being a bit of a closet rock fan this palette literally 'sings' to be every time I look at it.

Novelty fun factor aside, this palette really is awesome and I just love how versatile it is. You can create a nice, subtle neutral/nude look as well as a more deeper smokey eye look depending on what you want to go for and it is a great one to take away for a few nights as it contains everything you'd need.

There are twelve eyeshadows in a great mix of matte and shimmery shades, a highlighter, a powder blush plus two lip/cheek creams.

It has a cute heart shaped mirror under the lid flap which is a good, decent size for using on the go. The shadows are easy to blend and buildable shades which don't seem to have too much fallout when applied.

It also contains four suggested looks on the bottom flap in case you are in need of a bit of inspiration on what look to go for.

The highlighter is out of this world in the shimmer stakes so a light hand is needed when using it but it does give a really pretty glow. I also love the powder blush shade as it's a great, everyday shade that goes with pretty much any look.

The cream lip/cheek shades are at both ends of the scale, with a nudish pink for everyday wear and a bright, intense red for a more playful makeup look.

(Eyeshadows - Metal-ica, Adagio, Blink 182, Iron Main-in, Allegro, The Stroke)

(Eyeshadows - Lead Zeppelin, Moderato, rem, Alice Cooper, Presto, Third Eye Blinded)

(Highlighter - Solid Gold and Powder Blush - Don't You Want Me?)

(Lip/Cheek Creams - Milly and Vanilly)

Overall, if you are a bit of a palette junkie like me then you will probably want this one purely for the novelty factor. I definitely get a lot of use out of it when travelling overnight as it's so easy to chuck in my makeup bag along with a mascara and some foundation and I know I have a complete makeup set at my fingertips.

Surprisingly enough, the cardboard packaging has stayed in pretty good condition too even after a fair amount of use and being knocked around in a bag. That's one thing that always concerns me with The Balm products but I haven't had any issues with the packaging on this one yet.

Does anyone else buy products purely for the novelty factor without caring what it actually contains or is that just me?

I hope you all have a lovely day!

Michelle xx

Becca 'Jaclyn Hill' Champagne Collection Face Palette

So, I have debated writing a review on this palette for months and originally wasn't going to do one because it has kind of been reviewed to death since being released. But, being that it has become a staple in my makeup wardrobe I finally decided that I might as well give my two cents on it as well.

First thing to get out of the way first is this: How friggin' pretty is this damn palette?? I literally hate touching it every time I use it because it is a fingerprint magnet and I just can't seem to stop myself stroking it just a little every time I open it. Yep, I know I have a big problem! But look at it! Just look at it!!! I think it definitely has to be the prettiest and decadent thing that sits on my makeup table at the moment.

(Left to Right - Top Row - Rose Spritz, Amaretto, Pamplemousse - Bottom Row - Champagne Pop, Prosecco Pop)

This palette is so unbelievably versatile and if I had to choose between one face palette to take with me to a deserted island, I think this would be my choice. It contains three totally different shades of blush plus two absolutely gorgeous highlighters and all of the shades are suitable for pretty much any makeup look you may be going for.

The three shades of blush are as follows:
Rose Spritz - This is such a beautiful rose gold shade that contains a hint of shimmer. This one is my most used shade as it goes with absolutely any makeup look and it great for days when I don't feel like doing the whole blush and highlighting thing because it has the pretty shimmer contained in it already.
Amaretto - This is a pretty caramel shade that I find great as a contour for my pale skin tone. I never really like to use shades like this as a blush as they kind of always make my face look dirty but as a contour it rocks.
Pamplemousse - Aside from the name of this shade which seriously makes me smile every time I think about it, this is the most amazing but also terrifying bright pink with a small hint of coral. I use this one very lighthanded as it can easily become a bit clown-like if over-applied.

(Left to Right - Rose Spritz, Amaretto, Pamplemousse)

(With flash)

 As for the highlighters:
Champagne Pop - A pretty gold shimmer with a hint of peachy-pink. This highlighter is super-duper-duper shimmery and can look a little 'disco-ball' if too much is applied. But, if you have a light hand and are strategic with your application of this one, it is truly to die for.
Prosecco Pop - A true gold shimmer that is one of my favourite highlight shades ever. It's not as scary as Champagne Pop so is a little bit more versatile and I love how it leaves a pretty, gold sheen to my face when applied.

(Left to Right - Champagne Pop, Prosecco Pop)

(With flash)

The palette itself is nice and sturdy and even though it is ridiculously reflective, it's easy enough to keep clean and I see it lasting for quite some time. It also contains a nice, decent sized mirror underneath the lid which I really like.

This palette was my first time trying any of the Becca face powders and I really am impressed with how well they perform. They blend like a dream and really do have great colour payoff.

So, that's my two cents worth on this very popular palette. I really do recommend buying it if you've been thinking about it but haven't acted because I promise that you won't be disappointed. I bought mine online from Sephora Australia and I'm pretty sure they are still available for around $89.

Has anyone else fallen in love with this palette as well??

I hope everyone has a wonderful Christmas!!

Michelle xx

The Balm 'How 'Bout Them Apples?' Cheek and Lip Palette

A little while ago I did a little haul of some The Balm products as it's a brand that I hadn't had much exposure to before. There was no way I could resist the How 'Bout Them Apples? Lip and Cheek Palette as it just looked so cute.

This palette comes in the signature cardboard packaging that The Balm are known for which is probably the one thing that I'm not a huge fan of as I can see it getting very dirty and showing a lot of wear and tear after a while. It has a flip top lid that contains quite a large mirror underneath and it is slim enough so that it doesn't feel too bulky to hold when using it.

On the back of the packaging is a list of the shades contained in the palette with little colour swatches as well.

Packaging aside, this palette contains six gorgeous creamy shades that can be used either on the lips or cheeks. The shades are all very versatile for any occasion, they are all easy to blend and don't end up patchy like some other cream products can on my skin. They are also very pigmented and a little goes a long way.

Each shade wears for a good couple of hours on my lips (with eating and drinking involved) and can last all day when I wear them as a cream blush.

I generally like to use cream makeup products on my skin when it is feeling a bit dry and I don't want anything emphasized by using powder type products so these get quite a bit of a workout when I am having no-so-good skin days.

The six shades swatched in order above are Cider (a pretty pinky nude), Pie (a nice bright pink), Candy (a more muted rose pink), Cobbler (a gorgeous red), Crisp (a shimmery pink) and Caramel (a darker browny nude).

I alternate between using all of them on my lips depending on what look I'm going for but my favourite shades to use on my cheeks as a blush are Cider, Pie and Candy. I have also used Caramel as a contour shade when in a hurry and it works really well this way when blended out.

The Balm's How 'Bout Them Apples? Lip and Cheek Palette can be bought almost anywhere that stocks The Balm products and seems to retail for around $34.95.

Has anyone else tried this palette? What are your favourite The Balm products?

I hope everyone has had a lovely weekend!

Michelle xx

Napoleon Perdis Nude U Eyes, Cheeks and Brows Palette - I've Never Loved Going Nude So Much!

So a little while ago I decided to treat myself to a little gift. As I have mentioned previously I have been feeling a bit crappy lately due to having quite a few unexpected problems with my second pregnancy which has included having skin that has turned into the surface of the planet Mars.

Due to this I've toned down my use of bright makeup a lot and have been focusing more on covering my horrible skin as best as I can and keeping the rest of my look as polished and un-attention seeking as possible.

Hence my recent love for this wonderful palette!

I have always had a bit of a soft spot for Napoleon Perdis products and have never really been disappointed by any that I have tried. After seeing rave after rave of the Nude U Eyes, Cheeks and Brows Palette everywhere, I seriously could not resist getting my hands on one when I was browsing through my local David Jones one day.

Isn't it pretty??

This is seriously one versatile palette and using it has reduced my getting ready time substantially in the mornings.

I have become a bit obsessed with using a combination of the second shade on the top row as a base all over my eyelids, then using the shade on far right on the bottom row blended in the outer corner along with the darkest brown in my crease. I also love using the purple shade as a quick eyeliner to brighten the look ever so slightly.

I also love using the shade on the far right of the bottom row to fill in my brows as it matches them perfectly. The first shade on the top row makes such a lovely inner corner and cheekbone highlighter too and any of the browner shades would be great for contouring if you really wanted to make the most out of this great little palette!

Now, for some swatches:

Napoleon Perdis Nude U Palette - Top Row

Napoleon Perdis Nude U Palette - Bottom Row

One other thing I love about this palette is how soft and blendable the powders are. The shades are all buildable in their intensity and they blend like there's no tomorrow. I find that they last most of the work day without creasing too which is something that I have problems with quite often because of my stupid hooded eyes.

Have you tried this little gem of a palette yet? Is it just me or has Napoleon Perdis really stepped things up a level with their products lately?

I hope everyone has a lovely weekend.

Michelle xx

Disappointment of the Month - Revlon PhotoReady Sculpting Blush Palette in Pink Rose

Well it's been quite a while since I have been disappointed enough in a product to write a post about it but I felt like I really needed to give my thoughts on this one.

I purchased this palette in the last Priceline sale as I own a lot of Revlon products and have never really hit on anything bad from them before, until now!

This palette looked great in-store. It contains a contour shade, a blush and a highlighter as well as a mini application brush and a built-in mirror in the lid.

If you're a regular reader of this blog you will know how much I love my all-in-one palettes so it is very hard for me to resist buying ones that catch my eye. Unfortunately I just can't find much that is positive to say about this one no matter how much I try.

The shades are all so very chalky and sheer and barely show up at all on my fair skin tone. They also contain a huge amount of shimmer so rather than seeing any colour on your skin you just see three different amounts of shimmer wherever it has been applied.

Also, one thing I really dislike is the fact that the powders seem to all get a bit of a hard seal on the top that makes it even harder to get any colour payoff unless you drag your brush over the top of them multiple times. 

I tried so hard to get a good photo of this product and it just wasn't happening. I had to swatch each shade no less than around 10 times just to get enough colour to show up in the below photos.

(Left to right - Contour shade, Blush shade, Highlighter shade - no flash)

(Left to right - Contour shade, Blush shade, Highlighter shade - with flash)

As I don't own any other products from this range, I'm guessing that Revlon's definition of PhotoReady means having no colour on your face whatsoever but lots and lots of shimmer!

Such a shame.....

Have you had any products disappoint you this month? I'd love to hear of any!

Have a great day.

Michelle xx