Makeup Geek Foiled Eyeshadows (Review & Swatches)

Hello & Happy Wednesday!


Today I'm sharing my thoughts on some very exciting eyeshadows that are totally great.  I've seen a few videos on youtube raving about them but when I swatched them myself, I was blown away. They look so good in videos and photos but in person, they're much more intense.

The ten new foiled eyeshadows are available individually for $9.99 (in pan form) or as a bundle set of all ten for $89. You save a little bit of money by buying the bundle set instead of getting each individually. Either way you choose to go, you won't be disappointed. The price point is a bit higher than the traditional Makeup Geek eyeshadows but the formula is completely different which is why there's a higher price.


Let's dive into these beauties::

All ten foiled eyeshadows
L to R:
Mesmerized, Caitlin Rose, Jester, Houdini, Flame Thrower
Center Stage, Showtime, Grandstand, Magic Act, In the Spotlight

Another look :) 

Swatches & Color Descriptions::

Mesmerized 

Mesmerized 

Mesmerized~ a gorgeous taupe with a slight purple undertone. This one would be a perfect everyday color.

Caitlin Rose

Caitlin Rose

Caitlin Rose~ an iridescent purple. This shade is special because the proceeds of this eyeshadow goes to Batten Disease. If you want to know more about this generosity then head on over to the Makeup Geek youtube channel or website.

Jester

Jester

Jester~ a spring green shade that would be perfect as a pop of color to many looks. 

Houdini

Houdini

Houdini~ a deep emerald green color. This would make for a gorgeous smokey eye or even as eyeliner. 

Flame Thrower

Flame Thrower

Flame Thrower~ a stunning bold copper. I love this one so much because it intensifies my brown eyes. This color is super gorgeous smudged in the lower lash line!

Center Stage

Center Stage

Center Stage~ a deep blue with a slight purple tone. It's so beautiful but it's also not as super metallic  as the others. 

Showtime

Showtime

Showtime~ a burgundy with a touch of copper. It's a great color for smokey eyes and so perfect for the fall/winter season.

Grandstand

Grandstand

Grandstand~ a taupe-y rose gold. It looks more orange in the pan photograph but in person it looks like the swatch. 

Magic Act

Magic Act

Magic Act~ an intense champagne gold. I've worn this softly as a brow/inner corner highlight and on the center of the lid with darker colors.

In the Spotlight

In the Spotlight

In the Spotlight~ a metallic golden pinky peach. This color is gorgeous all over the lid with soft neutrals in the crease. 

As you can see, these eyeshadows are incredible. Makeup Geek did a great job formulating them and I certainly hope more colors are released soon. The claims for these is that you don't need a primer to prevent creasing nor do you need a mixing medium to intensify "foil" the finishes. All the work has been done for you! I have oily lids and wore a few of the lighter colors without primer (which I never go without) for about 3 hours and noticed creasing. I always get creasing when I don't use a primer because of my oily lids, so I wasn't surprised when these creased. If you have oily lids, I recommend using a primer to keep them looking just as intense all day long. 

Other than that, I totally love them and will continue using them day to day and in tutorials. I would definitely recommend all of them to those who love intense metallic finishes. 

I hope this post was helpful to you. If you have questions or comments, please leave them below :) You can also connect with me on Twitter & Instagram @GlamourbyLexi


*Shop these or other Makeup Geek products by clicking here ---> Makeup Geek (this is an affiliate link).

I also have a youtube beauty channel where I post beauty related things 2x a week :) Check out the link below: 

https://www.youtube.com/user/GlamourbyLexi 

Thanks for stopping by,

xoxo

~Lexi






disclaimer: these eyeshadows were paid with my own money and opinions are completely honest. The link is an affiliate one and if you choose not to order through the above link, it's ok :) 

Too Faced Semi Sweet Chocolate Bar Palette Review & Swatches

Hello all!


Wow...it's been a while since I've posted anything on this blog. I skipped last week because I had just returned from vacation but I'm back in the saddle :) Today's post is all about chocolate.....semi sweet chocolate bar palette of course! Too Faced first launched this palette back in mid December through the Sephora website and was only available to VIB and VIB Rouge members before the general public. During this time, I snagged mine on a total impulse. The semi sweet chocolate bar palette containing 16 coco powder infused eyeshadows is currently available (here and here) for $49.

I took this palette with me on my two week vacation and used it every single day. I feel like I can do a somewhat thorough review because I've used it so much. I like the color ranges available and the smell....well it's just divine. It smells just like chocolate and makes me want to eat it every time I open this bad boy! There is a mixture of textures within the eyeshadows and they range from warm to cool to a few pops of color. The mattes (7 total) are very creamy, smooth and very pigmented. The shimmers (8 total) are also pigmented and soft. The one glitter eyeshadow is just a complete dud for me.

Let's talk packaging.....

So the exterior packaging is metal and has a magnetic closure. My palette doesn't close very well, almost like the magnet isn't strong enough. Due to this small mishap, I wouldn't put this into a travel suitcase that's going to be checked in. I took this with me in my carry-on because I was afraid it would get damaged with the flight. Now, this could totally be a bad one and not that all are like this. 

Inside goodness

16 coco powder infused eyeshadows
matte and shimmer finishes
one glitter eyeshadow

First half of palette

L to R:
Caramel, Mousse, Rum Raisin, Puddin'
Pink Sugar, Cocoa Chili, Coconut Creme & Licorice

Color Descriptions (order is as they appear in palette):

Licorice~ an intense matte black

Coconut Creme~ a matte cream

Cocoa Chili~ medium brown with greenish orange sparkle----ultra fine not glitter/chunky

Pink Sugar~ an iridescent glitter pink---no pigmentation at all!

Puddin'~ a matte cool toned gray

Rum Raisin~ a shimmery taupe

Mousse~ a matte cool toned tan

Caramel~ a shimmery gold

In the first half of the palette, the only one that is just bad is Pink Sugar. The only use would be as a glitter topper for the other eyeshadows. There literally isn't any pigmentation to this one so unfortunately, I won't be using it much. 

Second half of palette

L to R:
Butter Pecan, Bon Bon, Frosting, Peanut Butter
Blueberry Swirl, Hot Fudge, Truffled & Nougat

Color Descriptions (order is as they appear in palette): 

Nougat~ a matte muted rose

Truffled~ a matte medium brown

Hot Fudge~ a shimmery rich brown with a slight coppery sparkle

Blueberry Swirl~ a shimmery blue

Peanut Butter~ a matte warm tan

Frosting~ a shimmery bronze

Bon Bon~ a shimmery rose gold

Butter Pecan~ a shimmery champagne

In the second half, the only one that was disappointing was Blueberry Swirl. When I first saw the photos on Sephora's website, I thought "wow, if this blue is as it looks, I'd be super happy". I actually wanted this blue to be intense but it's really not. I think when people see the photos, they'll think it's a random pop of color and not an everyday type of shade like the rest of the palette. It seems a bit odd for this color to be added but it can work with a little help. 

Overall, I think the palette is good. I wouldn't say it's a must have staple item. I think if you are looking for a palette that has some warm and cool toned neutral shades, then you'll enjoy it. I wish the two of the "dud" shades would have been better formulated for a much more well-rounded awesome palette. 

Have you tried the Semi Sweet Chocolate bar palette? If so, I'd love to hear your thoughts! 

***Ways to Connect with Me   | Twitter & Instagram |

@GlamourbyLexi

**My Youtube (new beauty videos posted 2x week): https://www.youtube.com/user/GlamourbyLexi


Thank you for stopping by,
xoxo
~Lexi

Zoeva Love Is A Story Eyeshadow Palette Review

Hello everyone!


I realize that I skipped last weeks post which I hardly ever do. I've been wanting to post a quick review with swatches of another Zoeva eyeshadow palette. As I mentioned in my Zoeva unboxing video (posted on my youtube channel), I ordered the Story Kit which contains four eyeshadow palettes.

Recently, Zoeva launched two more palettes to add to their palette collection. Both which are gorgeous, by the way! If you would like to browse their site, then click here :) Today I am sharing my thoughts on the Love Is A Story eyeshadow palette. This palette to me is so beautiful because it's full of great colors, from light neutrals to a few pops of color. I find that this palette overall has a bit of everything. I think this palette can please most people who love neutrals but that also like to play with colors.


Here's what all the Zoeva palettes look like. Love Is A Story is the bright purple palette on the upper right hand corner :)

Here is a view of the entire palette:

Love Is A Story

Close ups of the colors:

*I was a bit more zoomed in on this photo.

 Swatches :)

Love Is A Story
(top row)
L to R: Film Star, Affair, Past Romance, Man with a Plan, Ladylike

Film Star: a matte light cream

Affair: a soft shimmery peachy pink

Past Romance: a lavender with gold flecks *not chunky glitter :) 

Man with a Plan: a shimmery dark bronze-y brown

Ladylike: a matte bright turquoise 

This top row is the fun one that contains the pops of colors. I love the finishes, quality and the opaque pigmentation of each shade. The colors in this row are just beautiful!! I am beyond impressed with how creamy and soft these really are. I love how Ladylike (turquoise shade) is a pigmented matte....yes! matte formula. Bright mattes are notorious for being difficult to create, swatch and blend. Honestly, I can't say anything bad for these!

Love Is A Story
(bottom row)
L to R: Over You, Little Kiss, Old fashioned, Flirt, Mystery Date

Over You: a matte tan with a slight mustard tone

Little Kiss: a shimmery gold with a touch of bronze

Old fashioned: a shimmery deep smokey purple

Flirt: a matte dark grey

Mystery Date: a shimmery deep rich navy

The second row, as you can see, is the one that contains the neutral shades. I love how this palette gives you several dark options for creating smokey looks. I also love how Over You and Flirt are in matte formulas which are great for crease/transition shades. Mystery Date swatch didn't photograph well but it's definitely a shimmery rich navy not black as it appears above.

Overall, I love this palette! It swatches great, offers lots of options and looks incredible. I truly think many of you will enjoy this palette and will be able to create tons of different looks. As I've said in my previous Zoeva post (here) I really recommend these palettes. The Story Palette Kit (first photo shown above) is $73 USD for four palettes. If you would like to purchase these individually, they'll cost $21.50 USD a piece. I think the price is great being that it's much more affordable than some of the more well known higher end brands and I think the quality of these are just as good if not better :) Also, you'll have to convert the currency on the website to USD if you're in the U.S.A. since this brand is German. 

I hope this quick review was helpful for you. Let me know your thoughts if you've tried these or if you have questions about Zoeva! 

****Connect with Me on Twitter & Instagram****

@GlamourbyLexi

Also, check out my YouTube beauty channel for beauty related videos 2x a week: https://www.youtube.com/user/GlamourbyLexi

Thank you for stopping by,

xoxo

~Lexi 

Zoeva Naturally Yours Eyeshadow Palette

Hello everyone & Welcome back to my blog!



Today's post is going to be a quick review on one of the eyeshadow palettes by Zoeva Cosmetics. For those of you that aren't familiar with Zoeva, it's a German cosmetic brand that offers makeup and brushes. This brand has an extensive range of individual brushes as well as some awesome makeup brush sets. Zoeva from what I've seen and heard is pretty popular for their amazing quality and price on brushes, which is true by the way. I do plan on doing a review on a brush set I got last month some time soon...stay tuned! Apart from makeup brushes, Zoeva sells eyeshadow palettes, eyeliners, concealer palettes, lipsticks as well as blushes. Basically, they have a little of everything and there's no doubt they'll continue expanding the range.

This post is going to focus on the Naturally Yours palette, which is also part of the Story Palettes Kit. This palette is full beautiful basic neutral colors that I believe everyone needs to own. This palette in my opinion is a complete everyday palette or one that can be used in conjunction with some of your other favorite eyeshadow colors. Naturally Yours palette consists of 10 great sized eyeshadows that are paraben free and mineral oil free!

Naturally Yours, Love Is A Story,
Retro Future & Rodeo Belle

The Naturally Yours palette is located in the upper left hand corner in the picture above. I really love the packaging of each eyeshadow palette. The packaging is made of sturdy cardboard material much like other popular U.S. cosmetic brands. The one draw back is that each palette lacks a mirror which can be an issue for some. It honestly doesn't bother me but the no mirror thing can be difficult when traveling.


Let's get into the colors :)

Naturally Yours

Naturally Yours

Naturally Yours

The color range is awesome and provides enough variety to create various neutral based looks. I think having a palette with these colors is essential to every makeup collection. Out of the 10 eyeshadows there are 5 matte finishes and the rest are shimmery.


Swatches of Naturally Yours....

 Overall, I am really impressed with the quality, pigmentation and creaminess of each colors within this palette. I am so happy I ordered the Story Palettes Kit. If you would like to order this palette or the Story Palettes Kit, then click here. The Story Palettes Kit is $73 USD (you have to select USA in order for the website to convert the currency into USD). You can also purchase each palette individually for $21.50 USD. Super affordable price for the set and for each individually. I have been using these more often than some of my other more expensive brands. I highly recommend it!!


I hope that you found this review helpful. Let me know if you've tried anything from Zoeva. I'd love to hear from you.


Connect with Me on Twitter & Instagram
@GlamourbyLexi

My Youtube Beauty Channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/GlamourbyLexi
Videos posted 3x a week for the holiday season!


Thank you for stopping by,
xoxo
~Lexi

Nails Inc. Be Gelous Collection

Hello everyone!


So if you've watched any of my videos, you probably already know how deep my love for nail polish goes. I absolutely love painting my nails on a regular basis week after week. Honestly, doing my nails is my "mommy time" whenever I chose to do my manicures. I truly look forward to my next manicure especially now that I've discovered some incredible nail polishes.


This set I'm reviewing today is by Nails Inc. and it's called Be Gelous Collection. I purchased mine weeks ago from Sephora and it retails for $42. If you would like to order this set or anything else from Nails Inc., then click here. I am new to the Nails Inc. brand so I like exploring new brands through sets. This way I can try a little of everything a brand has to offer. This set in particular is the "Gel Effect" formula which claims to give you a high shine, long wearing, gel like professional finish as you'd come to expect from the typical salon gel manicures. Essentially, Nails Inc.'s claim is to give a salon gel manicure in a bottle. Pretty interesting, right? I think so :)

I do believe Nails Inc.'s claim to provide a high shine, long wearing, professional formula to be true. This polish formulation is freakin' awesome!! I have been looking for nail polishes that can provide longevity with a super high gloss finish. Every brand I've tried until now, falls short to my expectations. I highly recommend this brands' gel effect formula!


Let's take a look at the colors in this set:
(my apologies for not saving the packaging)

5 nail polishes and 1 glitter
each  0.27 oz.
L to R:
The Boltons, Grosvenor Crescent, Old Bond Street,
Uptown, New Oxford Street, Piccadilly Place

The Boltons: the most gorgeous metallic red (so perfect for the holidays)

Grosvenor Crescent: a deep midnight purple (online it's described as an aubergine) 

Old Bond Street: a violet shade that pulls just a touch of blue (described online as a glossy violet)

Uptown: a soft blush pink-y mauve (described online as a winter pink)

New Oxford Street: a dark purple-y mauve (described online as a chic mauve)

Piccadilly Place: a beautiful glitter with silver, white and multicolored glitter specks

I love all of the shade options within this set. To me, these colors scream fall and winter time. Although, they may appear to be perfect for this season, you can wear these colors any time you'd like. The best part of these besides the color range, is the super glossy finish without a top coat. The formula also lasts a good 6-7 days without chipping with the Nails Inc. 45 second top coat. 

*I haven't worn these shades with a different brand topcoat.

Here are the nail swatches of each color:

without top coat

Each of the colors applies very evenly without streaks but the darker colors I find need two coats. If you were to apply one generous coat, you could probably skip the second coat. As you can see, these Gel Effect polishes don't even need a top coat, which is so awesome!

Some screenshots of photos I posted on Instagram after doing my manicure with Nails Inc. Gel Effect

Uptown 

The Boltons & Crushed Diamonds
by Nails Inc.

Grosvenor Crescent
without top coat

Overall, I'm super impressed with the formula. I would recommend this set because it's an affordable way to try several of the colors within this formulation by Nails Inc. Within the next few weeks I plan on reviewing another Nails Inc. Gel Effect set that I got during the most recently Sephora VIB Sale. Have you tried Nails Inc. polishes? 

I hope this review was helpful :) Feel free to leave me some feedback on here!

Stay in touch with Me on Twitter & Instagram:

@GlamourbyLexi

Thanks for stopping by,

xoxo

~Lexi