It’s been hard to figure out what to write about lately. When I have brand new products to talk about it is easier to feel like people would be interested to hear about them. However, when they are items that people have already moved on from, it can feel like it isn’t worth posting about. Lately, I just find myself hesitating to talk about older releases or even new releases that are no longer being buzzed about. Well, today I have products that I wanted to talk about so I’m going to do it before I talk myself out of it 😂. A few of them are older products but 2 of them are still fairly new.
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Sephora Microsmooth Face Palette in Captivate, $20**
I have to go out of my way to remember to use this palette, not because it isn’t great, but because I prefer single products over palettes. However, when I do make my way back around to it, I’m impressed all over again. These are very pigmented powders, but they blend out so easily that it is no problem. I never find myself going overboard and needing to fix anything. I did write a full review last summer, so if you want more details you can check that out by clicking here.
Pat McGrath Belle of the Ball Palette, $65 (currently on sale for $59)**
That chartreuse shade made me buy this palette and I have zero regrets. This was my first time using the special shades from Pat McGrath and I was not let down. I don’t buy large palettes very often because I prefer singles and small palettes. So having the opportunity to buy her special shades in a smaller palette was a better buy for me. In the past, I’ve had trouble blending the mattes in Pat McGrath’s 6-pan palettes, but I have had no issues with this one.
The top right shade is very sparkly and while very beautiful, I don’t like how much of it ends up on my face throughout wear. I don’t use glitter glue, so that was bound to happen, but I figured it was worth mentioning. The bottom right chartreuse shade does also have some fallout, but it is much less noticeable. They really are stunning shadows and more multidimensional than I expected. That isn’t to say there aren’t other beautiful and multidimensional eye shadows, but these really do feel special to me.
For context, I do not buy eyeshadows from indie brands (except for Makeup Geek, RIP) and I don’t typically like overly sparkly or glittery shadows. I know a lot of people feel that Pat McGrath’s special shades can be duplicated from indie brands, so I thought it was important to point out that I don’t have any experience with them to compare.
The Pat Mcgrath website is also having a Summer VIP Sale if you had your eye on any products.
PAT MCGRATH – THE SUMMER VIP SALE ☀️ 25% off purchases under $125. 30% off purchases over $125. No code required; exclusions apply.**Colour Pop Super Shock Highlights (Mind Over Matter, Parasol, and 100 Aker Wood), $10
I love Winnie The Pooh, so when I saw the Colour Pop Collection, I had to get some items. I missed having the super shock formula so I went a little crazy. I’m happy I bought them though because the one that works best for me is actually the color I thought wasn’t going to work out at all (100 Aker Wood). I thought that 100 Aker Wood would be too yellow, but it actually works out nicely for me. The super shock formula is as nice as I remember, but I do still prefer a good old-fashioned powder. I love the glow and satin shine that I get from these, but I am finding that it accentuates texture more than other formulas that I own.
I also purchased the permanent shade Parasol at the same time and have included it in the swatch picture for comparison. Parasol is currently on sale for $4.80.
Coloured Raine Bronzer in Cinna-Bae, $16 (currently on sale for $8)
I know there are a million and one new bronzers on the market these days, but this is still a nice bronzer to check out if you haven’t already. I find it to be of excellent quality and although it is a little dark for my skin tone, I like the shade for me. This is definitely a matte bronzer, so steer clear if that isn’t your thing. Given the matte finish, I’m always shocked at how healthy it makes me look after I apply it. That could also be because of the color, but it just seems to melt into the skin. Despite the fact that I don’t typically prefer a matte bronzer, I just love using this one and it’s been nice getting back to it.
What products are you excited about right now? Are there any products that you wish more people were raving about?
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- Brands A-Z: Check out this index if you want to know what products I have posted about in the past.
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Nikki From HR 
I was actually still considering getting the Bridgerton 2 palette, but someone in a review (i forgot who but maybe Alicia Archer or Morgan Turner) mentioned the chartreuse shade is similar enough to the one from Subversive III, which I own, so now I feel like I can let that idea go. And it makes me want to start using that subversive palette again. lol.
I still haven’t used the CP Winnie the Pooh highlighters on my face yet.
As for things I wish more people would rave about…I recently got a replacement Persona Identity 2 palette. As much as I wanted to hit pan on some of those shades, I’ve had it for several years now and mine was starting to look a bit…questionable. My fresh one is from Boxycharm that had it for $9 on one of their previous sales that were available even for non-subscribers. Because it’s from Boxycharm, I was worried it might be one of the items with a different formula, but it’s the same. And Persona in general doesn’t get much hype. Even though I had a little issue with them in the past (which they fully resolved) I think they have great products and hope they don’t end up like Makeup Geek. I admittedly haven’t tried their new cream products (bronzers, blushes, and highlighters) because I try to avoid cream stick products as those tend to dry out of me faster than creams in other forms, but I’ve liked the Persona items I’ve tried.
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Have fun revisiting your subversive palette 🙂. It’s always nice to be reminded of products we spent good money on.
The Persona identity 2 palette is the one product of the brand that did really stand out to me when they released it. I have heard nothing but good things about the brand, but only from a few select people. I think they are doing a better job staying on top of trends than Makeup Geek did. I think the limited selection of shades is typically the problem I see in their releases, but hopefully, they are doing well enough to continue to grow.
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Yeah, the shade range is definitely an issue. When they expand their range, it’s only one shade at a time so it still feels like it’s taking them ages. It’s encouraging to see the expansion because that indicates growth, but also the lack of hype makes me wonder if they’re growing enough to last.
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I still haven’t watched Bridgerton , but wow ! everything in that collection looks great. I thought I wouldn’t like the palette, but seeing your swatches, they look beautiful. The gold, light blue and the sparkle shades look divine.
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