Today I’m sharing some swatches of my Laura Mercier Illuminator Palette with you. Although this particular palette is a holiday 2018 limited edition release, all three shades it contains are available in the brand’s permanent lineup.
Laura Mercier Face Illuminator Highlighting Powders
From Left to Right:
Indiscretion is described as a warm rose gold highlight
Devotion is described as a cool pink highlight
Addiction is described as a gilded gold highlight
L to R: indiscretion, devotion, addiction
The permanent single shades retail for $45.00 on Laura Mercier’s website, but she traditionally releases a palette every holiday season with multiple shades if you want better value.
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While I do think Urban Decay’s newer color schemes should be released under a new name (rather than being part of the “Naked” line), from a business perspective, I can see why they stick with the Naked theme. People love the Naked series and it has a lot of hype behind the collection. So having that name attached guarantees both new and repeat customers that might otherwise overlook a new product line from the brand. Like it or not, it seems to be working for them. I enjoy Urban decay shadows and these are no different.
Urban Decay Naked Cherry Palette
The Naked Cherry Palette typically retails for $49.00 but today (April 23, 2020) it’s been marked down to $24.50 on urbandecay.com. According to the Urban Decay promotions page, this sale ends May 2, 2020, 11:59 PM PST.
What are your thoughts on the Urban Decay Naked palettes? Let me know in the comments.
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Lancome makes great products and these highlighters are no exception. Unfortunately, they still aren’t my favorite highlighters. I have tried to make these work, but they are just too intense for my taste. No matter what brush I use to apply them, I have to go back over them with whatever foundation tool I used that day to tone them down. Once I take that step, I think they look beautiful on my skin. I have other highlighters that I don’t have to do this extra step with, so I use these less and less. I do have dry skin, and I suspect someone with more normal to oily skin may not have as much of an issue. Unrelated to performance, but important to me at this price point, I think the compact feels a little cheap.
Lancome Dual Finish Highlighter Swatches in 04 Dazzling Bronze and 05 Sparkling Peche
L to R: 05 Sparkling Peche, 04Dazzling Bronze
If you are looking for an intense highlight, I would check these out.
The Dual Finish Highlighter comes in 5 different shades and costs $42.00 on macys.com.
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Estee Lauder Ultimate Mineral-Infused Matte Bronzers were the limited edition release for Summer 2019’s Bronze Goddess Collection, but you can still find some inventory hanging around. Keep reading for swatches and my thoughts.
I used to have both the shades 03 Brazen (medium deep) and 04 Hot Spell (deep). I will insert a picture of the two shades swatched next to each other, but I will warn you that it is blurry. I still own 04 Hot Spell and was able to take a new picture of that swatch, which is also below. Two lighter colors were also released as part of the collection, 01 Halo and 02 Suggestive. They retail for $40.00 and last I checked all 4 shades are still in stock at Macy’s. As of June 11, 2021 the only in stock shade I could find was 03 Brazen at Saks Fifth Avenue. As mentioned, this was released in the summer of 2019, so calling an Estee Lauder counter would be the best way to find out if any inventory is still around.
This finish of MAC Blush isn’t talked about as much as their regular powder formula but it really is one of their standout products. I was not able to capture the shimmer particles on camera, but both of these have some shimmer to them. Love Thing has larger gold shimmer particles that I was worried would be a glittery mess on the face. It turned out not to be messy at all and I didn’t feel like you could even see the particles once it was blended out. Neither shade accentuates texture and they both give a nice sheen that suits my dry skin.
MAC Love Joy is described as a warm mid tone brown with gold pearl.
MAC Love Thing is described as a dirty burgundy with gold pearl.
L to R: MAC Love Joy and Love Thing
MAC Mineralize Blush is available in 13 colors for $30.00 each.
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Disclaimer: I purchased all products featured with my own money. For my full disclosure policy, click here.
UPDATE September 4, 2024: Bobbi Brown reformulated this blush line to be talc-free early in 2024. Click here to read my review of the new formula and swatches of the shades Sand Pink (matte) and Gallery (shimmer).
The Spring Friends and Family sale at the Bobbi Brown Cosmetics website kicked off yesterday. And if you are coming across this post before April 11, 2020, at 11:59PM PT, you can get a price break on these powder blushes that regularly retail for $34.00.
Bobbi Brown Blushes (L to R: rose, slopes, tawny)
If you’ve been wanting to try this formula, now might be a good time to check it out. I’m a big fan of these blushes; I’d say it’s in my top 3 of blush formulas. You can check out swatches of the shades, slopes, and tawny below.
UPDATE January 20, 2021: I posted more Bobbi Brown Blush swatches in January. To see slopes, tawny, sand pink, and rose swatched together, you can click here.
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While these blushes are very pigmented, I find them easy to blend. They are slightly dusty and loose in the pan, making them easy to pick up on a brush. I would be careful with how much product you start with, but they still blend out easily, even if you do happen to overload the brush (in my experience). I own other shades (for swatches of sand pink and rose, click here), and I feel like the formula is very consistent, with the exception of slopes having a bit of shimmer running through it.
UPDATE September 4, 2024: Bobbi Brown reformulated this blush line to be talc-free early in 2024. Click here to read my review of the new formula and swatches of the shades Sand Pink (matte) and Gallery (shimmer).
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I recently did a swatch post for two new colors I had recently purchased from MUFE’s line of single eyeshadows. Doing that post reminded me that I’ve had pictures of the other shades I’ve owned from the brand. So I thought I’d finally edit and put together a swatch post for them. I wish that each Sephora carried the entire line of shades because I found it very hard to find swatches of this new formula online. I guess it is possible that some of the bigger locations have the full range. Hopefully, this post will help anyone that’s been curious about these shades.
Make Up For Ever (MUFE) Artist Color Eyeshadows, $17.00
MUFE Artist Color Eye Shadows
As a fan of a drier, harder pressed eyeshadow, these are some of my favorites. They build and blend easily and the shimmers work well with brushes and fingers. There is one exception for me, S606, is hard to work with and I was not a fan of that formula. I don’t think the quality of that shade is anywhere close to the others.
MUFE Artist Color Eye Shadows
One downside of these shadows for me is my preference for a circular pan. I do think the palettes that they sell to hold them look nice and are good quality. A downside of the formula being harder pressed means that when it comes to the shimmer shades you may find it necessary to dig slightly into the pan to get pigment on your brush. I don’t have a problem with fallout, I’m just careful not to overload my brush. I find that some eyeshadows just have to be used this way and it doesn’t cause an issue for me.
MUFE Artist Color Eye Shadows
If you are not familiar with MUFE artist color eye shadows, they are sold individually in a plastic case that is intended to be temporary. MUFE is a makeup artist brand, so the intention is that you build the palette you need for the jobs you work. The brand does obviously cater to the general public as well, but they stick to their artistry roots. So you will have to purchase a sturdier case for these items unless you already have space in a zpalette or similar magnetic palette.
$17.00 per shade (compact to hold the pan is not included)
All compacts regardless of size are $2.00 (you need the extra small size to hold 1 eyeshadow)
Bundle prices:
Buy 2 shades + a small compact, $29.00
Buy 3 shades + a medium compact, $39.00
Buy 4 shades + a large compact, $49.00
Buy 6 shades + an extra large compact, $59.00
If you have any questions, feel free to leave me a comment down below.
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Disclaimer: I purchased all products featured with my own money. For my full disclosure policy, click here.
Update September 7, 2024: Bobbi Brown reformulated the bronzers to be talc-free in early 2024. Click here to read my review of the new formula and swatch of the shade Golden Natural (including comparison swatches).
I’ve had several Bobbi Brown products on my wishlist for years, but something always held me back from giving them a try. So back when it was announced that Bobbi Brown the makeup artist was leaving her namesake brand, I decided it was time to try those wishlist items before the new creative team changed any of her formulas. The shade selection is what held me back from trying the bronzing powder. I did not live near a Bobbi Brown counter (and still don’t actually) so I had no way to see the shades in person and decide what would work for me. I finally landed on trying these two shades, Elvis Duran and Deep. The good thing about this formula is that it is very buildable, so I think there is some wiggle room in the shade selection. I prefer using Elvis Duran, but I can work with Deep by using a light hand.
L to R: Elvis Duran and Deep
Update September 7, 2024: Bobbi Brown reformulated the bronzers to be talc-free in early 2024. Click here to read my review of the new formula and swatch of the shade Golden Natural (including comparison swatches).
Bobbi Brown Bronzing Powder comes in 6 shades and is $44.00 @ Macy’s.
If you enjoyed this post, please consider sticking around. You can check out my Brands A-Z index if you want to know what products I have posted about in the past.
Disclaimer: I purchased all products featured with my own money. For my full disclosure policy, click here.
Nikki From HR 