The Summer Palette That Will Only Set You Back A Fiver

 

Hey Pandas!

Before I get into this review, I want to thank you all for the birthday wishes and support while I was in NYC recently! I am thankful for all of the positivity that Pretty Panda brings into my life and am glad to still be writing on this blog!

Now, enough of the mushy stuff. I know a lot of brands are releasing their summer palettes and shades right now and trust me...I want them all! But until you can afford one of those high-end ones, if you are on a budget like myself, tide yourself over with this little gem from Essence Cosmetics.

Essence has a line of palettes called 'All About...' and they retail for $4.99.  The one I have is called 'All About Paradise' and I found it in a summery Essence display at Ulta. There was also one called 'All About Sunrise', which had some neutrals and a pretty yellow, but of course I had to go with this one for all of the colors!

There are 6 pans in each palette. The top row contains a shimmery cream color, an orange/peach, and a hot pink. The bottom row contains a slightly greenish yellow, a teal, and a shimmery navy.

These are swatches over a thin layer of primer. Realistically, I never go without eye primer, so this is the intensity that will show up on my lids. I think for the price the quality is there. I love all the shades and they are easy to work with except for the navy, which pulls patchy and is a bit dry. It takes a bit of work to get right, but it won't stop me from using it.

Above are light swatches of the navy, cream, and teal without primer. Pigmentation without primer is only okay, as you can see, but there is potential to create a wash/watercolor effect if you choose not to wear primer. But pandas, you should be wearing primer! (I have my eye on the new UD Enigma for my next one!).

Here is a quick look I created with the peach shade in my inner corner, yellow in the middle of the eye, and the hot pink in the crease and slight outer corner. I blended everything with the cream shade. Wear time was 9 hours no creasing with primer and they were easy to blend. I do recommend a sticky or white base or at least a primer and a dense brush to really get vibrant results. I got tons of compliments!

For five bucks, you can't go wrong with Essence. They aren't the best eyeshadow formula ever, but they blow the water out of the NYX square shadows and Revlon, for sure! If you don't want to make a spendy commitment to bright colors, this is for you!

Tarte Rainforest After Dark Palette: Swatches, Review, and Looks

Hey Pandas!   I finally caved and bought something I have been eying since the press releases. I have a thing for snakes. I really like what they stand for in regards to change and rebirth...and I think of myself as a Slytherin at heart, so naturally the packaging alone intrigued me.

The palette is circular and made to look like wood with a gold, curled-up snake embossed on the top with a purple jewel. The embossed snake was already slightly scratched, which dissapointed me, but all of the ones in store (I bought this at Ulta) were slightly scratched in some way.

The box itself is rather pretty and embossed with a snakeskin pattern. The palette retails for $38 and comes with a blush, bronzer, highlighter, and six eyeshadows, all in Tarte's signature colored clay formula.

 There is a large mirror, bit it has a bit of trouble staying up at some angles by itself, but that isn't a big issue for me. Overall, the packaging is sturdy.

This palette is purples, plums, golds, and browns, making it a great fall palette. For swatches, keep reading!

Studio Gear Holiday Palette Swatches, Review, and Look

*Sponsored Post: Powered by Studio Gear and Brandbacker*Hey everyone! Can you believe we are right on the cusp of December? With the holiday season looming before us with all of its festivities, parties, and good eats in store, your makeup has to be ready to match the glam of the winter season.I was given the opportunity to test the new Studio Gear Holiday Palette ($25), which includes 4 eye shadows in the perfect holiday colors and one blush (which in my opinion is worth the price of the whole palette).

The palette comes in a slim, small cardboard container with a step by step-how to on the fold out of how to create a holiday smokey eye. The shadows and blush do not have names, but clockwise from top left, I will give you descriptions:A frosty cream white, a little patchy, performs much better on the eyeA dark, sparkly black. Perfect crease colorA beige gold which can also be used as a highlighterA shimmery medium grey, perfect all over lid colorBlush: Bright pink with gold shimmer

The outside sleeve of the palette is festive and looks like holiday lights. Pretty! Got me in the mood to decorate instantly!

This is my first experience with Studio Gear. I like the sturdiness of the packaging and the clean layout of the products. You get a lot of product here and everything coordinates well. There isn't that one color that is 'off'.

The texture of the shadows is buttery and smooth, but they don't swatch well on hands...luckily they perform much better on the eyes, which is where they are meant to be anyway. This gives you an idea of the colors. All are sparkly or shimmery, so if you like mattes, this is not the palette for you. But hey, its the season to be glimmery! 

The blush was my favorite part. Smooth, easy to blend, and this brilliant pinky-orange with a hint of gold. Gorgeous! A great compliment to the smokey eye look that this palette creates. Careful though, a little goes a long way. This is super pigmented!

I created a very simple look with this palette in under five minutes to show you that holiday glamour can be as easy as can be! I took the silver shade and applied it all over the lid, blended the black into the crease very lightly, added the cream on my brow bone, and lit the inner corner with the gold highlighter. You can see a hint of the blush on my cheeks here too!

Here is an up close. Sorry my lashes are so wonky (I took a nap before I did this look and they are a little smushed). A smokey eye doesn't have to be intense and black, and you can use the shades in this palette to create looks ranging from day to night easily!

Get the palette here: HERE

And because Studio Gear is so awesome, they have given my readers 10% off any purchase!

Use discount code: SGHOLIDAY

Do you love studio gear? Have you tried this palette? They are having good Black Friday deals too so go and shop your little heart out!

Studio Gear Holiday Palette Swatches, Review, and Look

*Sponsored Post: Powered by Studio Gear and Brandbacker* Hey everyone! Can you believe we are right on the cusp of December? With the holiday season looming before us with all of its festivities, parties, and good eats in store, your makeup has to be ready to match the glam of the winter season. I was given the opportunity to test the new Studio Gear Holiday Palette ($25), which includes 4 eye shadows in the perfect holiday colors and one blush (which in my opinion is worth the price of the whole palette).

The palette comes in a slim, small cardboard container with a step by step-how to on the fold out of how to create a holiday smokey eye. The shadows and blush do not have names, but clockwise from top left, I will give you descriptions: A frosty cream white, a little patchy, performs much better on the eye A dark, sparkly black. Perfect crease color A beige gold which can also be used as a highlighter A shimmery medium grey, perfect all over lid color Blush: Bright pink with gold shimmer

The outside sleeve of the palette is festive and looks like holiday lights. Pretty! Got me in the mood to decorate instantly!

This is my first experience with Studio Gear. I like the sturdiness of the packaging and the clean layout of the products. You get a lot of product here and everything coordinates well. There isn't that one color that is 'off'.

The texture of the shadows is buttery and smooth, but they don't swatch well on hands...luckily they perform much better on the eyes, which is where they are meant to be anyway. This gives you an idea of the colors. All are sparkly or shimmery, so if you like mattes, this is not the palette for you. But hey, its the season to be glimmery! 

The blush was my favorite part. Smooth, easy to blend, and this brilliant pinky-orange with a hint of gold. Gorgeous! A great compliment to the smokey eye look that this palette creates. Careful though, a little goes a long way. This is super pigmented!

I created a very simple look with this palette in under five minutes to show you that holiday glamour can be as easy as can be! I took the silver shade and applied it all over the lid, blended the black into the crease very lightly, added the cream on my brow bone, and lit the inner corner with the gold highlighter. You can see a hint of the blush on my cheeks here too!

Here is an up close. Sorry my lashes are so wonky (I took a nap before I did this look and they are a little smushed). A smokey eye doesn't have to be intense and black, and you can use the shades in this palette to create looks ranging from day to night easily!

Get the palette here: HERE

And because Studio Gear is so awesome, they have given my readers 10% off any purchase!

Use discount code: SGHOLIDAY

Do you love studio gear? Have you tried this palette? They are having good Black Friday deals too so go and shop your little heart out!

Too Faced Pretty Rebel Palette Review and Swatches

Hey Pandas! I am beyond excited to show you the Too Faced Pretty Rebel Eyeshadow Palette for Fall 2013. I knew, even if I only picked up one big fall palette, this would be the one. 

 This palette is $46 and comes with 10, completely gorgeous, full-sized eye shadows, all housed in one of the coolest package ever! 

 I am loving the gold case with black and pink detail. So very fun! I am also loving the Francesca Eastwood is their model for this collection, she is gorgeous! 

 Here are the first four shadows and my thoughts on them: Dainty: Pretty matte light pink. Makes a great base for eye looks and is a good neutral for this palette. A bit on the chalky side though. Charming: Pretty eggplant matte shade. Has a bit of brown it as well, and is a good crease color. Very pigmented but also a teensy bit chalky. Ringleader: Gorgeous shimmery pink champagne color. Useful as a highlighter in this collection. Nice payoff. Gangsta: Medium brown shimmer with tiny bits of red, pink, and gold glitter. Very unique shade and good color payoff. 

 These are the more neutral shades of the pallete, but they are still very fun and easy to work with. I am really impressed by the opacity of each shade! 

 Girly: This is one of the coolest shades ever! A duochrome dark teal with a red flash as the undertone. Simply stunning, very smooth and creamy as well! Totally Fetch: Can I just say the name here is amazing. One of the few hot pinks that actually translate onto skin as such! One of  my new favorite shades! Instigator: Think 24k luxe! Super shimmery and pigmented. Badass: Glittery navy with a hint of purple and silver. Stunning. 

 Seriously, if I could marry this palette, I would. 

 And the last two shades: Miss Sparkles: An inky black base with lots of silver sparkle. Very fresh and young as well as rebellious! Jailbird: Icy silver with a hint of blue. Easy to apply. 

 Overall there is nothing I hate about this palette. All of the colors are fresh, on-trend, easy to apply, and pigmented. The colors work well together, but they may not be right for those who wear mostly neutrals. However, the palette is labeled 'Pretty Rebel' and with these eyeshadows, you get looks that are exactly that! I think this is one of Too Faced's best palettes and they really stepped up their game here. I couldn't be happier! Panda Totally Approved! Have you tried anything from the Pretty Rebel collection yet? What do you think of these colors?  

Too Faced Pretty Rebel Palette Review and Swatches

Hey Pandas!   I am beyond excited to show you the Too Faced Pretty Rebel Eyeshadow Palette for Fall 2013. I knew, even if I only picked up one big fall palette, this would be the one.  

  This palette is $46 and comes with 10, completely gorgeous, full-sized eye shadows, all housed in one of the coolest package ever!  

  I am loving the gold case with black and pink detail. So very fun! I am also loving the Francesca Eastwood is their model for this collection, she is gorgeous!  

  Here are the first four shadows and my thoughts on them:   Dainty: Pretty matte light pink. Makes a great base for eye looks and is a good neutral for this palette. A bit on the chalky side though.   Charming: Pretty eggplant matte shade. Has a bit of brown it as well, and is a good crease color. Very pigmented but also a teensy bit chalky.   Ringleader: Gorgeous shimmery pink champagne color. Useful as a highlighter in this collection. Nice payoff.   Gangsta: Medium brown shimmer with tiny bits of red, pink, and gold glitter. Very unique shade and good color payoff.  

  These are the more neutral shades of the pallete, but they are still very fun and easy to work with. I am really impressed by the opacity of each shade!  

  Girly: This is one of the coolest shades ever! A duochrome dark teal with a red flash as the undertone. Simply stunning, very smooth and creamy as well!   Totally Fetch: Can I just say the name here is amazing. One of the few hot pinks that actually translate onto skin as such! One of  my new favorite shades!   Instigator: Think 24k luxe! Super shimmery and pigmented.   Badass: Glittery navy with a hint of purple and silver. Stunning.  

  Seriously, if I could marry this palette, I would.  

  And the last two shades:   Miss Sparkles: An inky black base with lots of silver sparkle. Very fresh and young as well as rebellious!   Jailbird: Icy silver with a hint of blue. Easy to apply.  

  Overall there is nothing I hate about this palette. All of the colors are fresh, on-trend, easy to apply, and pigmented. The colors work well together, but they may not be right for those who wear mostly neutrals. However, the palette is labeled 'Pretty Rebel' and with these eyeshadows, you get looks that are exactly that!   I think this is one of Too Faced's best palettes and they really stepped up their game here. I couldn't be happier!   Panda Totally Approved!   Have you tried anything from the Pretty Rebel collection yet? What do you think of these colors?    

NYX Be Free Palette: Review and Swatches

 

Hi Pandas! I love when NYX puts out palettes, because they are usually really fun and affordable, and of course, cruelty-free.

 

This is the NYX Be Free palette that was released about a month ago. They are going on sale now, and Ulta always has coupons. I got mine for $10. It retails for $19.

 

 This set includes 25 eye shadows, 3 blushes, and 7 glosses, in a classy, sleek, two-layer case. 

 

I think this is such a cute palette, for reference it is about the size of a spread hand.

 

The eye shadows run in the cool category, with mostly browns, purples, blues, and greys. They don't scream summer, but they are nice neutrals. There are also a lot of mattes.

 

This post is picture heavy, so if you want to see the swatches...keep reading!

 

 

 This is the first row from left to right if you want to compare in the above full pan picture. Not my fave row. Neutrals, but not very pigmented. All swatches are without primer.

 

But moving onto the second row, we are getting somewhere. I love the teal!

 

 

The third row of the palette is my favorite. Fun colors, very smooth, and pigmented.

 

 

The fourth row has some mattes. They are pretty colors, but need a lot of TLC and buildup.

 

The last row is mostly matte dark colors. A little patchy. Not the best.

 

 

The blushes and lip glosses are in a separate drawer, which I like. I didn't swatch the glosses, as they were a bit too sticky for my liking. I will try to mix them together and play Frankenstein or something.

 

The blushes are very pretty and very pigmented. One of my favorite parts of this palette!

 

Overall, I am only 50% sold on the NYX Be Free palette. Since I only paid $10 and got 3 awesome blushes and about 10 shadows I like, I would say that is a good deal. If you don't see much you like, go ahead and skip it. Or opt for some NYX single products.

 Overall, it gets a B from me. What do you think?