Nars Pro-Prime Smudge Proof Eyeshadow Base, $24 (.28 oz)- This is one of my favorite eye primers. This is my second tube of it. I like my primers to dry fast and keep my eyeshadow in check all day. I don’t have particularly oily lids but I always fear creasing. One of the reasons that I love this primer is that it leaves no trace of color behind. I find that with a lot of eye primers and my skin tone that’s an issue sometimes. This also keeps eyebrow pencil and eye liner in place. The fact that it is colorless really helps for those areas. I like the doe foot applicator but you can’t tell how much of it you have left. That is the only downside, I never know when I’m going to be out of it.

Rated A

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chanel Foundation Brush #6, $45- I wasn’t going to get this. I have a few foundation brushes but this one is just so good. I love the softness and the handle! I know that’s strange but I love the short handle and how easy it is to grip this brush. It’s the perfect size and shape. It’s a pricey product but it was time to retire my very first foundation brush that I got years ago. The poor thing has been through the ringer. I could have gotten more use out of it but the handle cracked months ago. Oh well, I should be able to get a lot of use out of this brush from Chanel. It’s my first-maybe last brush from them. It’s great for applying liquid foundation without leaving behind any lines on my face like many brushes do.

Rated A

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mac Pro Longwear Eye Shadow Fresh Flare (green) and Plush, $20 each- I was interested in trying some of the new Pro Longwear shadows out. The Styledriven collection from Mac has sixteen eye shadow colors so I picked two. I got a green shade called Fresh Flare. It’s a little too frosty for me. I wish it was a deeper green color. I swear it looked different when I swatched it at the Mac store. The other color Plush is a really good purple. I like that one a lot. These are nice but I like the Mega Metals that came out a few months ago much more. The texture of the shadow is good and it does do better on the eye without primer but realistically I never go without primer so that isn’t a selling point for me. And $20 a shadow is getting OLD Mac. For $20 a piece these shadows should do my eye makeup for me!

Rated C

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lancome Color Design Mauve Cherie Palette #301, $48- I love the colors in this palette but the all over base color (shimmery white) is so obnoxious I want to pop it out of the palette. These palettes are a cute idea. I like how they have a clear cover when you open this with ideas on how to use the colors. Lancome has a lot of different color combos for the Color Design palettes but this was the only one that has tempted me. The idea behind these is to brighten the eyes. I love the four shades I swatched in the left picture above but the one all over base color across the top of the palette is so bright and shimmery that I can NEVER use it. Even with a light touch it looks all kinds of wrong. Oh well. There is a bit too much fall out with the highlighter color. It’s the silver shade (third finger on left picture) but with a light touch its usable and not too much of a mess. The deepest purple shade is my favorite. It’s perfect.

I wouldn’t get another one of these Color Design palettes but I’m happy with this one.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Rated B