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| MAKE ME UP COLLECTION (TRAVEL EDITION) USD 59 Photo Credit: Sigma Beauty |
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New Travel Brush Kit from Sigma: Make Me Up Travel Edition
If you enjoy travelling whether near or far, packing brushes to go can be a bit of a problem. Not only do you have to figure out which brushes you'll need to bring that can help you in creating the looks that you want on the road but also ensuring the brushes are protected from damage form being tossed around in your luggage.
A Very Sigma Holiday
Sigma is on a roll this holiday season with tons of new products coming up in the next few weeks. In case you haven't seen them yet, here's a little sneak peek from them:
Come this November 28th, their best selling Make Me Up Collection will include travel versions as well! Just like the full sized kits the travel sets will be available in all 4 colors - Purple (Crazy), Black (Classy), Coral (Blush) and Turquoise (Cool). The travel sized sets comes with the following 7 brushes and the same (albeit smaller version) brush cup holder to hold and protect the brushes:
Come this November 28th, their best selling Make Me Up Collection will include travel versions as well! Just like the full sized kits the travel sets will be available in all 4 colors - Purple (Crazy), Black (Classy), Coral (Blush) and Turquoise (Cool). The travel sized sets comes with the following 7 brushes and the same (albeit smaller version) brush cup holder to hold and protect the brushes:
Jewelmint Picks: November 2011
November is coming to an end and this month's Jewelmint picks are definitely long overdue. Anyhow, I decided to share my favorites for this month anyways and at time of post, these pieces are still available.
The Emerald City Rings caught my eye immediately. I love the ring design and color combo of these rings. The rich emerald green crystals on the 14K gold-plated bands are gorgeous! Unfortunately these rings only go up to a size 8 which is too small for my fingers so it looks like I'll be wearing these on a chain when I get them. Wouldn't it be awesome if Jewelmint had these offered with chains too?
The Emerald City Rings caught my eye immediately. I love the ring design and color combo of these rings. The rich emerald green crystals on the 14K gold-plated bands are gorgeous! Unfortunately these rings only go up to a size 8 which is too small for my fingers so it looks like I'll be wearing these on a chain when I get them. Wouldn't it be awesome if Jewelmint had these offered with chains too?
New Limited Sigma Collection: The Cities (Black Friday & November Code)
Inspired by 4 beautiful and distinct cities in the world, Sigma has developed a limited edition travel kit to kick start the holiday season. Each kit features 7 carefully selected brushes from their existing range and are complemented by their convenient brush cup holder (in travel size!).
Brushes Included In The Kit
Brushes Included In The Kit
- E05 Eyeliner
- Synthetic bristles are tapered to a point to create varying eyeliner thickness with ease.
- E35 Tapered Blending
- Fluffy goat hair tapered blending brush to remove harsh lines and blend eye shadows for the perfect gradient.
- E45 Small Blending
- A small tapered natural hair blending brush ideal for crease works and friendly on smaller lids.
- E60 Large Shader
- Large and flat, this brush is good for packing on lid color and minor blending. It's also a good brush to use for precise color placement in the crease.
- F05 Small Contour
- Dome shaped and a good balance of density and fluff, this is an excellent brush to aid in contouring cheekbones. Works well with applying highlights too.
- F15 Duo Fibre Powder/Blush
- Flat dome duo fibre bristles applies all types of blushes from powder, cream to mineral/mineralized.
- F30 Large Powder
- The basic paddle brush for powder application whether it be powder foundation, setting powder or even powder blushes.
Jewelmint Picks: October 2011
I know I'm pretty late this time around for my Jewelmint picks but these items are still available for those interested. *smiles*
This being Breast Cancer Awareness month, I think I'll start with a piece that isn't necessarily my fave of the bunch but is channeled to a cause that is very dear to me.
I don't think that this piece is something I would gravitate towards personally but I'll admit it is interesting. 15% of the retail price of this lariat-style 36" silver-plated necklace, I believe for this month, will be donated to the Cedars-Sinai Women's Cancer Program.
This being Breast Cancer Awareness month, I think I'll start with a piece that isn't necessarily my fave of the bunch but is channeled to a cause that is very dear to me.
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| Desert Rose Necklace |
I don't think that this piece is something I would gravitate towards personally but I'll admit it is interesting. 15% of the retail price of this lariat-style 36" silver-plated necklace, I believe for this month, will be donated to the Cedars-Sinai Women's Cancer Program.
New Product: SigMax Collection adds new Precision brushes and Tapered Kabuki
After learning that Sigma was working on mini versions of their amazing synthetic HD brushes, SigMax, in May (read previous post), I'm extremely excited that it is finally available for purchase on the Sigma website now.
Sonia Kashuk Fall/Winter 2011 Collection
A few months back I had the opportunity to see the Sonia Kashuk products in Target and fell in love particularly with the make up cases which has since become my travel train case and video camera case. I felt the design was spot on perfect for my needs and am so happy to see the latest Fall/Winter designs on the Sonia Kashuk website.
Since Target has recently undergone a complete site redesign and pulled out of Amazon, I am no longer able to provide a link to their site for your easy reference as it seems that Target has blocked access for visitors outside of the US.
Anyways, here are the items that I've had my eye on while browsing SK's website:
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| Product photo source: SoniaKashuk.com |
Jewelmint Picks: September 2011
September is here and so are the latest pieces from Jewelmint. Here are some pieces that I like this month and I'm happy that the site has begun to figure out my sense of style and recommend pieces that actually appeal to me.
From the looks of it, this month most of the new pieces are inspired by vintage jewelries of the 1920s era. Interesting pieces of vintage designs with a modern twist.
The Savoy Bracelet just happened to be my September Top Match and I love it! It's elegant and bold but still not too overpowering. I can see it worn casually and as a statement piece for a function. Either way, it's beautiful!
The Pomander Pendant is a very interesting piece and I love the concept of it. The pendant is half perforated (top) and half solid (bottom) and held close by a magnetic clasp. The idea behind it is to place a small scented ball of cotton and the fragrance will make it's way through the tiny holes in the top dome. Genius!!
My last fave piece is this bracelet. Doesn't it just look like diamonds? The pattern is quite unique and a girl loves her bling. I love how it's simple yet dressy at the same time. As much as I love gold tone jewelry, every now and then, I like to have some silver tone ones on hand too.
Photo source: All product photos were obtained from the Jewelmint website.
From the looks of it, this month most of the new pieces are inspired by vintage jewelries of the 1920s era. Interesting pieces of vintage designs with a modern twist.
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| Savoy Bracelet |
The Savoy Bracelet just happened to be my September Top Match and I love it! It's elegant and bold but still not too overpowering. I can see it worn casually and as a statement piece for a function. Either way, it's beautiful!
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| Pomander Pendant |
The Pomander Pendant is a very interesting piece and I love the concept of it. The pendant is half perforated (top) and half solid (bottom) and held close by a magnetic clasp. The idea behind it is to place a small scented ball of cotton and the fragrance will make it's way through the tiny holes in the top dome. Genius!!
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| Gatsby Bracelet |
My last fave piece is this bracelet. Doesn't it just look like diamonds? The pattern is quite unique and a girl loves her bling. I love how it's simple yet dressy at the same time. As much as I love gold tone jewelry, every now and then, I like to have some silver tone ones on hand too.
Jewelmint is a subscription based service providing personalized jewelry suggestions for US$29.99/month. The subscription gives you 1 credit for use to purchase any one piece of jewelry item from your personalized showroom (or you can add other pieces not in your showroom that were not suggested to you). Additional pieces can also be purchased at US$29.99 each. This service is currently available in the US and US territories only.
Photo source: All product photos were obtained from the Jewelmint website.
New Product: Sleek Makeup Nude Collection
Looks like Sleek has also come out with an au naturel collection aptly named the Nude Collection. In trend for Fall, the company has launched an eye shadow palette for their iDivine line, a Pout Polish and a Blush.
The collection available here (or in Superdrug in the UK) is priced as follows:
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| Photo source: Sleek Makeup Newsletter |
The collection available here (or in Superdrug in the UK) is priced as follows:
- iDivine eye shadow palette in Au Naturel - US$10.50
- Pout Polish in Bare Minimum - US$6.50
- Blush in Suede - US$6.50
I don't personally own any of the items in this latest collection I can't personally provide up close product photos or swatches. However, I do like the idea that the palette offers a nice balance of light and dark shades which I find to be uncommon in most palettes. Sleek's take on neutrals seems to looks quite flattering I think on a wide range of skin tones (theoretically speaking). The top row offers some light to medium shades while the bottom row is filled with another 6 eye shadows ranging from medium dark to dark colors.
Suede looks like a nice contour color for light to medium skin tones or to add overall warmth to the face. It looks like an almost neutral shade with a hint of warmth. I can't tell what kind of finish the blush is though but it would make a great eye contour color as well I believe.
The Bare Minimum Pout Polish might work great as a lip concealer although, I've never tried any of Sleek's Pout Polishes to know the actual texture and consistency.
You've got to admit though, the model in the campaign shot looks amazing using the colors and products from this latest collection. Just beautiful!
Tarina Tarantino Fashion Collection Make Up at Sephora
As I was browsing through the Sephora website, I stumbled upon the cutest sets and thought I'd share them with you.
It appears that Tarina Tarantino has an exclusive collection for Sephora (US) called the Fashion Collection featuring 5 different color sets:
It appears that Tarina Tarantino has an exclusive collection for Sephora (US) called the Fashion Collection featuring 5 different color sets:
- Tokyo Hardcore - Green (Kiwi tones)
- Bibarucci - Yellow (Honey tones)
- Electric Butterfly - Orange (Orange-Tangerine tones)
- Candy Cameo - Pink (Lollipop pink tones)
- Victorian Punk - Purple (Purple-Fuschia tones)
Each set adorns a different set of graphic on its packaging in correspondence to the set name and inspiration. If you're a fan of Tarina's make up line or if you love cute make up collections, these are priced at US$5 (gloss and eye dream eye shadow) and US$10 (lip gloss ring) per item.
On a side note, I won't be around for a week during this Raya (Eid Il-Fitr) festivities and would like to take this opportunity to wish all Muslims a blessed Raya/Eid. I'll be back with more posts soon. Til then, feel free to browse past posts and if you have any requests or suggestions, email them to me at elixelle@gmail.com.
Watsons Malaysia VIP Card 1st Anniversary Celebration
Watsons Malaysia is celebrating its 1st Anniversary of their VIP Card. Party with Amber Chia, Julie Woon, Scha Alyahya, Mizz Nina, Joey G and more at Zouk Club, KL on Saturday 10th September 2011 from 6.00 to 10.00pm for free. Just RSVP your Name, Watsons VIP Card Number, Email and Contact Number to membership@watsons.com.my to join in the fun.
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| - Click image to enlarge - |
There'll be surprises, chances to win a shopping spree as well as goodie bags for early birds. I won't be able to go since I'm not going to be in KL at the time but wishing everyone who is going a fabulous time! *smiles*
Free Sample: Burberry Body EDP
Burberry is launching its new fragrance for women, Burberry Body this September (less than 10 days left!) and in conjunction with this new release Burberry is giving away free samples via their Facebook page at this very moment. The new scent is modelled by Transformers 3 star Rosie Huntington-Whiteley and comes in 2 variations -- Eau De Parfum Intense and Eau De Parfum. Eau De Parfum Intense is offered in 2 sizes (85ml & 60ml) while Eau De Parfum comes in an additional 30ml bottle as well.
The samples are available on a first come first serve basis and limited to one sample per account. I found this to be super exciting because it is not just available in the US and/or the UK but in many other countries as well including Malaysia. As of yet, the fragrance notes have not been revealed but Burberry is describing their latest scent as sensual and feminine. I'm looking forward to trying this out since I already love their Burberry Brit and Burberry Brit Sheer which I felt is very true to the Burberry brand.
All you have to do is:
The samples are available on a first come first serve basis and limited to one sample per account. I found this to be super exciting because it is not just available in the US and/or the UK but in many other countries as well including Malaysia. As of yet, the fragrance notes have not been revealed but Burberry is describing their latest scent as sensual and feminine. I'm looking forward to trying this out since I already love their Burberry Brit and Burberry Brit Sheer which I felt is very true to the Burberry brand.
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| Photo source: Burberry Facebook Page |
All you have to do is:
- Log into your Facebook account
- Like the Burberry page (click on the image above to be transported)
- Click on "Burberry Body" in the sidebar
- Click on the "Request Sample" button (as illustrated in the image above)
- Select your country from the drop down list
- Fill in your details and submit
- Don't forget to share this info with your family and friends on Facebook too!
Happy sampling everyone!
Summary: Sigma Eye Shadow Palettes - Product Photos, Swatches, Review and Looks
Here's a recap of all three Sigma Eye Shadow Palettes:
The Flare palette is a beautiful set with peacock inspired shades of green and purple and a fun palette to have. The E55 is good to pat on color while the E40 is a good blending option for those with bigger lid space. Create a fun contrasting look to smokey eyes or try out the eco-inspired look I created to test the palette. Available here for US$35 (excluding shipping).
When it came to the Dare palette I felt that the colors wasn't as bold as I had imagine and instead was greeted with quite wearable shades. Not my preferred palette per se but it reminds me of fall. My favorite colors are Surrender, Grasp, Reveal and Catch which are the same eye shadows used to create the looks in the Dare palette feature. I wasn't quite as excited about the brush included in the palette and would have preferred an E55 and E25 double ended brush instead. Available here for US$35 (excluding shipping).
I'd initially thought the Bare palette would have been a fine contender to the cult favorite Urban Decay Naked Palette but it isn't quite there. I can see this working for a wide range of skin tones and for neutral lovers out there. The palette didn't stir much excitement for me although if you are seeking a nice earthy palette that has less shimmer or satin finishes, this might be up your alley. I love the brush that came in this palette the most of the 3 palettes and made a look inspired by Christina Aguilera's make up from the show The Voice. Available here for US$35 (excluding shipping).
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| - Click on image for full post - |
The Flare palette is a beautiful set with peacock inspired shades of green and purple and a fun palette to have. The E55 is good to pat on color while the E40 is a good blending option for those with bigger lid space. Create a fun contrasting look to smokey eyes or try out the eco-inspired look I created to test the palette. Available here for US$35 (excluding shipping).
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| - Click on image for full post - |
When it came to the Dare palette I felt that the colors wasn't as bold as I had imagine and instead was greeted with quite wearable shades. Not my preferred palette per se but it reminds me of fall. My favorite colors are Surrender, Grasp, Reveal and Catch which are the same eye shadows used to create the looks in the Dare palette feature. I wasn't quite as excited about the brush included in the palette and would have preferred an E55 and E25 double ended brush instead. Available here for US$35 (excluding shipping).
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| - Click on image for full post - |
I'd initially thought the Bare palette would have been a fine contender to the cult favorite Urban Decay Naked Palette but it isn't quite there. I can see this working for a wide range of skin tones and for neutral lovers out there. The palette didn't stir much excitement for me although if you are seeking a nice earthy palette that has less shimmer or satin finishes, this might be up your alley. I love the brush that came in this palette the most of the 3 palettes and made a look inspired by Christina Aguilera's make up from the show The Voice. Available here for US$35 (excluding shipping).
Sigma Bare Palette
Last but not least from the latest Sigma eyeshadow palettes is Bare.
Bare is the neutral palette of the three and comes with the E30 (pencil brush) and E25 (blending) double ended brush. I'm actually glad that this palette came with these brushes as I find them to be excellent for a good variation of looks.
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| Sigma Bare Palette (Sleeve and Palette) |
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| Sigma Bare Palette (Opened) |
Bare is the neutral palette of the three and comes with the E30 (pencil brush) and E25 (blending) double ended brush. I'm actually glad that this palette came with these brushes as I find them to be excellent for a good variation of looks.
Selena Gomez - Love You Like A Love Song Music Video Inspired Look #1
I, I love you like a love song baby
I, I love you like a love song baby
I keep on hitting repeat-peat-peat-peat-peat...
I was in love with almost all the looks in Selena Gomez's music video for her song Love You Like A Love Song I had to at least try to recreate them. This first look is inspired by her make up in the karaoke bar scenes.
I decided to play around with some colors that I have and work with my own eye shape and have come out with two variations of the inspired look -- a day and night look.
Online Shopping: All Cosmetics Wholesale
Online shopping isn't such a big market in Malaysia yet as far as I can tell. We're still used to conventional shopping methods and at the same time, the amount of retailers and companies offering an online store is small especially when compared to more developed markets like the US and UK. At most, the online shopping experience here is geared more towards blogshops and the likes.
There are still a lot of brands out there that are not readily available in Malaysia (and most other countries as well) but offer products that we'd like to purchase nonetheless. In this series, I'll be featuring websites that ship internationally or at least accepts international credit cards and/or PayPal accounts.
For the first online store in this series, I'm featuring All Cosmetics Wholesale or ACW:
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| - Click on image to go to ACW - |
I've personally made several purchases through this website and have enjoyed their services and products sold on their site.
WHAT THEY SELL
- Authentic drugstore to high end brand cosmetics and tools at discounted and below retail prices
- Discontinued/phased out products at lower prices
- Rare limited edition MAC products (prices are marked up based on how rare the product is)
- Authorized reseller of brands such as Red Cherry Lashes, Kryolan, Me Me Me, Michael Todd, Paula Dorf, Lime Crime, 100% Pure, Lola, Stars Makeup Haven, Z-Palette and OCC
MAC Cinematic Collection: Reel Drama (Mini Haul)
The MAC Cine-Matics Collection recently launched here featuring their lip, eye and brush sets. I wasn't planning on getting anything but I did end up buying a set which I'm sharing with you here.
The Reel Drama Lip Bag set (RM165, available at all MAC counters in Malaysia) includes a zippered make up bag, a lipstick, a lip liner pencil and a gloss. There were 4 sets to choose from and product photos and swatches of the those as well as the other items in the collection are available at KarlaSugar.net.
The Reel Drama Lip Bag set (RM165, available at all MAC counters in Malaysia) includes a zippered make up bag, a lipstick, a lip liner pencil and a gloss. There were 4 sets to choose from and product photos and swatches of the those as well as the other items in the collection are available at KarlaSugar.net.
Polly Dolly v2: Masquerade (Week 19)
This week's theme is pretty cool. How would you dress up for a masquerade ball?
At first I wanted to work my look around a pair of these gorgeous Gucci heels I saw on the Polyvore home page but once I saw this beautiful elegant ombre gown, I could help but have the look surround the dress instead.
I paired the gown with an intricate venetian mask, a pair of understated jewel earrings, a jewel and lattice statement cocktail ring and a pair of glittery brown heels.
For make up, I didn't want to much going on since the mask is already such a statement piece and decided on a black smokey eye with lush lashes paired with a light orange tone lipstick. To complete the look, I added a dark wine nail polish as well. A spritz of a sexy fragrance and we're all set to go.
Make Up Basics: Powder
Face powders are good to have in your collection for a myriad of reasons. Apart from powder foundations, there are other types of powder products for the face used in make up application.
LOOSE POWDER
Loose powder simply means that the product is in a loose form typically packaged in sifter jars. The texture is silky soft and usually has little to no color. Face products in this form are most commonly found to be used as a setting powder and ensure the staying power of liquid and cream foundations as well as tinted moisturizers. Some BB creams also require a dust of loose powder to make sure it doesn't appear greasy throughout the day or slide off.
- Translucent - There are generally 2 tints of color for translucent loose powder and that is in white and a pale skin tone color. Although translucent powders should be invisible on skin when applied, white powders can appear ashy or leave a white cast on medium/dark to deep skin tones.
- Beige/Skin Tone - You can also find loose powder that are not translucent but tinted. These are great for setting your foundation or tinted moisturizer and gives a more natural finish. Depending on the ingredients in the powder, it can also provide a glowy finish.
Polly Dolly v2: Hippie (Week 18)
It's been awhile since my last Polly Dolly set and since this week's theme was Hippie, I almost didn't put up a set since I'm not quite familiar with the style. Anyways, I decided to play it safe with a comfortable jersey maxi dress paired with gladiator sandals and an assymetric shoulder bag. For accessories, I felt like it should be kept simple so I went for the feather braided headband and a chunky cuff bracelet.
As far as beauty was concern, I felt that it was best to go completely au naturel with only a moisturizing lip balm and sheer sun block. To complete the ensemble, I threw in a casual scent as well.
Urban Decay 15th Anniversary 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencils
Urban Decay has come out with a lot of products to celebrate it's 15th year anniversary this year. Among those was the limited edition boxed set of 15 shades of their famous 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencils. Having tried samples of their Zero pencil that came with some of their palettes, I already knew that I love the formulation of these pencils. True to their name, it really does glide on when applied and for me at least, it was long lasting.
Needless to say I wasted no time to jump at the chance of grabbing one of these collector editions which retails for US$92. These are full sized pencils at only a little over US$6 each compared to its individual retail price of US$18 each. That's approximately 66% off and it includes 6 brand new shades plus a free sharpener.
Needless to say I wasted no time to jump at the chance of grabbing one of these collector editions which retails for US$92. These are full sized pencils at only a little over US$6 each compared to its individual retail price of US$18 each. That's approximately 66% off and it includes 6 brand new shades plus a free sharpener.
Sigma Dare Palette
Now for another post for the new line of Sigma eyeshadow palettes, this time featuring the Dare palette.
This palette also comes in the same type of packaging as the Flare palette, 8 warm shade selection and a double ended brush (E20 Short Shader Brush and the E45 Small Tapered Blending Brush).
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| Dare Palette (sleeve and palette) |
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| Dare Palette (opened) |
This palette also comes in the same type of packaging as the Flare palette, 8 warm shade selection and a double ended brush (E20 Short Shader Brush and the E45 Small Tapered Blending Brush).
Sleek iDivine Bad Girl Palette: Photos, Swatches and First Impression
For my second Sleek order, I also picked up the iDivine Bad Girl palette.
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| Sleek iDivine Bad Girl Palette (Box packaging) |
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| Sleek iDivine Bad Girl Palette (Opened) |
As with the other iDivine eye shadow palettes, Bad Girl comes in the same packaging with the full sized mirror on the inner lid and a double ended sponge tip applicator.
Sigma Cleansing and Polishing Tool vs Clarisonic Mia
A couple months back I posted product photos and my first impression of the Sigma Cleansing and Polishing tool which I received just prior to my trip to LA. During my trip, I'd also managed to get myself a Clarisonic Mia which I've been wanting to get for the longest time.
Now that I've been better acquainted with both products, I can share my thoughts on both and which one I prefer over the other. Let's begin the battle of the cleansing tools!
Basically both tools are meant to be used for effective cleansing resulting smoother more radiant skin by minimizing enlarged pores and fine lines as well as giving a light exfoliation.
Sleek iDivine Primer Palette: Photos, Swatches and First Impressions
This palette arrived a little over a month ago but I haven't been able to give it a try yet (but I'm excited to). After my first 2 palettes, I felt like getting more.
One of the things in my second purchase is the Sleek iDivine Primer Palette:
PRODUCT INFO
The palette comes with 12 creamy colors and a double ended brush in a sleek black plastic case which includes a mirror on the inner lid. Each pan offers 1.1g/0.03oz of product. This product is specially designed to complement the eye shadows in their iDivine palettes for added intensity and longer wear.
I'm not a big fan of the flimsy loose plastic film with the color names though. I felt that they could've done a much better job at that by either having the names printed on the palette itself above the top row and below the bottom row or have a diagram at the back of the case with the names printed. Not too keen on the brush included either. The bristles are of poor quality and badly cut too. Definitely use your own brush or a clean finger to apply.
One of the things in my second purchase is the Sleek iDivine Primer Palette:
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| Sleek iDivine The Primer Palette (box packaging) |
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| Sleek iDivine The Primer Palette (opened palette) |
The palette comes with 12 creamy colors and a double ended brush in a sleek black plastic case which includes a mirror on the inner lid. Each pan offers 1.1g/0.03oz of product. This product is specially designed to complement the eye shadows in their iDivine palettes for added intensity and longer wear.
I'm not a big fan of the flimsy loose plastic film with the color names though. I felt that they could've done a much better job at that by either having the names printed on the palette itself above the top row and below the bottom row or have a diagram at the back of the case with the names printed. Not too keen on the brush included either. The bristles are of poor quality and badly cut too. Definitely use your own brush or a clean finger to apply.
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