Too Faced Chocolate Bon Bons Palette Review

Hey everyone!  This week, I wanted to share my thoughts with you on a really fun palette called “Too Faced Chocolate Bon Bons”.  This is the first palette I’ve purchased from the Chocolate Bar Eye Shadow Collection.  The palette comes in an adorable heart-inspired package, and just like the rest of the company’s chocolate-themed and scented products, the palette smells like yummy delicious chocolate!

   

The palette comes in a retro-inspired pink tin box, embossed with hearts and sealed with a magnetic clasp.  Inside, the palette contains a rectangular mirror on the lid, and 16 eye shadow pans, 14 of which are heart-shaped and weigh roughly 0.03 ounces.  The other two shadow pans are rectangular and weigh about 0.07 ounces.  All of the shadows are very finely milled, and feel like butter.  They glide on nicely, with little-to-no fallout, depending on whether you’ve tapped the excess shadow off of your brush.  The shadows also blend really nicely.

The range of finishes inside this palette is also impressive, as there are matte, metallic and full-on shimmery shadows inside.  A majority of the shades (9 of 16) are cool and warm-toned neutrals, while the rest vary between deeper shades and cool-toned bright colors.  The palette also comes with a How-To Glamour Guide, complete with three suggested looks for inspiration.  This is a great start, but don’t limit yourself!  Make sure you experiment with the shadows, and find a fun and original look that’s all you!  If you find yourself thinking of new looks to create with these shades, you can always do what Jeffree Star does and create a look by going down the columns or along the rows, covering the rest of the palette with your hands.

Here’s how the shadows swatched on my fair skin:

 

 

 

 

 

Overall, I’m really pleased with my purchase and love using this palette.  I feel like it can definitely become a top-shelf makeup item in my vanity, as it allows me to create beautiful everyday eye looks, stunningly dramatic evening ones and everything in between.  The cute packaging also makes it a perfect wish-list item for Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day, a birthday or an anniversary gift-- or don’t wait for anyone and just buy it for yourself!  

Let me know what your thoughts are on this palette (if you already own it or not), or your opinion on any of the other chocolate palettes by Too Faced.  

XOXO,

Grace

LORAC Mega PRO Palette II Review

Hi all!  I’m super-excited to be writing this post o­n the recently launched and limited edition LORAC Mega PRO Palette II, which is sold exclusively at ULTA (online and in stores -- click here to buy it now).  When the original Mega Pro Palette came out last year, it sold out so quickly that barely anyone was able to get their hands on it, so I wanted to share my thoughts with you and decide whether or not it lives up to the hype.

What we’re dealing with:

The Mega PRO Palette II was created by celebrity makeup artist and founder of LORAC Cosmetics Carol Shaw, and launched exclusively at ULTA for the 2015 holiday season on October 4^th.  LORAC shadows are known to be velvety-smooth, highly pigmented and blend like a dream, and this palette delivers exactly that.  Measuring at 5¾x7¾, the palette is double the size of the LORAC PRO palettes (which have 16 matte and shimmery shadows and cost $42), and offers new shades that are unlike any from the previous palettes. 

Before the limited edition item came out, I did my fair share of research to see if it was worth the money, or if I was better off buying another palette.  Most good-quality palettes have about 12-16 shadows and cost somewhere between $40 and $55.  In comparison, the 32 shadow Mega II Palette (valued at $205) only costs $59 on ULTA’s website, which means each shadow is $1.85 – an insane value!  And while the individual pans are slightly smaller than the Pro Palette shadows, the combination of pigmentation and quality is tremendous, and you honestly don’t need that much of each one to really build the color for your eye look.  On top of that, the Mega II Palette comes out to be a lot cheaper than buying two Pro Palettes, which would still not give you 32 unique shadow colors.  Here’s an inside look at the color breakdown of the Mega II Palette:

The Shadows:

The top two rows have a total of 16 matte shades, while the bottom two rows have 16 shimmery shades. 

Row 1 (Mattes): Porcelain, Custard, Tawny, Burlap, Melon, Tangerine, Saddle, Forest

Row 2 (Mattes): Bisque, Lavender, Purple, Sorbet, Goji, Cabernet, Ash, Black

Row 3 (Shimmers): Sugar, Chiffon, Prosecco, Soft Plum, Cinnamon, Sandstone, Gunmetal, Blue Quartz

Row 4 (Shimmers): Moonlight, Seashell, Peony, Dark Sienna, Penny, Olivine, Gold Leaf, Black Ivy

In case you haven’t figured it out yet, I decided to buy the Mega Pro II Palette, and am so glad that I did.  Overall, I’m really pleased with this purchase.  The quality is unbelievable and you get a lot of bang for your buck.  The shadows are soft and smooth like butter and swatch amazingly well.  They are extremely easy to apply and super blendable.  Plus, the back of the box has three Pro Tip “recipes” for an eyelook using just matte shades, shimmery shades, or both, so that’s neat.  Bottom line is, I highly recommend the palette and if you don’t want to spend the money yourself, it’d be a great item to add to your holiday wish list! 

XOXO,

Grace

Summer Beauty Essentials

Hi dolls! I thought I’d share with you some of my must-haves this summer.  Since I live in sunny California, I tend to stick with things that feel light and have SPF.  So here we go!

1.        Origins GinZing Moisturizer (starting at $26.50)- A lightweight and oil-free moisturizer that is infused with pana ginseng and coffee beans to boost the hydration system of the skin.  It has the fresh scent of citrus and leaves you looking revitalized, healthy and refreshed.

2.        Tarte Cheek Stain ($30)- This super hydrating and multipurpose formula can help you achieve the perfect flushed look and requires no brushes.  Just smile, dot some of the product on your cheeks, and blend along the apples of your cheeks.  Even more than that, it can also double as a lip stain.  I just love a multi-purpose gem!

3.        Becca Mineral Blush in Gypsy ($32)- Like all Becca powders that we love, this blush is finely milled and infused with minerals (hence the name) and antioxidant vitamins.  It gives the most natural looking flush and is also very buildable.

4.        Too Faced Primed and Poreless Powder ($30)-Hands-down the best powder for summer.  It is so silky smooth, it magically erases those annoying pores and fine lines, and literally locks your makeup in place all day long.

5.        Neutrogena Sun Block ($7.39)- An ultra sheer and dry touch formula that gets absorbed into the skin quickly, this cream isn’t sticky, and leaves a matte finish.  On top of that, the added bonus is the fresh and light scent that doesn’t smell like those typical sunscreen lotions.  Make sure you apply this or any other sunscreens AFTER your moisturizer so that you get the most protection, and just because it says it has an SPF of 100 doesn’t mean it shouldn’t be reapplied. Whether you are using an SPF of 15 or 30, try to reapply (if you can) every two hours, or if you’re fair-skinned like me, just try to avoid the sun overall!

6.        Too Faced Soleil Bronzer ($30)- Aside from the fact that this has the most delicious chocolate scent, it has the most delicate and natural matte finish and is super easy to apply.

7.        Tarte Lights Camera Flashes Mascara ($23)- The brush on this mascara is double-sided with two different types of bristles.  The short ones coat the lashes perfectly and help to volumize them, while the longer side lengthens and separates them.  When combined together, the unique brush helps to achieve a daily dramatic look that’s not over the top and won’t flake or dry out. 

8.        Nivea Kiss of Protection ($2.99)- Infused with Vitamin E, Shea Butter, Sunflower and Jojoba oils, this lip balm helps to protect your lips from those dangerous UV rays.   It helps to prevent those dried and cracked lips you get in the summer and instead keeps them hydrated, soft, smooth and kissable.

9.        Tarte Tarteguard Sunscreen Lotion (starting at $12)- This newly-released product from Tarte has an SPF of 30, moisturizes, brightens, is super lightweight and doesn’t have that sticky after feel.  It smells like fresh lilies and is infused with lots of minerals that nourish, tone and moisturize your skin.  

10.    Laura Mercier Oil Free Tinted Moisturizer ($44)- A lightweight oil free formula with an SPF of 20 that gives a sheer hint of color and a healthy dewy finish.  It applies so easily and you can use it with a brush, a beauty blender or even your fingers.  

11.    Light Blue by Dolce & Gabbana (starting at $29)- This is summer in a bottle for me.  The perfume includes things like Sicilian Citron, jasmine, amber and white roses.  It is so fresh and feminine and it makes me so happy! (P.S. prices may vary, so see if you can get a free sample from your favorite perfume counter or store).

12.    Tarte Lights Camera Splashes Mascara ($21)- This is basically the waterproof version of the Lights Camera Flashes mascara, as it also lengthens, volumizes, curls and conditions.  It is the perfect mascara for your next beach or pool day and it will stay on until you decide it’s time to take it off.

13.    Caudalie Beauty Elixir (starting at $18)- This product is a bit extravagant but just gives the most amazing feeling.  It is partly a toner and partly a serum; it tightens your pores, smoothes the skin, stimulates microcirculation and adds radiance.  You can put it on before your makeup or use it as a setting spray.  If you’re traveling on an airplane this summer, bring the travel sized version with you and use it while traveling. It’s the perfect pick-me-up, has the most amazing fresh scent and makes you feel like a million bucks.  But beware – it can be addictive!

14.    Laline Body Soufflé ($32.95)- This lotion is so creamy and luscious.  I put it on after the shower while my skin is still a little damp and it just locks in the moisture and makes my skin feel super smooth and rich.  I got the Coconut Verbena scented lotion, which smells incredible and makes me want to roll all around in it.  It’s that yummy!

Hope you enjoyed this post.  Now go out there and try some of these products for yourself, and let me know which are your favorites!  If there are any products you think belong on my essentials list, please comment below and I’ll be sure to check them out!  Hope you’re all having a great summer.

XOXO,
Grace