Product Review: a2o Pressed Powder Eyeshadow Kits

I'd heard a lot about the MissA website for a while, and over the past year or so, I've picked up quite a few products from the website's in-house brands.

If you're not familiar, the brand is focused on budget-friendly makeup items. Many of their AOA products are only $1 (and I've tried some, which are really quite good so I'm sure I'll get around to talking about them at some point), though they do have a slightly more expensive line, a2o Labs, which includes a variety of pressed powder eyeshadows, highlighters, and blushes in pans, as well as empty magnetic palettes, so you can put together custom palettes.

(The empty magnetic palettes have become a real favorite of mine, because the largest size, which holds 28 traditional sized eyeshadow pans, is only $7.50. They're made of sturdy cardboard, feature fun designs, and have a large mirror inside. If you don't need a mirror in your palette, though, they're only $6.  You can also opt for small empty palettes that can hold 9 shadow pans for $4 (without a mirror) or $5 (with a mirror).)

But there are also some curated eyeshadow kits that include 9 shadows and an empty mirrored magnetic palette with the kit's name on the front.

All for just $10.

I couldn't resist picking up all 5 of the kits (because I've been obsessed with pan eyeshadows and making my own custom palettes for the past year or so and am determined to try as many different brands as I can) to see just how well the shadows perform.

Product Review -- Profusion Mixed Metals Palette in Nude

I spend a lot of money on makeup, and I don't really have any qualms about doing so, but I still loving finding bargain.

There really isn't anything quite as exciting as good makeup at an affordable price, is there?

Well, in terms of makeup things anyway.

So I was intrigued when I spotted the Profusion Mixed Metals Palettes at Target near the holidays.

I've heard quite a bit about the Profusion brand over the years, but I'd never actually tried anything myself, so I figured it was as good a time as any to bite the bullet.

The palette is actually part of a kit that also includes a shadow primer, blending brush, and an eyeliner pencil, which I'm not sure is still available at Target, but you can still get it on the Profusion website.

Product 411: ColourPop Semi-Precious, Golden State of Mind, All I See Is Magic, Take Me Home, and Double Entendre Shadow Palettes

I've ever met a ColourPop Pressed Shadow Palette that I didn't like, which is why I think I own every one that they've put out so far.

They combine great quality with great value -- how can I resist?

Now, ColourPop does seem to come out with a new palette every week, which is a little overwhelming, but I'm not about to complain.

Over the past couple of months, I've tried the Semi-Precious, Golden State of Mind, All I See Is Magic, Take Me Home, and Double Entendre Palettes -- and they're just as good as all of the other palettes I've tried from ColourPop.

The palettes vary in size, but they all come in sturdy cardboard packaging that's thin and convenient to store. The only one that has a mirror inside, though, is the mini, Take Me Home.

Product Review -- CoverGirl Tru Naked Eyeshadow Palettes

There are so many exciting, intriguing new products at the drugstore these days that I feel like I wind up picking up something every time I stop by CVS, Walgreen's, or Target for toothpaste or deodorant.

It's a problem only fellow makeup junkies will understand.

When it comes to new products, though, the ones that I've probably been most excited to try are CoverGirl's Tru Naked Eyeshadow Palettes.

Because, to be honest, I haven't really enjoyed a CoverGirl eyeshadow since I was a teenager -- and that's years and years ago.

The Tru Naked Palettes come in three shades: Nudes, Goldens, and Roses. They are clearly meant to mimic Urban Decay's Naked Palettes, though they have fewer shadows (8 vs. 12) and don't have exact shade-for-shade dupes in my opinion.

Review -- Coastal Scents Revealed and Revealed 2 Palettes

Back in the day, I bought quite a few products from Coastal Scents.

You know, those 28-pan neutral palettes or 88-pan shimmer palettes that are so great for expanding a makeup collection on a budget.

But they aren't exclusive to Coastal Scents -- you can get similar palettes from BH Cosmetics, eBay, Amazon, and other sites.

Since then, Coastal Scents has started to put out their own products but I hadn't gotten around to giving them a try.

But I'd heard such good things about the Revealed and Revealed 2 Palettes that when Coastal Scents had a 50% off sale for Black Friday, I had to give them a go.

And I'm not disappointed in the slightest.

Review -- IT Cosmetics Naturally Pretty Celebration Matte Luxe Transforming Eyeshadow Palette

About a year ago, I bought the  IT Cosmetics Naturally Pretty Vol. 1 Matte Luxe Transforming Eyeshadow Palette and promptly fell in love.

The palette offers 14 of the most beautiful, soft, easy-to-use matte shadows I've ever come across, plus a  transforming pearl shade that you can layer over the mattes to give them a shimmery finish.

I'm not really sold on that somewhat gimmicky aspect of the palette (because you could use any shimmery shade to give mattes more dimension and the pearl shade does slightly alter the actual color of the shadows), but it is a lovely palette -- it's been one of my favorites this year for sure.

So when I heard that IT Cosmetics was coming out with another palette in the line -- the IT Cosmetics Naturally Pretty Celebration Matte Luxe Transforming Eyeshadow Palette -- there was no doubt I would give it a try. 

Review -- The Balm Nude'Dude Eyeshadow Palette & Body Builder Mascara Set

The Balm's Nude'Tude Palette is one of my all-time favorite eyeshadow palettes, hands down.

I love the shadow formula, the range of colors and finishes, and, of course, the adorable artwork on the package.

Given how much I adore that baby, I wouldn't really think it possible for The Balm to ever top it.

But they decided to try with a sequel to the fabulous Nude'Tude Palette, the Nude'Dude Eyeshadow Palette -- and of course, I had no choice but to pick one up.

As far as I know, the palette is only available at Kohl's at the moment as part of a set that also includes a tube of the What's Your Type? Body Builder Mascara.

(But the copy on Kohl's website refers to the set as providing a "sneak peek" of the Nude'Dude Palette so I assume it's going to be available in other locations, including The Balm's website, shortly.)

Product Alert -- Upcoming bareMinerals Candlelight Glow TSV from QVC

I've been trying to cut back on the beauty TSVs that I purchase from QVC.

That's because I almost always wind up purchasing them on the auto-delivery plan, which means there's another two or three kits coming in the future so the makeup can really start piling up.

And you know me -- I don't really need any help accumulating the beauty products.

But at the holidays, the beauty TSVs from QVC are just always so tempting and I couldn't resist the bareMinerals Candlelight Glow 8-Piece Holiday Collection.

The TSV will be available on November 24th for $49.98 plus s&h, but I ordered early and just got my kit so I thought I'd give a rundown in case anyone is trying to decide whether to purchase this one or not.

Product Alert -- Upcoming bareMinerals Glamour Now Holiday TSV from QVC

As I mentioned yesterday, QVC always has the best beauty TSVs right around the holidays.

It makes sense, of course -- they make ideal gifts for all those makeup lovers on your list... or yourself.

There's nothing wrong with treating yourself, I always say.

The upcoming bareMinerals Glamour Now TSV that will air on November 25th is definitely a treat in my book.

New QVC TSV Installment -- Mally Easy on the Eyes #2

It seems like just yesterday that I received the Mally Easy on the Eyes TSV from QVC, but the second installment already showed up last week -- and I think I might actually like it better than the first kit.

The AD collection contains six items:

• Mally Citychick Celebration Shadow Palette
• Mally Perfect Prep Under Eye Brightner
• Mally Volumizing Mascara in Black
• (3) Mally Evercolor Starlight Waterproof Liners in Steele, Enchanted Violet & Sailor 

It also comes with a small pencil sharpener for the eyeliners. 

Shopping Bag -- LORAC, e.lf. & bareMinerals

When I was cleaning up my makeup area this morning, I realized that I had gathered up enough products to do another "Shopping Bag" post (if you're not sure what these posts are about, there's an explanation here.) and figured today was as good a day as any -- especially since I want to put these items away so things look a little neater.

I'm not a neat freak by any stretch of the imagination, but when it comes to my makeup, I like everything to be organized and in its proper place.

So onto the goodies in question...

Wet n Wild Limited Edition Spring Forward Palettes -- Nude Awakening & Going in the Wild

I never have any luck finding Wet n Wild limited edition products.

Whenever I see blog posts or videos about some interesting looking palette that they have out, I immediately hit all the local drugstores that carry WnW to hunt for them but they are never anywhere to be found.

And it's not like with other drugstore limited edition products when I just get there too late and find an empty display.

I can never find any evidence that they were ever there in the first place.

It's not like I live in the middle of nowhere, either. 

I'm on Long Island, just barely 20 minutes outside of NYC. 

I should be able to find WnW limited edition products, damn it.

Sonia Kashuk Eyeshadow Quad in Fair and Square Review

Over the past year, whenever I've complimented my friend Laura on her eyeshadow, it turned out that she was wearing a Sonia Kashuk quad.

Her eyes always look so fabulously shimmery -- and if there's one thing that lures me in when it comes to shadow, it's shimmer.

I can't resist it.

So I'd been meaning to pick up one of the Sonia Kashuk Eyeshadow Quad for a while and when I was doing some Christmas shopping at the end of last year, I finally bit the bullet.

(When I said I have a backlog of products to review the other day, I wasn't kidding.)