BE Beautifully Brillant Holiday Collection A/D #3 from QVC

Note: I apologize in advance for the poor lighting in these photos. It's been raining for at least some part of the day here all week, so I had to contend with dark, cloudy skies every time that I wanted to take pictures. You know, it wasn't until I started this blog that I realized just how terrible the lighting in my house is... I really should do something about that. I'm planning on getting a photo tent and light kit so if anyone has suggestions, feel free to share.

I’m always happy when the UPS man shows up at my door with the latest installment of a QVC TSV. 

This week, he delivered the latest kit in the bareMinerals Beautifully Brilliant Holiday Collection, which is called Fortune Found. While I get a lot of beauty-related TSVs, it always seems like the bareMinerals (and Tarte) ones are my favorites.  This one is another hit for me, though I do have a somewhat serious problem with it that I mentioned in my review of the second installment.

But let’s get on to the good stuff first, namely what’s in this kit.

Review -- Urban Decay Naked Skin Beauty Balm

With the BB and CC cream (I think there's even a DD cream out there now) craze sweeping the beauty industry, it's hardly a surprise that every company wants a product to throw out into the arena.

The only problem with that is that many U.S. companies are just taking tinted moisturizers and calling them BB creams ... or in some cases, taking a product that doesn't really have any of the properties of a BB cream and slapping the BB label on it.

Case in point: the Urban Decay Naked Skin Beauty Balm.

UD touts it as a multitasking product that hydrates, primes, protects, perfects and treats the skin.

I suppose it could do most of those things to some degree, but in my mind, the Naked Skin Beauty Balm is similar to the Tarte BB Tinted Treatment Primer in that it's essentially a tinted foundation primer.

And if that's what you're in the market for, I'd recommend the Tarte BB Primer over the UD Naked Skin Beauty Balm for sure.

That's not to say that the Naked Skin Beauty Balm is a bad product.

Review -- Tarte Exotic Eyes 5-in-1 Eye Shadow Palette

 I think it's pretty obvious at this point that I have a total weakness for natural eye shadow palettes.

Because seriously?  I have more than any one person needs... and yet I can't stop buying them.

So when a brand that I absolutely adore like Tarte comes out with one, I am a goner for sure.

The Exotic Eyes 5-in-1 Eye Shadow Palette is a nice, basic collection of natural eye shadow shades.

(Which is why I find the name somewhat of a misnomer.  I mean, when I hear exotic, I expect really bright or really dark colors... but maybe that's just me.)

Review -- L'Oreal Paris Magic Lumi Highlighter

The L'Oreal Paris Magic Lumi Highlighter is one of those face products that always call out to me.

Anything that promises to brighten, illuminate or make my skin glow is right up my alley.

L'Oreal claims that the unique liquid formula "highlights your complexion and boosts radiance for a subtle glow." They suggest dabbing it on dark areas for instant illumination or along your cheekbones and brow bone to make yourself look wide awake.

It's easy to believe that this product could work like that -- it certainly has a brightening effect on my complexion.  And it doesn't have any shimmer or glitter to make it look unnatural.

The liquid formula is nice and lightweight, so it blends easily into the skin and doesn't look cakey.

Unfortunately, the Magic Lumi Highlighter doesn't really work as a highlighter for my skin.