A Colorful Way to Start My Day

I woke up pretty late today since I got home at almost 11 pm last night and plus the weather just makes me want to stay under the sheets. I finally got out of the bed when I heard a delivery bike park in front of the house and call out that the package was for me.

Hello, there gorgeous, what could you be?

Lookie lookie lookie.... what could it be? a sleek black case wrapped in bubble wrap?

(purchased at http://dollface.multiply.com)

Why hello gorgeous Coastal Scents 78-color makeup palette how was your travel?

I was excited that it was coming here that I immediately ripped up the shipper's packaging, bubble wrap and all and opened (CAREFULLY) the black case and what greeted me were 78 colors of pure delight, which included eye shadows (in various finishes from shimmer, metallic, matte, satin, etc), and blushers/highlighters.

When the item was purchased, I was told that there might be some minor cracks that could be due to shipping handling and all (after travelling from the U.S. then Cebu then right smack here in Metro Manila). However, I got lucky and the shadows were super intact. I even kept the bubble wrap that was inside the case so I could further protect my palette from further damage and to prevent the powders from messing up the slick black casing

The 78 color palette is actually a pretty good deal, especially for starting makeup artists since you get a whole lot of colors that are already very pigmented and in fact, it will save a lot of space in the makeup kit so you wouldn't have to lug in a whole truckload of stuff, like individual eyeshadow pots or blush pots. Actually, on days where I don't like to lug around a lot of stuff, this can be a great space-saver (and more space to fit that blow-dryer in my makeup backpack).

Size-wise the eyeshadows are about the diameter of a dime (or a little smaller than a 10-centavo coin)

A bit tiny, but that's okay since they're hella pigmented and we don't need much for eyeshadow anyway. Colors range from neutrals to brights, to pastels, and metallics, and the standard blacks and grays for smoky, smoldering eyes. I can take this with me if I have a fashion shoot then a wedding right after. The eyeshadows also have a lot of finishes and they can also be used as eyebrow powder. Just a tip, use a primer or creme eyeshadow on the lid to hold the color and dust loose powder on the cheeks to catch eyeshadow fallout. Also, remember to apply little first and layer on since the eyeshadow can be quite prone to fallout and you might end up with specks of color on your cheeks (unless of course this is the effect you want).

The rectangle neutral/smoky eyeshadows are about the size of a Laura Mercier eyebrow powder. The white matte shadow is a great eyeshadow base if you want the colors to be more intense. The golds can be used as cheekbone highlights and are comparable with Paul and Joe's face color powder.

Swatches of eye color:

I dabbed the brush on my palm and blended it a bit.

For blushers, the colors are quite on the fair and cool side on this palette ranging from candy pinks and lilacs and plums (the plum colors actually go on quite sheer). The peach color on the far left I see best as a highlighter for a glow on the face.

As you can see in the swatches, the dark ones on the palette are not actually dark on skin. They're like a flush of color and these colors are actually very natural on the skin

I'm pretty excited about playing with this palette as I'll be using them quite soon. :) I'll also post a video review and swatches so you could get a more in-depth analysis of the palette. I recommend it for:

1. Starting makeup artists since you get a whole lot of colors without breaking the bank and sacrificing quality

2. Makeup addicts who wouldn't want to spend a fortune

3. Pro makeup artists who want to save space on their malettes (and money too)