Price: $54 CAD
Size: 0.053 Oz x 12
This palette has been out for a bit now – and I have played with it since. I wanted to use them for a while before doing a proper review on it – so here we go. Continue reading “TARTE – Tartelette in Bloom”
Price: $36.00 USD (palette) $36 CAD (individual full size)
Size:
PALETTE
Dandelion – 0.14 oz
Bella Bamba – 0.17oz
Sugarbomb – 0.21 oz
Hoola – 0.17oz
Coralista – 0.17oz
Rocketeur – 0.17oz
Watt’s Up – 0.05oz
INDIVIDUAL FULL SIZE
~ 0.28oz each
This palette is unfortunately ‘out of stock’ and in other words discontinued as it was available around Christmas and carries a holiday concept. Luckily, the products included are just smaller amounts of their regular line so I have decided to do the review anyways so that you could get an idea on their cheek products. It is unfortunate that this palette was limited time only as it was an amazing deal and a good way to try out all their blushes for a reasonable price.
PACKAGING
I will talk about both the palette’s packaging and the original packaging for their cheek products.
CHEEKY SWEET SPOT PALETTE
This palette came in a tin box that was shaped like a house with a cutesy candy theme in green and red. I personally feel it was appropriate for the holidays but was very happy to see that it was not overly Christmassy so that I would not look silly bringing it out during other seasons. Sadly, the palette is about the length of my forearm and therefore is rather large so it is a little inappropriate for traveling – and the products seem a little hard to depot without destroying the packing. The overall packaging was great on the outside as it was sturdy and provided good protection for the product however, the inside looked a little cheap as it was a piece of foam that held the products in place.
INDIVIDUAL FULL SIZE
For the regular packaging I find it is a little cheap looking for a product that is priced at $36. It usually comes in a cardboard box that feels a little cheap and has a small mirror that is a little hard to use as mine was often covered by powder that has come loose. Personally I do not love the feel or look of the packaging as it does not blow me away and could easily be mistaken as drug store quality. Also when you open it up and take out the brush the product sits at the very bottom of the cube and makes you feel like there is not a lot of product included. However, the closure is decent and I have not had any issues with it opening on its own so far.
PRODUCTS
Included in the set are the cheek products listed above and a tiny version of the signature blush brush. Though this specific palette is unavailable the products inside are just their regular line so you can still purchase them. For the original products that are sold individually the blushes have a different fragrance to each which is included in this palette however, because all of them are in one box the smells have mixed and it is hard to differentiate which belongs to each – therefore I will not be reviewing the smells of the products. I will tell you this though, since they are fragranced the entire palette smells great but I do not know which one it is thanks to.
DANDELION is a pale pink blush that has a small amount of glitter in it. Personally, this shade does not show up much on my yellow under toned skin however, it would look great on fair and light skin types. Or even as a highlight with a warm background. Also I found that this shade came off slightly chalky but that may have had to do with my skin tone. Overall I recommend this for people with lighter skin tones that are looking for a natural looking blush.
BELLA BAMBA looks bold and intimidating in the pan however it comes off very differently. I would describe this shade as a warm pink with gold flecks that remind of champagne and strawberries for some reason. Out of all the blushes this would be the most glittery and shimmery. This shade looked alright on my skin and blended well though glitter is quite visible – so I would not recommend this if you do not like a glittery blush. Overall this blush would be great for summer months as it would give you a nice flushed glow. (I cannot find this one being sold on its own, sorry!)
SUGARBOMB is a little more complex as it is a blush created from 4 different shades: peach, rose, strawberry pink, and coral. Since it is a combination of 4 shades this blush will come off differently depending on how you pick up the product from the pan. I did my best to swatch it evenly and it came off like a shimmery peach shade – making it a little bit of a struggle to appear on my skin tone once again, however it worked well as a tinted highlighter. The glitter amount in this blush is a little less than BELLA BAMBA but the flecks are slightly finer. Overall, this blush works well as a peachy highlight or as a spring time blush.
WATT’S UP! is a cream highlighter that usually comes in a stick form however it came in a pan for this palette. The pan format made the product a little bit harder to apply nicely and smoothly but I would assume that the stick format would cut out the need to pick up the product with a finger or brush therefore being a little easier to apply. As for the shade itself it is champagne colour that does not have flecks therefore giving you a natural ‘glow’ and highlights beautifully. However, because of its champagne tone I would not recommend this product for fair and lighter skin tones as it may come off a little dark and yellow. Overall, it is a decent highlighter if you have medium to dark skin tones and the original packaging looks like it would be better to apply with.
HOOLA is the bronzer by Benefit and is well loved by many, especially over the internet. Personally I too have fallen to the hype and have made this bronzer a summer time staple. The shade is a soft brown that is matte; also the product blends well which is important for contouring. However, for fair and light skin tones you may find that this bronzer is a little dark depending on your preference. For myself I tend to only use this bronzer for contouring the outer parts of my face and I opt for a a lighter one for contouring my nose, as I am not looking to create the Kim K contouring.
CORALISTA is also a well loved product from Benefit, it is a shimmery, glittery, orangey peach shade that looks great in the summer months. However, since it is glittery it will not give you a natural flush that some of you may prefer, but if you are okay with shimmery products then you may like this for the spring and summer. Overall it is a beautiful shade that should work for most skin tones and does not come off chalky.
ROCKETEUR is my favourite of all the included products. It is a dusty rose shade with a subtle glow in the back that just gives your checks a nice lift. Even though there is a very subtle shine in the back the blush looks very natural when applied and really bring out the cheeks. This product double is much like a highlighting blush and blends seamlessly. I have enjoyed using this during the winter months and it gives the checks the effect of just being out in the snow.
BRUSH is a small replica of the brush you get with the blushes and bronzer. In my opinion it is a decent brush in comparison to other brushes or applicators that you receive with products. However, density and quality does not match up to a high end brushes that you would purchase on their own. But of course that is expected, if you do not use makeup a lot this brush is quite sufficient and blends the product out beautifully. However, I would warn you when washing it that you be gentle as some bristles may fall out.
OVERALL
Benefit blushes are bendable and subtle enough to look natural, also they last a good few hours on the cheek depending on the foundation you use and whether or not you applied a setting spray. However, for a full sized product it is about $36 CAD and this may be a little much for 1 shade, that also comes in a cardboard box. However, I personally have used the full sized HOOLA bronzer almost on a daily basis for about 2 years now and I still have quite a bit of product left though I have hit pan. If I were to recommend 1 of the products from above I would definitely say that Rocketeur would be a good choice especially if you have a similar skin tone to me.
– SL.
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Price: $34.00 CAD (per palette)
Size: 6 – 0.05 oz (per palette)
PACKAGING
Both have practically the same exact packaging – plastic, matte brown palette with a mirror and 6 shades inside. The size is perfect for travelling since it is about 4 inches wide and 2 inches tall with only a thickness of about ½ and inch. I took the first palette on my month long Asia trip this past summer and there are no signs of wear or tear. The shadows were well protected and nothing broke or shattered inside which is a plus. It also comes with a good closure that clicks into place so you know it closed for sure – unlike the magnetic closer of the original naked palette. Overall I am quite please with the sturdy structure and sleek look of the Naked Basics palettes and would highly recommend them for travel, due to its durability.
PRODUCT
Both palettes come with a total of 6 eye shadows – 5 matte and 1 shimmer (highlight). All possess the buttery and silky texture Urban Decay is well known for – however I did find that they were not quite as opaque as the original Naked palette’s shimmer shades. On a grand the scale the shadows provided a smooth application that is velvety and blend-able. The longevity is acceptable if you are not spending a few hours walking around in the hot sun and sweating tons – otherwise it does last all day especially if you use a primer before application. In summary, they are very similar to each other and I would not say that you would really need to have both of the Naked Basics palettes. I would suggest choosing the one that fits your skin tone and eye colour the best and go with that one.
SHADES
Naked Basics Palette
Venus (shimmer): this is the ‘highlight’ shade with fine glitter – nothing too overwhelming or glittery. It is beige in tone when in the pan but gives off an off-white tone when applied. I usually apply it to the inner corners of my eyes or at my brow bone
Foxy: in the pan this colour looks tan however when applied it gives off a skin tone colour with yellow undertones
W.O.S: this shade is a lot like Foxy however it possess a pink undertone but the difference is very subtle
Naked 2: this shade is a very subtle and light taupe – however I found it sometimes looks ‘chalky’ on my lids. I often find myself using this as a subtle wash of colour on my lids for a quick look
Faint: This looks like a dark brown shade with a warm undertone. It is great for contouring the lids and is one of the more opaque shadows in the palette.
Crave: this is the darkest shade in the palette however I had hopes to use it as a liner but the opacity was not as strong as I wished. Luckily this shade is buildable so an opaque line is possible.
Overall, I found that these colours were sufficient enough for me to create casual and more formal looks when I was on vacation. I do wish that the darker shades were a little more opaque but besides that I was rather pleased with the palette since I am able to use all the shades unlike the original Naked palette.
Naked 2 Basics Palette
Skimp (shimmer): in this palette this is the highlighter shade provided, it has a pink tone and I find that this one is more opaque and finer than the Venus (Naked Basics)
Stark: this is a very pale pink that sometimes comes off a little chalky on my skin tone
Frisk: like the W.O.S (Naked Basics) this is a taupe colour however it is a little deeper in tone and leans on the grey side.
Cover: this is like a darker chocolate brown with a warm tone and has the opacity Urban Decay is known for
Primal: this shade is a lot like a black brown that leans closer to the brown side. I find this is great for a smokey eye as it is not as harsh as a black but still gives the depth you want
Undone: is a subtle black with a mix of brown which is a little like a darker version of Primal – making this also great for the night out look
Overall, I personally feel that the Naked 2 Basics palette was more on par with the original Naked palette – opacity wise. However, this palette consists of more darker shades which may or may not be useful if a majority of your looks are casual and natural looking. I personally like the darker shades of this palette over the ones found in the Naked Basics but I like the lighter shades in the Naked Basics over the ones in this palette (highlight shade not included).
In summary, I would say both palettes are great and affordable for the quality. On the plus side – I would not say that one would require both in their collection (which saves you some money). With these palettes it is a matter of whether you use more of the darker shades than the lighter ones or lighter ones more than the darker ones. Also, a large majority of these shades a matte and would not be great for you if you like shimmer shades.
– SL.
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