Category Archives: Eyeshadow and Palettes

Tom Ford 2026 Bronzers and Eyeshadows

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Thanks to the approaching deadlines over regulation changes in the EU, the Tom Ford Beauty brand has been reformulating a ton of their products across multiple categories.
Today’s post will be covering the few that I bought from this year’s relaunches.

*DISCLOSURE: Non-highlighted links in bold blue font (Example) are standard non-affiliate links. Links marked in bold black font with a light blue background (Example) are affiliate links. Affiliate links allow me to get a commission if purchases are made directly using my link. Whether you click to shop through them or not, I appreciate you visiting and I hope you find the information I’ve provided to be helpful!
In this review, the only affiliate links are for brushes through CDJapan. I have no affiliation with Tom Ford Beauty.

Tom Ford Soleil Bronzing Powder in 03 Panarea and 04 Formentera

During the peak days of YouTube’s Beauty community, some of the most hyped up bronzers were the Benefit Hoola Bronzer, Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Matte Bronzer, Physician’s Formula Murumuru Butter Bronzer, Hourglass Ambient Lighting Bronzer, Nars Laguna Bronzer, Guerlain Terracotta Bronzer, Tom Ford Soleil Glow Bronzer, and Marc Jacobs Beauty O!Mega Bronzer. Since then, many of those brands have expanded their ranges, including Tom Ford. I was so excited at the prospect of finally having a powder bronzer from Tom Ford that was deep enough to show up on my skin! However, the brand didn’t take inclusivity as far as I would have expected. There are only 4 options and the gap between shades 3 and 4 is huge!

Below are swatches of two of my lightest bronzers (that I typically mix with a darker bronzer in order to wear them) compared to Panarea. As seen in the photo, Panarea is nearly invisible on my arm. To jump from that shade to Formentera is wild, but even wilder is the fact that Tom Ford’s fourth bronzer is the darkest in the range. It’s significantly lighter than Charlotte Tilbury’s bronzer in Deep, which is also the 4th and last shade in her powder bronzer range. To be fair, Charlotte’s third shade option is about as light as Nars Laguna 05. So, that brand has a shade jump too, but she has bronzers that will work for someone at least several shades darker than me.

I thought these shades would be darker based on how deep they appear in the pan, but they still look lighter even after being built up. Panarea looks tan, but on me it’s like a beige-bisque. It’s technically warm, but can look almost pink toned in some lighting. Formentera looks like it should be a contour color, but it’s a red toned bronzer (though still not overly warm).

I’ve seen my friends who are darker than me try to use bronzers as face powders to find use for ones that were too light for them. I decided to give that tactic a try with Panarea and I can say whatever changes it made to my face were negligible. In a side-by-side comparison, perhaps my face was the tiniest bit more matte. Perhaps shade 03 changed the color of my face the tiniest bit, but not enough for anyone else to notice and my face didn’t stay matte for long. Essentially, this bronzer wasn’t good enough for powdering my face, over using my actual finishing powders that blur and/or add a beautiful sheen. So, I don’t recommend bothering to use it in this way.

Before I even attempted to use this as a face powder, the third shade was already getting hard pan. I thought perhaps this formula doesn’t like to be swatched or maybe these bronzers are hard-pressed, but Formentera is still perfectly fine and easy to pick up with my brushes. In just three weeks, the surface of Panarea feels hard and dry, which is such a contrast to the continued softness (verging on creamy) of Formentera. In the comment sections of YouTube videos, such as the one by Mo Makeup Mo Beauty on the Soleil Collection, a few people described having issues with the performance of Panarea too. So, perhaps there’s something off with this batch.

The Soleil Bronzers are unscented, have a matte finish, and the powder consistency is fairly thin, though not as thin as Victoria Beckham or Charlotte Tilbury. These are pigmented, but the amount my brushes pick up ensure that I can build up sheer layers of product and not worry about overapplying.

The amount of kickup is determined by the brush used. My first instinct was to test them with some of my go-to bronzer brushes, which are the Bisyodo B-F-05 Perfect Fit Brush, Number Eight Face 08, Sonia G Smooth Buffer, and Rephr Kōyō brush (though I use Kōyō more often for blush). I got minimal kickup with all except the one by Number Eight.

It occurred to me that I should try to use the bronzers with the Rephr 22, because it’s considered by many to be the closest natural hair dupe for the highly regarded original Tom Ford 05 Bronzer Brush. For those that like very diffused bronzer applications, these two are a great pairing. However, the Rephr 22 gave me the most kickup.


The first of the three pictures is a demonstration of how much of the Rephr 22 gets coated from two dabs into the pan. A smaller area in the center will distribute the bronzer onto the face, while the surrounding bristles with less or no product at all will help buff. The middle photo shows how much kickup is left after applying bronzer to just one side of my face. I wiped the surface of the compact before applying bronzer to the other side of my face with the Rephr Kōyō instead, so the third picture shows how little kickup there was by comparison.

Longevity isn’t an issue with these. The Tom Ford bronzers are decently blendable, but I have even more skin-like bronzers or ones that give more of an airbrush finish at better prices too. So, I like the bronzer, but I still feel like I overpaid, even with the 20% discount and reward points used. This might have been a different story if the bronzers had more of a glowy finish, which would make them more in line with my preferences.

Formentera definitely shows up on me, but I’m very picky about red-toned bronzers. So, I have tried mixing Panarea and Formentera together. While I like the results, I’m at the point in my makeup journey that I no longer wish to bother combining bronzer shades. I just want to carry a single compact with a color that works easily without me having to think about the ratios or worry so much about blending it well enough.
With the Victoria Beckham Bronzing Brick, equal amounts of both shades works perfectly for me. When I try to mix the Tom Ford Bronzers, I have to pick up enough of Panarea to lighten Formentera, but still keep it dark enough that it’s able to be seen on my skin. On top of that, Panarea’s hard press and hard pan issue makes the number of necessary swipes inconsistent. Sometimes I need to dig into it more than other times.
Plus, mixing both of them together doesn’t help remove that feeling of me having overpaid!
I have at least figured out that I am happy with how Formentera looks if I’m wearing one of my more yellow-toned foundations. If I’m using a foundation that has stronger orange tones and/or is slightly darker than my current skintone, then the bronzer makes me look too red for comfort. So, I can keep that in mind too.

Too Faced has six options with two that are darker than I need. MAC has 10 options in the matte finish and 5 in the radiant finish in a range that also goes beyond my skin’s depth. Too Faced (as of now) and MAC are Estée Lauder owned brands alongside Tom Ford Beauty. So, it’s not as if additional shades couldn’t be made. Someone decided to keep the range of this premium brand limited.

In the past, the Soleil Collections were limited edition. I cannot imagine that all the bronzers, highlighters, and eyeshadows released aren’t permanent items, but perhaps the intent is to expand upon them every summer going forward. However, I don’t foresee myself buying any unless the brand releases some immaculately perfect shade for me. This is one of the reasons I didn’t buy one of their reformulated highlighters. Based on other reviews I saw, Amalfi may be similar to Reflects Gilt (which is too light for me) and Portafino could be close to the bronze shade from the Shade Illuminate Highlighting Duo in Tanlight. Just like I said in my Best Highlighters Showcased post, I’m so happy with Tanlight that I don’t feel the need to buy anymore highlighters from Tom Ford…unless something happens to mine.

Tom Ford Eye Color Quad Crème in Olive Smoke

I was incredibly tempted to buy Olive Smoke when it first came out, but reviews were mixed. I was even more tempted when it was being discontinued and listed on sale for 50% off. Since all of the brand’s quads have been newly reformulated, I hoped that meant I’d have a better experience with the new version of Olive Smoke than NikkifromHR had with the previous formula.

I am happy to report that I get very minimal creasing with these reformulated eyeshadows. I’ve tested these with and without primer (my primers of choice being the Lisa Eldridge Silk Canvas and MAC Paint Pot). Without a primer, the creasing is a bit worse, but good enough for me to still be satisfied with how the eyeshadows look throughout the day. These eyeshadows are very pigmented, but still buildable. The way the black eyeshadow feels and performs is what I think Guerlain was aiming for (but failed) when they made the black shade in their Royal Jungle quad. It’s not as wet feeling as the black eyeshadow from Pat Mcgrath’s Bronze Bliss, but TF’s black is truer (less blue).

The reason I’m so focused on the black shade is because it’s the one I rely on to create depth, and I like black eyeshadows that are rich in pigment, but not hard to control. I’ve had black eyeshadows that were patchy, not dark enough, or so pigmented that they were hard to blend. So, whenever I come across one that works just how I want, I’m happy. The one in this palette is like that.

The pale gold and dark gold aren’t very exciting colors, but they fit well with the Olive Smoke theme and are necessary for adding brightness, along with taking the eye looks in a less smokey direction whenever that’s wanted.

The Olive color is the most appealing shade. It’s what drew me into this palette because of how infrequently greens are featured among luxury brand eyeshadows. 2025 seemed like the year of the green palettes, but there were still less around compared to years when pinks, blues, or purples were the “it” colors for that year.
This is a deeper tone of Olive than I typically see. As is typical of Tom Ford, the shimmer is smooth and reflective, but not intense, dramatic, or sparkly. There is an elegance and refinement to these eyeshadows, which is something I want sometimes, but not all the time.

The pigment is there. The formula is good. I’m relieved that despite having a bit of slip, these don’t crease like crazy. They don’t fade. There’s no fallout.
I’m happy to know that Tom Ford’s Crème formula is good, but if I’m going for a sophisticated eye look, I still don’t think any of the brand’s eyeshadow ranges surpass their Wet/Dry a.k.a Soleil/Lumière formula. My issue has always been that they rarely make color stories in that formula that interest me. In fact, that’s one of the biggest issues I have with Tom Ford. The eyeshadows in the quads either lack a deepening shade, are too similar in depths, too similar of colors within the same quad, or the color story is too “safe.” So, even if the formula was in my top 3 favorites (which it is still not), there are so few that I’m interested enough in to purchase.

Because these eyeshadows aren’t fully within my preferences, the price rarely feels worth it. Comparing this Crème formula (which I think is still better than the standard/Runway) to other luxury and designer palettes, there tends to be a standout feature in addition to have an option of costing less.

Tom Ford Quads – €85
Victoria Beckham Quads – €84
Prada Quads – €82
Guerlain Quads – €75
Dior Quints – €73
YSL Quads – €69
Pat Mcgrath Quads – €69
Chanel Quads – €66 (not limited edition)

VBB Quads have one shimmer that is practically like a pressed version of Lid Lustres and the best discount is 25% off. There is also the option to get a refill, which is naturally going to cost less. The Prada quads have a cream to powder formula that I love, in addition to the option to get a lower priced refill and/or 20% off. The Guerlain Quads I only find special when they are not in eyeshadow pans and I’ve seen them listed as high as 40% off (the older quads). YSL Quads have some of my favorite formulas and I’ve seen them close to 50% off. Pat Mcgrath Quads sometimes have the “special” baked shades and can be up to 40% off depending on the type of deal there is going on.

So, when I see the kind of prices I can pay for quads with formulas or features I like even more, I always feel like I paid too much for what I got from Tom Ford. To be more accurate, I felt like I paid what I should whenever I purchased Tom Ford from a CCO/CCS (Cosmetic Company Outlet). Those are owned by Estee Lauder and they sell out-of-season beauty products, like Tom Ford, for up to 40% off or sometimes there are even better bundle deals.

Since I no longer have access to Tom Ford products at these kinds of prices, whatever I do end up buying has to be something I really want, such as the Olive Smoke Palette I’ve been pining over since early 2025.
This is ultimately why I did not buy any of the Soleil Eye Quads, despite that being my favorite of the three types.

I still want to continue my eyeshadow ranking series, and I’ve had Tom Ford on the list for a long time, but I never even reviewed Leopard Sun, nor the limited edition quad I bought before the reformulations (Electric Cherry). I also forgot that I technically had a mini review in the May 2022 Purchases Reviewed post featuring African Violet, Photosynthesex and Honeymoon. Now, a ranking doesn’t seem all that relevant considering 5 out of my 6 Tom Ford quads have been reformulated or discontinued. If anyone is still curious, it would be as follows from favorite to least favorite:

  1. Honeymoon
  2. Photosynthesex
  3. Olive Smoke
  4. Electric Cherry
  5. African Violet
  6. Leopard Sun

I don’t care that my version of Honeymoon is very old by now. I didn’t use it enough to be worth repurchasing in the new formula.

I hope this has been helpful, or at least an interesting discussion.
Thanks for reading!

-Lili ❤

Hindash Color Fluids and Heroline

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I’ve been using the Heroline as my sole liquid eyeliner since at least October 2025, but it took so long for me to complete this review because of how infrequently I reached for the Color Fluids. Powder products have always been my preference, and I basically have the Color Fluid shades within my Beautopsy Palette. So, I tend to reach for the easier-to-use powders over the more advanced liquid form.
What swayed me into buying products I may not get much use from were all the gorgeous looks Hindash created and shared on social media. The way the Color Fluids mixed together and the finish on the skin is not achievable with the powders alone. So, I gave these a try, and I don’t think I regret it.

Hindash Heroline and Hindash Color Fluid in Thorn, Heartist, and Rising

Thorn swatch via applicator and swatch blended out with a finger.

I can apply the Color Fluids directly to the face and then blend them out, but there isn’t a large amount of time to work with them before they set. Applying one to a makeup mixing plate, or the back of my hand, and picking up a smaller dab of it with my brush is the easiest way to ensure I don’t overapply. Thorn is a beautiful color as brontour, but it’s a bit deep. I would only use it when I’m darker (like in the photo above taken a year ago) or when I want a more intense bronzed look.

To make Thorn even more natural looking and easier to blend into the skin, the brand recommends mixing it with a base product (foundation, skin tint, etc.). I’m too lazy for that, and would just reach for any of my current favorite bronzers, instead. I still thought it was important to mention that there are ways to sheer out this product and lighten it by utilizing additional products and steps. The Color Fluids are fantastic for makeup artists and minimalists, but they might take more effort than the average consumer will want to make. I don’t feel that Hindash’s products are too difficult for beginners to use, but I believe the more advanced at makeup someone is, the more likely they are to appreciate the brand’s formulas. I like knowing how versatile the Color Fluids are, even though I admittedly don’t use them to their full potential. I’m often rushing through putting on my makeup, so I try to keep the amount of mixing I need to do at a minimum. However, I absolutely wish I had this product when I was getting married and looking for a good product for contour underpainting. My wedding and other major events are the only time I will really sit down and play with colors to try and get the absolute closest shade matches and most blended natural-looking base.

TL;DR: These products work for people of all skill levels, but they are best suited to makeup enthusiasts and makeup artists. People who enjoy playing with makeup are most likely to love the Color Fluids, but they might not have the time for it and prefer to reach for other products that are quicker and easier to use.

As blush, these are so quick to blend in and they last all day without fading. Even if I wear my hydrating skincare and foundation, these still set down on their own without powder. These are shimmer-less shades, but some of the glow from the products underneath are able to come through, preventing my cheeks from looking dry regardless of the matte formula. I consider them to be matte because, as far as I can tell from the ingredients, there are no shimmer or glitter particles and the mica just adds a kind of sheen and some reflectivity. Beautylish eventually added the liquid highlighter, Boy Tears, to the Color Fluid category, but they used to be considered separate items. This leads me to guess the brand will eventually launch additional shimmer options, but Boy Tears is currently the only one that isn’t matte.

There’s a certain level of pigment coverage needed for these to be suitable as eyeliners too. So, a little goes a long way when trying to wear the Color Fluids as sheer cheek products. That’s another reason Thorn requires a little more skill to use it as a bronzer or sculpting shade, but I don’t have to worry as much about precision when using them as blush. If I want to try and customize the blush color by mixing two or more shades together, then the difficulty level rises again.

None of the combinations were created with equal amounts of color. I always used a much smaller amount of Thorn because of how easily it can overpower the other two shades.

Due to my lighting conditions, Heartist is diffcult to show up in my photos, but it is very much visible in person. I like that it’s not a bold color on my cheeks. Rising looks like a neon orange mixed with red, which gives it a pop of brightness despite being a medium-dark color. It doesn’t look that unnatural on my cheeks, but I sometimes combine it with Thorn so that it leans more nude.

I believe I used the Hindash Gradiant Highlighter (Peak Heat) as the shimmer element in this look, but I took this photo over a year ago, so I can’t remember for certain.

These work as eyeshadow bases and liquid eyeshadows, but I’m not thrilled with these colors on my eyes. I think it has to do with them looking intended for softer looks, rather than intense ones. It’s that softness that makes them so pretty as cheek products, which is ironic because I have often said I prefer to use the Hindash Beautopsy Palette on my cheeks more than my eyes too.
For eyeliner purposes, the formula is great because they lock on and are waterproof. With Isododecane as the first ingredient, it doesn’t surprise me how long-lasting these are.

As a lip product, particularly as lip liner, these are beautiful. The Color Fluids blend into each other and layer up nicely when I’m trying to build up the opacity when spreading them across my lips. I’ve eaten oily meals with this on and it only looks funny at the inner edges of my lips (the most inward mouth opening). I can get through two meals at most, and then only the lip liner will remain. It doesn’t last through meals without needing a touch-up if I wore a balm underneath the Color Fluids or have a different product on top. So, these essentially work like liquid lipsticks with the same kind of pros and cons.

When I use these in the main section of my lips, it looks super dry and highlights the look of that dryness. Color gathers around chapped patches. Because it dries out my lips too much, I wouldn’t use this as a lip color, though perhaps just as lip liner. The brand recommends using a balm underneath to increase the level of comfort. Applying a lip oil on top has helped in my personal experience, but I have too many lip products I like to bother using the Color Fluids this way anymore.

So, my favorite way to use these (and pretty much the only thing I’ll use them for going forward) are as cheek products. I definitely don’t need anymore items in that makeup category though, so I don’t foresee myself buying more in the future. However, all this time later, I am still glad to have bought them.

I will always be partial to the classic black liquid eyeliner pen. The one I’ve used the longest in my time wearing makeup has been the Stila Stay All Day Liquid Waterproof Eyeliner that I used to buy at 50% off via Ulta’s 21 Days of Beauty sale. When I moved to Germany, I figured I would switch to my second most used liner which is the Nyx Epic Ink Liner. Before that though, I decided to give the Hindash Heroline a try during one of the brand’s sales (which ended up full price when I got hit with the Einfuhrzölle/Steuern/Bearbeitungsgebühr via DHL). I bought it in June 2025, but I remember not wanting to start using it until I ran out of my previous liner. That’s why I can only confirm I’ve been using it since October 2025 based on my phone’s camera roll, but it could have been longer.

As far as I’m concerned, this eyeliner has no flaws. I can create a super thin line (even thinner than the One/Size Liquid Eyeliner Pen) or thicker for more drama. I don’t get cracking when it dries down. I don’t have the issue of it being so liquidy that it feathers around the lash line. Usually after six months, I would be running out of the Stila Liner, but the Heroline hasn’t shown any signs yet of drying out or running out, even though I believe it has less liquid inside than Stila’s pen (0.4 grams vs 0.45 grams).
The tip has remained a lot cleaner than my other eyeliners tend to be, though I haven’t been using multichromes as often.

The brand claims this is water-resistant (not waterproof), but on me it doesn’t budge, and it takes nearly as long to remove as a waterproof eyeliner does. The lines on the packaging aren’t just a pretty design choice. It helps with gripping too, so I’m able to keep my hands relatively steady.

For a demonstration of how this looks in eye demos, one can just scroll through the eyeshadow posts from the past six months, but I’ll repost some previous examples here.

Overall, this is a great product! I understand why everyone I’ve seen reviewing this brand has praised it. However, I don’t have enough of an issue using the Nyx Liner to be certain whether it’s worth it to spend double the price on the Heroline instead. I’ve gone back and forth about that issue, but it doesn’t matter anyway if Hindash doesn’t restock it. The brand’s restocks take forever, to the point that I frequently wonder if the manufacturer is super slow, crazy busy making other products, or if it’s the brand having trouble with funds. It has at least been hinted on the Hindash Cosmetics IG page that a range expansion and restocks could be coming soon. However, I’m not getting my hopes up too high because I remember hearing Hindash talk about potentially releasing a gradient palette with shimmers, but it has been four years since he has launched any palette at all.

I hope this post has been helpful to anyone wanting to see more opinions regarding Hindash Cosmetics products, especially since they don’t get talked about (at least in the US) as much as products by other makeup artist brands (Lisa Eldridge, Victoria Beckham Beauty, etc). I am a big fan of this brand and I continue to wait semi-impatiently for them to release more!

Thank you for visiting my blog!

-Lili ❤

Pat Mcgrath Bronze Seduction and Divine Rose Palettes

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In May 2025, there was a sale on Pat Mcgrath’s website that applied to bundles. So, I was able to get two Mothership Palettes for €73 each. Both of these palettes have been available for several years, so I can’t explain why I suddenly wanted them, but I did.

Because these palettes are “old” in terms of release date (2018 for Bronze Seduction and 2019 for Divine Rose), I feared the Motherships purchased in 2025 wouldn’t have the same formulas as the original launches. I cannot say whether the Moonlit and Sunlit Seduction Palettes were simply free of the four “special shades” in the right section of those palettes or if all of the later eyeshadow formulas were tweaked. I just know that Petalmorphosis has very different shimmers compared to what is in Motherships 1-9. Considering the additional formula differences among the brand’s 5-pan and holiday palettes, I wasn’t sure if PML quit working with the same lab entirely.

Thankfully, the quality of my new palettes match that of my Mothership 3. Even though there are no more “special shades” in Motherships 10-12, the special shades continue to be produced in the palettes that always had them.
It’s great to confirm that the mattes are still pigmented and easy to blend. They layer well with each other. The shimmers are opaque and very impactful. The duochromes and iridescent shades are a bit flaky and can be messy, but they still have that “wow” factor!

Mothership V: Bronze Seduction

There really isn’t much to say in terms of a review. These are the high quality eyeshadows I know and love from the brand. They’re soft and powdery without excessive kickup. They’re blendable, layer well, and the shimmers are intense enough that I don’t feel the need to dampen my brush to apply them. They don’t crease and they’re overall wonderful to work with!

Xtreme Aubergine is the only one that requires a little extra time to blend because it can stick and be patchy. It’s so pigmented that it can be easy to go overboard. So, I use something small and pointed like the Sonia G Crease One for outer corner work. I build it up carefully and slowly, which prevents me from having issues.

I rarely use red eyeshadows, so that was a big reason I wasn’t interested in this palette in the past. Then, it dawned on me that if I exclude Blitz Flame, this is basically a brown neutral palette. I was in my colorful phase in 2018, but now I appreciate neutrals again, and find this palette to be super appealing.

After buying Bronze Seduction, I used it on and off for a few months, but then it took a backseat to other new launches (and even the YSL Over Brun Quad and Natasha Denona Mini Gold). Normally, I would take that as an indication that I shouldn’t have made this purchase since I don’t use it enough. This time, I can’t regret it because of how beautiful the colors are and the knowledge that it’s available to me whenever I do have the urge to use it. Considering everything going on with the brand right now, I appreciate the nostalgia of having a palette that reminds me of a time when PML was in its prime.

Mothership VII: Divine Rose

Getting me to want a palette with light eyeshadows and a low contrast color story was a hard sell, especially during my phase when I was sick of pinks, but PML managed to do it in the end. The best shade I have in this palette to create depth with is Xtreme Mahogany, and it’s not quite enough to satisfy me. However, there are plenty of dark colors across the other Mothership Palettes that I can pull from.
I still liked all the looks I created for this post, but I’ve needed to reach outside of this palette for all the looks I’ve recreated since then.

Divine Rose performed just as well as Bronze Seduction and gave me no performance issues.
I really wanted the YSL Quad in 825 Burning Desire, but after seeing Han Beauty 101’s comparison swatches, I decided there were too many shades in common. YSL, Victoria Beckham Beauty, and Prada make my favorite luxury eyeshadows, so the fact that Divine Rose was good enough to keep me from buying Burning Desire says a lot.
Still, I honestly haven’t used this palette very much after the testing phase ended. I have to be in a very specific mood when I want to wear these type of colors, but that’s precisely why having Divine Rose is a good thing. The Tarte Tartelette Juicy Amazonian Clay Eyeshadow Palette was supposed to be my ultimate pink palette and get me to stop buying more. So far, Divine Rose has been the one to curb my appetite.

2025/2026 UPDATED RANKING FROM FAVORITE TO LEAST FAVORITE:

  • 1. Mothership III – Subversive
  • 2. Celestial Nirvana (5 pan) – Bronze Bliss
  • 3. Luxe Quad – Interstellar Icon
  • 4. Mothership VIII – Divine Rose II
  • 5.Mothership V – Bronze Seduction
  • 6.Mothership XII – Petalmorphosis
  • 7. Celestial Nirvana (5 pan) – Nude Allure
  • 8. Mothership IX – Huetopian Dream
  • 9. Mothership VII – Divine Rose
  • 10. Bijoux Brilliance (5 pan) – Bronze Ecstasy
  • 11. Pat Mcgrath Labs x Star Wars Eye (5 pan) – The Golden One
  • 12. Mega MTHRSHP Celestial Divinity
  • 13. Pat Mcgrath x Star Wars MTHRSHP Galactic Gold
  • 14. Bijoux Brilliance (5 pan) – Lunar Nightshade
  • 15. MTHRSHP Subversive La Vie En Rose
  • 16. Mini Eye Ecstasy: Subversive
  • 17. Pat Mcgrath Labs x Star Wars (5 pan) – Divine Droid
  • 18. Blitz Astral Quad – Nocturnal Nirvana
  • 19. Pat Mcgrath x Star Wars MTHRSHP Dark Galaxy
  • 20. MTHRSHP Rose Decadence
  • 21. Mega MTHRSHP Celestial Nirvana
  • 22. MTHRSHP Velvet Liaison

I can’t end this post without mentioning the Chapter 11 Bankruptcy filing of Pat Mcgrath Labs. Considering this is my number one favorite mainstream brand, it saddens me to see them in this position. At the same time, PML has been too focused on trying to follow the trends of what sells (overuse of pinks and neutrals particularly after the success of Divine Rose I) rather than fostering innovation. There are many other reasons that contributed to customers being unhappy and unwilling to spend as much money on the products that have been released in the past three to five years.

I am still holding out hope that they can make a comeback. It has long been suspected that Pat Mcgrath has had much less creative control in the last years, and the success of the Louis Vuitton makeup line shows that people are still interested in her vision. If she can take back the reigns in the Creative Director position, and the business end of things gets sorted, there could still be hope! PML still has so much potential!

That’s all for now. I’m going to treasure my Motherships even more now!

Thank you for stopping by!

-Lili ❤

Lisa Eldridge Liquid Silk Shade Extension (Mimi) and Betty Kitten Pouch

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I’m a huge fan of the Liquid Silk product as an eyeshadow primer. It has enough coverage to conceal the discoloration around my eyes, but the shade Phoebe doesn’t alter the colors of the eyeshadows I put on top all that much.
As standalone eyeshadows, they look smoothing and non-drying on the lids. I have enough time to blend out the edges before it fully sets and it mixes well with other shades. It doesn’t crease, doesn’t fade, and stays put very well in my deepest eye wrinkle/crease.

I was so excited to buy Mimi because I figured it would go very well with neutral and green eyeshadows that are my go-to kind of looks lately. However, I did not expect it to look so brownish-grey with a slight tinge of green. The weirdest part though is that my cell phone camera makes the swatch look way more green than it is in person. It was driving me absolutely crazy! The eye swatches were accurate, but every arm swatch looked so green! I can’t explain how my phone could capture the color on the applicator correctly, but not the swatch within the same photo!

After trying to photograph Mimi in different lighting conditions, the two below are the best I could get. The one on the left is closest to how the color looks on my eyes. The one on the right (where I blocked out light from shining on the swatch directly) is closest to how it’s supposed to look on my arm.

How it looks on the eyes is the most important part to show, which is at least accurate.

Even though Mimi looks different than what I expected and wanted, it’s such an unusual shade of brown that I actually like it!

At this point in time, I now have the shades Mimi, Phoebe (my second tube of it), and Gaia. As interesting as I find some of the other colors, I don’t use liquid eyeshadows enough to justify adding more. The only reason I used up Phoebe is because it has been my main primer of choice throughout 2025.

In my initial review, I added an update about the stopper problem and how I started to struggle with reaching the product within 3-6 months of use before I removed the stopper entirely. I was correct in guessing that I had finished half of Phoebe within the first six months, and I used up the remainder in another six months.
I was worried Phoebe would dry out quicker after removing the stopper, so I was careful to not leave the cap off for too long between uses. It was only in the final two months that the product got noticeably drier. So, I will repeat this strategy if the issue reoccurs with my other Liquid Silks. Gaia is my oldest one, but I still haven’t used up that much of it.

As for the Betty Kitten Pouch, it’s just as soft as Lisa Eldridge’s other velvet pouches, and it’s nice to have the taller shape. I couldn’t resist!

The Betty Pouch is free with orders over $125 (or €108), but I purchased it outright for €35.

Anyway, that was my quick review/update! I hope this has been helpful!

-Lili ❤

MAC Metamorphosis Face and Eye Palette

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If you’re already familiar with my blog and my interests, you’ll know right away that I wanted this palette for the packaging. I love how the design appears to be a simple, yet pretty, black and white drawing until it is turned at different angles in the light, revealing all the colors of the rainbow.

MAC’s face and cheek products have always been among my favorites in my makeup collection, but I tend to be unimpressed by their eyeshadows. The last palette I tried from MAC was the Lunar Luck Made My Fortune Eyeshadow Palette from 2022. Since then, the brand has reformulated their eyeshadows. I hear they perform better than before, but I was unwilling to take that chance until now.

Technically, the latest single eyeshadow I’ve tried from MAC has been their Jelly Shine Eyeshadow, but it’s a new formula for them. So, I couldn’t use that as a gauge for whether or not I’d enjoy their standard eyeshadows.

Frankly, I can’t consider this palette an example of what MAC’s primary eyeshadow formula is like either because these are so different from anything I’ve previously experienced from them! To start with, these don’t feel like traditional powder eyeshadows. They all have a very slick and smooth feel to the touch that’s prevalent in dimethicone-heavy formulas.
Daft Pink, Lavender Lemonade, and Cherry Sangria in particular are more pliable as if they’re slightly stiffer Colourpop Super Shocks. Lavender Lemonade is the closest to having a Super Shock consistency because it’s the one that’s easy to push and move around.
On the box, it’s written that the ingredients for Cherry Sangria and Daffodillionaire are supposed to be the same, and that Daft Pink, Hot Honey, Lavender Lemonade and Calypso Coral are the same. Considering the fact that I find Daffodillionaire, Hot Honey, and Calypso Coral to be the firmer ones instead, I cannot fathom why the slippery, yet more solidly pressed, eyeshadow is in the same category as the looser goopier one. The photo below shows how messy this gets after just one day.

I have to thank Nikki for pointing out that other than Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, this palette and MAC’s Shadeshift Chrome Eyeshadow formula seem to be the same.

What I found from checking a few ingredient lists on MAC’s website (which tend to be incomplete), is that the formula with the second-most ingredients in common to these are the Jelly Shine eyeshadows with 6 out of 13 shared. However, the Jelly Shine are still much more similar to MAC’s standard shimmer/metallic formula than the ones in the Metamorphosis Palette with around 12 out of 17 in common.

These eyeshadows are pigmented, but they blend out in such a way that I get some translucency and can see my skin underneath. I can build them up to be opaque if I want, but it takes a lot more effort with a brush. This formula is much more suited to finger-application.
Since none of these are matte, I instinctively want to apply them to my eyes with my fingers anyway. The problem is that the smallest petal-shaped pans are more difficult to get into. Plus, the blush type of shades (Hot Honey and Cherry Sangria) can look a bit patchy in the first layers with a brush, so the issue is exacerbated if I try to apply those to my cheeks with my fingers. The Singe Beauty FO-3 and Rephr LC02 are small cheek brushes, but I still have to be careful about accidentally picking up some of the neighboring eyeshadows.

Daffodillionaire is my kind of highlighter shade, so I was pleased to know it suits me on my face and eyes. Even though these are buildable formulas that can be sheered out, I imagine this would be too dark for those with lighter skin and too warm for those with a cool undertone.
On my eyes, it’s just light enough to add brightness. On my face, it draws more attention to texture, but the lack of shimmer makes it still fairly smooth looking for a highlighter.

Hot Honey is easy to see on my eyes, but the color tone doesn’t stand out as vividly on my cheeks. I like this though, because too many orange blushes are bold and unnatural looking on me. That being said, I still prefer a flush of pink, so I either skip using this shade as blush altogether or I mix it with Calypso Coral.

Daft Pink is an iridescent type of pink, along with being more topper-like than the other shades. It takes more effort to build it up on my eyes, and especially as a highlighter on my cheeks. This shade looks quite pretty paired with Calypso Coral, but if I add enough layers to see the color and have the shine from it stand out more than the amount Calypso Coral already has, then I start to notice a slightly frosty white cast on my skin.

Calypso Coral has a sheer quality to it that requires multiple layers, but over-applying this dark color will result in it looking too intense and metallic as well. So, finding that balance every time for blush usage can be a challenge. I have a similar problem with it showing up on my eyes, and though wetting my brush serves to make it easier to deposit the product, it doesn’t do much intensifying. When I accidentally covered some of Calypso Coral with Hot Honey on my eyes, it was very difficult to get that red tone back, as there is a maximum to how many layers can be built on each other. A wet brush helped, but not a lot.

Lavender Lemonade is the other topper-style shade, but it has more pigment than Daft Pink. Because it’s a light purple with blue-purple shimmer, I find it to be the most interesting pan of product in the palette. This and Cherry Sangria are the only ones I’d use exclusively as eyeshadows, and not face products, which is probably why MAC chose to put them in the smaller pans. I could see this being a cool highlighter for someone who likes more adventurous or avant garde type of looks. The official MAC website has some intriguing spring-inspired editorial looks that I might want to recreate when it’s actually spring time, but not right now.

I like Cherry Sangria as a deepening shade for the outer corner in eye looks. It’s easier for me to use my finger with this as an eyeshadow, but when I’ve tried to wear it as eyeliner, it took too many passes over the lash lines with a dry liner brush. So, I go in right away with a damp brush to save time.

Wearing Hot Honey and Calypso Coral on my cheeks makes me think about how I really should start using my MAC Extra Dimension Blushes again. The Extra Dimension ones give more color payoff quicker, and have a similar amount of shine. However, the Metamorphosis shades have a subtler look overall because the consistency is creamier and blends better into my foundation. The reflect isn’t a natural-looking glow, but it looks better blended into my skin.
The Metamorphosis pigment level reminds me a bit of MAC’s discontinued Sheertone Shimmer Blush formula, but those had a more obvious powder look even if the shades themselves were more muted and less opaque.

I get at least six hours of wear time for the Metamorphosis products on my cheeks and eyes before the fading starts. It holds up better on my eyes if I use an eyeshadow primer, but I just accept that my makeup is going to look more muted before the day is over.
Also, at some point in the day, the product will be missing from the inner part of my crease line.

So, this doesn’t have the best longevity. The shades still need to be built up on me. I have to use specific brushes or dig my fingers in the pans, and it’s inevitable that I will dirty the outer rim and the edges that divide the shades. Despite these inconveniences, I’m happy with this product!

Typically, I don’t find spring collections to be appealing because light shades, especially pastels, are difficult for me to pull off. Springs shades also tend to be in cool or neutral tones, similar to the kind of spring looks I did in my Wedding Makeup post. However, there were enough warm shades in the Metamorphosis Palette, and deeper colors, to make me feel like this is actually suited to me. I thought for sure that the face and eye aspect would be a gimmick, but this really is quite versatile. I don’t think it’s going to be great for everyone, but maybe others will appreciate that it’s a little different from what is typically released for spring.

I had an unredeemed birthday discount code from Douglas (in January), so I figured it would be a nice gift to myself. I know for sure that I’m only going to reach for this palette in the winter to spring set of months, but I’ve never regretted getting the first set of Oden’s Eye holiday palettes that I now only really use in the month of December. That’s still more attention than I give plenty of other palettes in my makeup collection!

I hope this review has been helpful! Thank you for reading!

-Lili ❤

Victoria Beckham Beauty Orchid Eye Wardrobe (First Impression)

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I’ve been working on a Victoria Beckham Beauty brand review (coming in March or April), but today’s post is a quick demonstration of the new Orchid palette in action, along with swatches.

For a more detailed and thorough review, please keep an eye out for that upcoming VB Beauty post.

Victoria Beckham Beauty Eye Wardrobe in Orchid

I imagine the Satin Kajal Liner in the shade Orchid would pair very well with this palette, but Fig is the type of color I would wear more often, so I bought that instead.

I have swatches for those curious how similar or not the shimmer eyeshadow from the Orchid Palette is compared to the Tea Rose Lid Lustre. Tea Rose has more purple compared to Shade 4, which is more of a Rose Gold.

I may as well share swatches of all the kajals I own, but the review for them will be in that upcoming post.

I’ve talked about the brand’s shipping in the past, which has always been fast. This time was ridiculously quick! I placed my order on Tuesday, just one hour after the V-Suite email came in, and my parcel arrived at 9 am the next day! That’s just 25 hours!
Because it arrived so fast and I just got hit with a cold today, I wanted to get these pictures and post them as fast as possible while I still have energy. Otherwise, I probably would not have been able to post this for a long time.

So, that’s everything for today! I just wanted to take the time to thank the person who used my referral link from my previous VBB post. In addition to them getting 20% off, I was able to get this order of the refill and two kajals discounted for 20% off too! So, thank you very much!

*UPDATE FEBRUARY 23, 2026: Another person used my referral link and I was notified by the brand that if someone uses a drop-shipping method to do so, it will lead to your own account being terminated. I do not recommend that anyone participate in their program considering the risks it puts your own account because of someone else’s actions. I will discuss this more in my upcoming brand review.

Thank you to everyone else who visits/follows this blog. I’m honored that you take the time to read my posts and I hope they continue to be helpful!

-Lili ❤

My Top 5 Favorite Indie Brands for Eyeshadows

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Clionadh Cosmetics

I’ve loved Clionadh Cosmetics eyeshadows from the moment I first tried them at the start of 2020. Their Stained Glass Collection is ever growing, and it’s their claim to fame for good reason. Other brands have eyeshadows that use some of the same pigments and have the same shifts, but I have yet to see anyone replicate the slick “mirror finish” of the Jeweled Multichromes. I was never a big fan of iridescent eyeshadows because of the way they can look dusty and dry on my skin tone, but Clionadh thought about those with more melanin and created the Deep Iridescent Multichromes with different colored bases (instead of white) to fix this problem. They created Glitter and Dimensional Multichromes for people that adore having maximum, but still eye safe, sparkle. Vibrant and Electric Multichromes are for true color lovers. Earth Vibrant Multichromes are for those that prefer muted tones, but still want easy-to-see color shifts. There are even combination types such as Glitter-Vibrants and Hybrids.

Clionadh has multichromes to suit everyone’s tastes.

As I mentioned before, the brands get their multichrome pigments from basically the same place, but Clionadh has perfected the art of combining them with various base colors to create a decent amount of eyeshadows that haven’t been duped. So, there are still some that are completely unique colors.

There are some duochromes within the Stained Glass line, but they also exist in the “standard circle” format, along with more traditional shimmer eyeshadows. These are less expensive and I find them to still be very nice quality. The mattes weren’t perfect, but I still like them when they used to be sold individually.

The only reason I haven’t talked about Clionadh as much within the last year is because of the difficulty I have in getting products in Germany. Their website doesn’t collect VAT/taxes/customs, so DHL (who did the final part of the delivery) demanded exact cash payment in person (which included the missing VAT plus their fee), without letting me know the amount in advance. If I want to know ahead of time, I would have to pay the $42 (36 Euro) shipping option on top of the VAT and extra fees, which I just haven’t felt was worth the added costs. I hope Clionadh will work out some kind of deal with Monolith EU again, as that would certainly make things easier for me!

I have some Clionadh eyeshadows that are getting close to turning six years old. Some of them don’t feel quite as smooth and creamy, but they still perform beautifully and haven’t gone bad yet. I’ve had eyeshadows that didn’t even last beyond a year (admittedly mostly vegan eyeshadow formulas like from KVD, Urban Decay, Coloured Raine’s different formula, etc).
So, that makes me happy considering how expensive Clionadh eyeshadows can be. If you take four of Clionadh’s most expensive eyeshadows, it would be slightly more expensive than many luxury brand quads (but justifiable in price considering they’d be all multichromes).

Clionadh has a relatively small team, and I respect the fact that they make their eyeshadows in-house in Canada.

Oden’s Eye

Oden’s Eye is a favorite because they have every type of powder finish eyeshadow I could want: multichromes, duochromes, sparkly shimmers, smooth metallics, pastels, and just lots of colors in interesting tones. The variety is great and the quality is mostly good. Some palettes are randomly not as good, and I can’t explain why. For instance, I like the colors in Makeup Just For Fun’s palette, but the shadows were more powdery and the shimmers are thinner. I can only guess it’s due to what the creator requested of the formula. Fantasy Cosmetica has shimmers and mattes on par with Odens Eye, but I get 1 or 2 duds from the 9-pan palettes I’ve tried, which isn’t the case for my top 5 Odens Eye palettes. So, Fantasy Cosmetica ranks lower for that reason.

These shadows are also more suited for color lovers, but Oden’s Eye tries to appeal to neutral and color lovers by giving softer and non-grungy options sometimes within the palettes.

It’s a Swedish brand, but their eyeshadows are made in the PRC.

Fantasy Cosmetica

This is the brand I have the least experience with, as I only started buying their palettes in 2024. However, I love the color offerings among all the palettes and their theming. Even when they make brown shades, there’s nothing basic about them. They have very interesting tones. The Fighter Palette is a dream for those that prefer glam style neutral eyeshadows. Pat Mcgrath fans would probably like them, but the quality isn’t quite as refined as PML’s. The big price difference puts that in perspective!
Some of their eyeshadows/pressed pigments are ultra vibrant. They’re all pigmented and opaque shadows. Most of them blend well. I usually have at least one troubleshade shade in every palette, but it’s rarely one of the shadows I was looking forward to using anyway.
This brand does cater mostly to color-lovers, and they’re known for their intense shimmers, but I even like some of their smoother satin shades too. They find a way to make the toned down shadows appealing for me.

I believe these eyeshadows are made in the PRC.

Devinah Cosmetics

Devinah has my second favorite multichrome and duochrome formula, but their normal shimmers are just okay, which is why the brand doesn’t rank higher overall. Their mattes are also decent, but not the easiest to blend and use. In fact, they probably have the “worst” mattes of all the brands I’m mentioning in this post. However, they don’t make pre-made palettes, so customers can skip buying their mattes altogether.

I started purchasing from them in April 2020, and all but one eyeshadow (it’s a discontinued formula) is still in perfect condition. The performance, look, and feel of the shadows hasn’t changed. So, I can confirm mine have good preservatives in them!

It’s because of the fact that I had to acknowledge their multichromes and duochromes as coming second to Clionadh that I stopped buying from them in early 2022. However, to still maintain that number two spot is impressive. The custom palette I created with mostly Devinah shades has come with me on several trips and there are shades I’ve used in there even more frequently than Clionadh. So, if you live in the US and are dealing with the tariff situation, this could be a nice US-based brand to check out.

I don’t know if all of Devinah’s eyeshadows are made in-house, and if only some of their catalogue isn’t made in a lab, but I can confirm that at least the mattes are made by them.

Sydney Grace

Sydney Grace isn’t really in the multichrome game with powder eyeshadows, but they have a gigantic selection of standard shimmer eyeshadows in unique tones. They have many colorful sparkling eyeshadows, but the brand puts a lot of focus on natural/neutral and more muted types of shades. They also have a lot of satins that appeal to fans of luxury eyeshadows who prefer a smoother texture-friendlier look, but just crave more pigment than most luxury eyeshadows provide.
The Sydney Grace eyeshadows are pigmented, opaque, and also thick. I like my finished eye looks with them, but I tend to prefer my even more blingy, shiny, and exciting eyeshadows from other brands. Also, their mattes are pretty good. They are almost on the same level as Odens Eye, but Sydney Grace’s best mattes are typically in boring colors I can get from any brand. So, I tend to not use them.

Sydney Grace eyeshadows are made in the USA. I’m fairly sure they made their own eyeshadows and formula in the early days. I don’t know whether they have continued to make them in-house.

I have three honorable mentions.

For starters, Melt Cosmetics is technically an indie brand, but I have seen their products available at different retailers and they seem to be a much bigger business, so I have a hard time putting them in the same category. Considering how many huge sales I’ve seen in the last three years, and the lack of interest from among beauty lovers, I honestly wonder how long they will stay in business. In any case, the brand’s mattes are in my top 10 favorites. I love the colors, tones, pigment level, layerability and blendability. The shimmers are okay at best. They have such a big issue with mold or things growing on other people’s palettes that I always feel uncomfortable recommending the palettes, even though mine have been fine.

The second honorable mention is Kaleidos. I haven’t tried many of their palettes, but I loved the mattes in Club Nebula and Futurism 1: Sci-Fi Green. The shimmers are nice, but not super special. I can’t include them on the list because I haven’t tried any of their “newer” eyeshadows in the quad format, and it’s only recently that they launched their first new products in the last two years. So, it’s been quite a few years in total since I’ve been interested in their eyeshadows.

Terra Moons is an honorable mention mainly to address the fact that I’ve often said their multichromes are my third favorite formula. However, the normal shimmer and matte quality pulls them below being in my favorite indie brands. There is also the fact that I hardly use my Terra Moons shadows because I think to myself, “Why use these when I could use my Clionadh and Devinah?” So, I only use the shades I don’t have a close match for in the other brands, but then I think about how the eyeshadows made by the others are still good enough and I don’t need this unique one! The mattes I bought from Terra Moons are unique to my collection, but I wish the quality was better. So, I can’t call this brand a favorite if I don’t use them.

This isn’t an honorable mention, but I feel compelled to explain that I like Lethal Cosmetics a lot as a brand and I respect what they create. Their eyeshadow formula is a bit chunky. The multichromes are on the weaker side. The mattes are fine. I like the eyeshadows with uncommon tones, but I just don’t think about them often enough. I feel like I’ve moved on from their eyeshadow formulas.

So, this is my list! I hope this is helpful to fans of small independent businesses, and to anyone curious as to which brands to start with if you’re trying to move away from paying for mainstream eyeshadows.

This is one of the posts I’ve held as a backup. I have a lot going on in my personal life, plus with the holidays. So, this will likely be my last post of 2025. I wish you a happy holiday season and I hope to see you in the New Year!

-Lili ❤

Isamaya Core 1.0 Eyeshadow Palette Review

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Although I’ve been curious about Isamaya Beauty since its launch in 2022, this is finally my first purchase! I thought the green and brown shades from the first Industrial Palette looked pretty, but I heard mixed reviews about the formula. I also had a difficult time trying to justify the price, coming from a startup brand. So, I added it to my Anti-Haul.
By now, the Isamaya brand is a bit more established, especially since creating a line for retail stores like Sephora. I have heard the eyeshadow formula of the Core Palettes are better, and they added purples! Throw in the coupon code I could use via Niche-Beauty, and that was enough to get me to finally take the plunge!

Before we get into the review, I’d like to make it known that the information I have about Isamaya Ffrench is that she’s a makeup artist, is or was at some point the creative director at Byredo, and she had an edgy, quirky, and somewhat controversial vision for the initial Isamaya capsule collections. I don’t have any affiliations with the brand, nor personal feelings about the founder.

Isamaya Core Palette 1.0

The official numbering system of the brand begins at Fetish (my #2) and continues clockwise to end at Initiator (my #1). Then, #11-14 are the same. I did not discover this until after all my photos were taken and labeled, so this is the reason for the difference.

The first unique aspect of Core 1.0 is the emesis basin/kidney dish-shaped packaging with 14 custom eyeshadow pans. No two eyeshadow pan sizes are the same. This is well designed, and although I usually dislike non-uniform pans in palettes, the fact that the symmetry makes sense with little wasted space is why I like it. The downside is that I like to apply shimmers with my fingers, and so the smallest pans are a bit difficult to get into. It also means that shade names could not be printed on the palette directly, but at least the brand included the names on the protective sheet that was inside.

Below are some examples of palettes by Danessa Myricks Beauty, Urban Decay, and Kara Beauty that I would never buy because of the maddening eyeshadow pan layout.

When the Core palettes are turned sideways and opened, they almost look butterfly shaped!

Another uncommon feature of the Core palettes are the various consistencies and finishes of the eyeshadows. Even though nearly all are shimmers, I will discuss each shade individually because their performances on me and my experiences with them are not the same across the board.

Initiator is one of the most opaque eyeshadows in the palette, but I still wouldn’t consider it to be heavily pigmented. Medium-high pigmentation is more accurate. It’s described as a metallic green, and although it’s a warm color with pretty yellow-golden flecks, I feel this is one of the less exciting shades in the palette. It’s smooth and easy to pick up with a brush and fingers. It’s definitely not thick, but most of the eyeshadows in this palette are thinner.

Flesh is the lightest, thinnest, and sheerest shade in the palette. It’s even listed as a “loose clear shimmer.” It looks a bit frosty on my skin, but it’s still one of the better shades for me to use to brighten the inner corners of my eyes. This isn’t the type of topper that relies on having a medium or larger particle size to create an instant impact. Flesh has a small shimmer size, so adding it (dry) on top of another eyeshadow won’t show much of an effect without light hitting it. Under the right conditions, it’s twinkly in a very refined way. To make it work in all lighting situations, I wet it to intensify the white color, and that contrast gives the brighter appearance.
Now, I’m not sure if it’s solely my fingers or using a damp brush that causes this particular eyeshadow to form hardpan, but it’s easy enough to remove.

Fetish is described as a “pure ancient gold.” It’s a little less opaque than Initiator, but still less topper-like than the majority of the rest of the eyeshadows in this palette. It’s soft, a little powdery, and the darker base makes it a tad too dark for me to use as an inner corner highlight. It’s also thin enough to easily create a wash of color if a want, like how I used it in my crease in the first eye look below.

Brass is a shimmery orange-red color that looks like it’s going to be richly pigmented from how it appears in the pan, but it’s another medium opacity type of shade. I use it in a similar way as Fetish, which is to be a transition eyeshadow. Its texture is similar to Initiator and less powdery than Fetish.

The brand describes Fuel as a dark grey with green shimmer. I’ve been honestly a little disappointed by this shade because of how prominent the green looks in the palette compared to how much of the grey shows (grey in photos but it looks brown in person) on my eyes. The texture of this shade is the wettest by far and close to me considering it a cream eyeshadow. To pick up enough product on my finger, I have to practically scoop out a small amount and then smooth that over my eyelids. It looks wet and goes well with an editorial look, but it creases and breaks up terribly on me, no matter what primer I’ve used.

I can get this shade to last 5-6 hours before the crease area starts to look noticeably worn in, provided I set my primer with powder and reinforce that spot with a powder matte eyeshadow to act as the first layer the oil eats up. Using the powder trick, I can finish the day without it looking anywhere near as bad as I photographed above.
Fuel is fine on my lower lash line, but I try to keep it out of my crease where there’s too much movement.

Fuel was one of the shades I looked forward to the most because it’s like a roided up version of Natasha Denona’s Antheia, which is one of my all-time favorite eyeshadows. Antheia is a duochrome and Fuel is a multichrome. It’s quite the shame that it’s too emollient of a shade to last on me, but I’m glad Antheia is still performing beautifully all these years later!

Sweat is a purple and blue iridescent eyeshadow. It’s thin and a bit slick feeling. The color reminds me of the shade UV from Clionadh, but Sweat is way less powdery with better adherence and with an even more translucent base. I honestly feel this is a more refined and modern formula than Clionadh’s, which is the highest of praise. To be fair though, Clionadh’s formula for the Series 2 Iridescents is at least five years old.

Ultraviolet is another purple and blue eyeshadow, or more specifically, “violet with bright cyan shimmer.” It’s a gorgeous dimensional multichrome, but it doesn’t look good on me as a lid shade with such a sheer base. So, I have to use this on top of other eyeshadows or keep it to the inner corner in order for me to be happy with it.

Grip is described as a grungy iridescent green. In the daytime, it looks magenta and green. At night, I have an easier time seeing blue and a cooler-toned purple as well. It’s quite sheer and also soft to the touch. It has a similar vibe to Viridian by Clionadh, which happens to be one of their most affordable shades in the Deep Iridescent Multichrome line. Grip has stronger shifts, but takes twice as many layers to build up to the same opacity level as Viridian. I still prefer Grip because it looks green head-on, whereas Viridian leans more aqua.

The brand says that Leather is a, “smokey black putty.” I can create a small indent in the surface, like with putties, but the performance is more like a cream-to-powder. It’s drier than Natasha Denona cream-to-powders, and the black shade from Pat Mcgrath’s Bronze Bliss palette, but wetter and much better performing than the black shade from Guerlain’s Ombres G Quad in Royal Jungle. The formula is such that I can create a thin hazy veil of smoke or build it up to use as a liner in daytime looks. However, it’s not quite enough to satisfy me if I’m going for maximum drama, unless I treat it like a cake liner and dampen my brush. Also, this isn’t 100% waterproof, but there seems to be a little bit of water resistance, along with it being budge and smudge resistant once it has had a minute or two to set. It’s easy to remove though with my Bioderma micellar water.

Some of the sparkles from Ultraviolet and/or Sweat have gotten into my pan of Leather, but I haven’t noticed it effecting other looks. Those shimmer particles don’t seem to transfer easily back out.

Fhume is purple with magenta shimmer specks. I would call this one a high pigment eyeshadow that is opaque like Initiator. It’s soft and easy to pick up on my brush without being powdery. It’s not too thick in consistency, nor too thin. Fhume looks pretty in the pan, but I think it’s even nicer on the eyes.

I’m the most confused by the description of Suspension as a, “plum with soft gold shimmer,” when it looks purely silvery to me. Perhaps they mean white gold? It’s a bit thicker of an eyeshadow and grittier. I definitely need to wet this or use glitter glue. It’s one of the most glittery shades in this palette and contains slightly larger shimmer particles than the others. Even though it has a dark base, that reflect is so sparkly and bright that I can use it like a highlighting shade to amp up the overall bling level of the eye look. I’ve tried using it in the outer corner and utterly failed to create depth there.

Whip is a charcoal color with purple and silvery sparkle. It’s a bit on the grittier and drier side than the others, but still has good adhesion and spreads very well. At least, I can get it onto my eyes without it looking messy. If I want to minimize the fallout, I do still need to use either a glitter glue and/or apply it damp. Despite this having a dark base, the shimmer is so bright that I could use it all over the lid instead of condemning it to only be used in the outer corner, as can sometimes be my instinct.

Motor is a dark antique gold that flashes olive green. It’s chunky in the sense that it’s thicker than many other eyeshadows in this palette, and little parts of it crumble off when picked up, but it’s too emollient feeling for me to call it crumbly. I like this color, but I wish it looked even more olive.

If Heat is a, “champagne with green shimmer,” just note that it has a warmer undertone than most eyeshadows that are referred to as champagne. It’s super thin, very sheer, and a little dry. It goes from a yellowish color to looking green under the light, but it doesn’t have as strong of a shimmery reflect as the majority of the other shades. It’s like a duochrome satin.

I figured I could create monochromatic all-shimmer looks that I liked, but I was surprised to see how many variations of eyeshadow pairings I enjoyed using together from Core 1.0.
The avant-garde makeup aesthetic isn’t really for me, but I love purples and greens, which is why I was so attracted to this palette. I like to incorporate fun pops of color into my looks, so it’s more practical for me to view this as a supplemental palette to use in conjunction with other palettes.

I appreciate the freedom one has to apply these as washes of color or to layer up the color. There’s clearly a market for people who want duochromes and multichromes, but in subtler and more refined versions. This isn’t too difficult of a palette to use, but it’s not beginner friendly either. For example, some shades don’t build up that much stronger even if applied damp or over glitter glue. Some look better with an actual mixing medium. Then again, at this pricepoint, I don’t think many beginners would start with something like this anyway.

My hope for every palette I buy is for the eyeshadows to be of high quality and perform the way I want. It’s an extra treat when those eyeshadows also come in various textures and finishes that I get to play with. It was difficult at first to remember the different ways I had to treat the various eyeshadows, but by now, I can recall just by seeing how they look on the surface. This has eliminated some of my earlier frustrations trying to use certain shades as a topper, and didn’t realize they were too thin to make a color difference on top of the thicker shades. Learning which order to layer them took some time (about a month with sporadic usage).

If I’m going to buy a duochrome or multichrome, I typically want full pigment right away. I want impact. So, it’s quite a new experience for me to find enjoyment in these kind of eyeshadows. The Isamaya brand managed to create something quite niche, even though it’s something I’m pretty familiar with from my experience exploring various indie brands’ eyeshadows. Danessa Myricks Lightwork Palettes are probably more in line with my preferences, yet I still haven’t shelled out the money for any of those, and they’re similar to the price range of a Core palette. That being said, as much as I like Core 1.0, I still wouldn’t pay full price for it precisely because it’s something I want for specific moods and occasions rather than being an everyday kind of product. I say this even if the high price-point can be justified for the custom packaging, where it was made, the formula and pigments, etc.
If the branding and these eyeshadows fit someone’s vibe, I can see it being worth full price. I don’t think someone expecting Clionadh, Devinah, and other high impact indie brand shimmer quality would like this palette, unless the plan is to use it with mixing mediums. For me, I can only recommend this on sale. In previous years, I’ve seen Isamaya products listed at 30% off. This past Black Friday/Cyber Monday, the Core Palettes were also reduced to 30% off from the brand’s official website. That’s definitely a more palatable price.

That’s all for today! Thank you for reading!

-Lili ❤

Was MAC Holiday 2025 Brilliant or a Bust?

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MAC always has these huge holiday collections filled with limited edition shades of products, new formulas, minis, and plenty of value sets. Unlike other brands, whose holiday items tend to be cheaper quality, MAC’s standard seems to be the same across the board. The brushes are the only things I’ve heard negative things about, and I’ve liked the holiday makeup I’ve bought over the years. This time, I decided to pick up just a few things.

Sugar Crystal Lip Oil Stick in Glisten Up

The cute packaging and uniquely shaped bullet with the gorgeous oil-slick colors is so enticing! I was very curious to experience this formula, because it’s a new innovation for MAC.

As seen in the swatches, the purple-blue-pink shimmer specks are an overspray. One swipe was enough to remove it completely from the slanted portion, and I can see that it’s clear from the inside, similar to the look of the Winky Lux Flower Lip Balms. I believe MAC’s formula is a little more complex and modern than those.
I am at least happy that the sides of the lipstick will continue to look sparkly as long as I don’t touch it. I honestly didn’t want that shimmer on my lips. I get a particle or two each time I wear it, but it’s essentially a clear product. It has a pretty shine, but it’s not very glossy or oily looking.

The surface feels gel-like, soft, and comfortable as I move it across my lips. The bullet doesn’t tug and I get a similar sensation to the k-beauty melty formulas, but the bullet continues to hold its shape and doesn’t look overly emollient on the surface.

I have super dry lips, so I’m always happy to have a product that deeply nourishes and hydrates my lips, in addition to making them look supple and moisturized. Unfortunately, this is not one of those products. It keeps my lips moisturized on the surface for a couple of hours, but it’s not that much better than a typical lip balm and my lips lose that hydrated feeling much quicker than my regular lip oils. I have to reapply a lot throughout the day.

Although I don’t see parfum listed on the website ingredient list, this contains Citric Acid and Vanillin, and it has a mild candy gumdrop type of smell. I get enjoyment from looking at it and using it, but it’s not going to become a staple product in my collection. I think this would make a fun gift for someone, but more as a novelty item. Perhaps others with less severely dry lips will consider the formula to be good enough. I can only speak about my experience using it.

Jelly Shine Eye Shadow in Ice List

Based on the name alone, I was expecting a gel wet-feeling product. It’s supposed to have a “hybrid, jelly-like texture,” but the shimmer particles make it so that it feels dry to the touch with every swipe. I honestly would have called BS on the texture if I hadn’t been able to scrape the product out with my nail and then completely smooth it back out on the surface of the pan with my finger. It has some slip to it, but it’s not wet like the Colourpop Jelly Much eyeshadows, it doesn’t have the creaminess of a MAC Paint Pot, nor the softness of the MAC Glow Play Cushiony Blushes.

As someone who enjoys an interesting tactile experience combined with high performance, I was a little disappointed by how this felt. The results made up for it though. Ice List doesn’t look that impressive on me when I use it on my bare lids, but it really sings when paired with other eyeshadows!

When applied straight from the pan to my lids, it has a scattered effect type of look. I cannot get an opaque application without applying the eyeshadow damp first. I think this is a good quality for a topper to have, so that it suits more people’s eye makeup preferences. I’m not the biggest fan of toppers, but if I can get one to show less of my skin or eyeshadow underneath, I’m fine with that.

I have a lot of impressive sparkly eyeshadows from indie brands, so my expectations were low. I didn’t think a product like this would make such a difference, but it’s great for bumping up the impact and drama of an eyeshadow look. One such example is when I was completely satisfied and happy with my eye makeup using Clé de Peau eyeshadows, but when I added Ice List on top, it took the look to a whole new level!

This can be a little messy to use if an extra chunk comes off, as I sometimes get it in my lashes. It adheres well (I always wet it though), so I don’t notice much fallout throughout the day. However, when I have to take it off is when the sparkles go everywhere and it’s so difficult to get every speck off my face despite using my tried and true Bioderma micellar water with a Makeup Eraser cloth.

M·A·CStack Elevated Mascara (travel size)

MAC has the Foreseeable Future Eye Kit that includes a full size of this mascara, plus full size of the Colour Excess Gel Pencil Eye Liner. I did not buy that set, but I figured I could include this mascara review as part of the holiday collection because of that kit.

The M·A·CStack Mascara is one of my favorites, so I was eager to try this one because I assumed it would be a similar formula, just with a curved brush instead. There are actually more differences than that. For instance, the first M·A·CStack has a “mousse-like texture…for endless stackability” and the Elevated M·A·CStack has a wetter formula “featuring argan oil.” The M·A·CStack has a silicone brush and the Elevated M·A·CStack has a bristle brush.

In the beginning, I really did not like the Elevated M·A·CStack because I felt the formula was too wet and thin. It wasn’t sticking as well to my lashes, so I was lacking volume and couldn’t build it up that much. After about a month or so the mascara liquid became thicker and/or less wet (it gained more grip), and then I started to like how it looked. Although my preferred technique is to build up a lot of mascara in one go, with the Elevated mascara I got better results by applying a first coat and waiting for it to mostly dry before adding a thicker second coat.

Below is another example of how it looks on my lashes. It’s from my Cle de Peau post.

Although this mascara works better for me now than it was in the beginning, and it does a decent job of lifting the lashes, I still prefer the normal version of M·A·CStack. The M·A·CStack is quicker to apply and get the volume and length I like. The only thing to note is it may not be suited to those with sensitive eyes. I have no issues wearing that mascara unless I lay down to take a nap. Then, my eyes get irritated. Although I don’t see flakes on my face when I wear the M·A·CStack, I can only assume that some of it gets in my eyes when I’m in a laying position and causes irritation. Also, when I’m trying to remove the mascara, my eyes are fine as long as I get all of the particles completely out. If a dot of it gets in the back, my eyes will again feel uncomfortable and a little irritated until I remove it.
I don’t know if the Elevated version does this as well, considering I have tried my best to just not nap while I’m wearing makeup. I do not wish to intentionally test this out either.

MAC Lustreglass Sheer-Shine Lipstick in Posh Pit

Since this is a MAC centered post, I figure it’s a fitting place to add photos of this lipstick. It was not included in my first review of the Lustreglass lipstick formula from my Makeup So Good I Had to Buy More post. I bought this shade in April, but I don’t see it on the US MAC website, so I’m not sure if it’s discontinued. It’s listed as out of stock on the MAC DE site, but I can still find it at other German retailers.

A short summary of my thoughts is that I consider the Lustreglass formula to be a more emollient version of the Lisa Eldridge Luxuriously Lucent Lip Colours. The amount of color this gives can be built up, but not to full opacity. The texture is light and buttery feeling and the shine level looks beautiful when first applied, but it’s not that long lasting on me. The tradeoff for this remaining comfortable on my desert dry lips is the fact that I have to reapply a lot.

Final Thoughts

This marks the end of the reviews. If these products were amazing and staple-worthy, I would consider the holiday collection to be brilliant. As it stands, this isn’t a bust either because MAC is holding true to what they usually do. This is the brand that released the Snowflushed duochrome highlighter in 2019, and chose to make a minty shade of highlighter this year. They tend to take more risks with the colors in their holiday collections, and I too am more prone to trying things outside of my comfort zone during this festive time.

The products I got were fun, and it helps that I got them on sale too!

That’s all for today! Thank you for checking out my blog!
Also, I’m wishing anyone who celebrates it an early Happy Thanksgiving!

-Lili ❤

Clé de Peau Beauté Holiday 2025 and Permanent Quads

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For those only interested in the review, feel free to scroll further down to that specific section.

My History with Clé de Peau

In 2011, I was not interested in luxury makeup. In fact, makeup didn’t play as large of a role in my life until several years later. Despite that, it was still impossible to avoid hearing about how, “Kim Kardashian loves Clé de Peau’s concealer.” Mario Dedivanovic’s “triangle concealer technique” was the talk of the makeup, fashion, and celebrity gossip world.

Being the curious person I am, I did some research and was absolutely floored by the prices of everything. At that time, drugstore makeup was all I had experienced, and MAC was considered the crème de la crème among my circle of friends. We were all broke college kids and I didn’t dare look at the legacy brand makeup behind the beauty counters of our mall because they were so far out of my price range. I was shocked to discover brands like Clé de Peau existed with price-points surpassing even those!

Since Clé de Peau was the first non-designer luxury brand I’d ever heard of, the name stuck with me. It wasn’t until the end of 2013 that my makeup obsession began. I started dabbling into mid tier and prestige brands, but beauty subscription boxes are how I was able to try a lot more products in those days (and this is where the “Unbox” part of my blog name comes from as I used to make unboxing content). In 2015, I tried my first Cle de Peau product via the Choix subscription service. I had a small container of the brand’s translucent loose powder. I remember it working so beautifully, but I only used it on special occasions because I knew I would always have a hard time justifying spending over $100 on any single makeup item.
I have the majority of my YouTube videos listed as private, but I’ll make the Choix and Clé de Peau unboxing temporarily visible through the link for those who would like to see it HERE. Also, perhaps 1.5x or 2x speed for the video would be best.

In 2016, I received the Clé de Peau concealer brush and a tiny sample of the concealer in the shade Beige. This was thanks to the blogger nouveaucheap (who unfortunately passed away).

I’m not a fan of paddle shaped flat concealer brushes, so I rarely used this, and stored it in its original box as if it was a collector item. I guess it technically is one now because this style of brush has been discontinued. As for the concealer, it was too light, so I didn’t bother putting it on my face.

2019 was the year I finally started hearing about the Clé de Peau holiday launches. The packaging was always gorgeous, but it wasn’t until 2021 that I started pining after the Luminizing Face Enhancers.

The standard packaging for those highlighters was beautiful enough, but the limited edition ones were truly exquisite. Because the finish is glittery and the brand doesn’t make any in my shade anyway, I didn’t buy them. To clarify, pretty much every reviewer I have seen talk about the highlighters say they look smooth and have such fine shimmer particles that they don’t look glittery. However, what I see in their videos under their lights from my computer screen still looks too visible in my book. Apparently the double digit numbered luminizers are subtler than the triple digit ones, so 22 is the darkest one I could potentially try. Perhaps the luminizer would be like Guerlain Météorites (04 Amber) and surprise me, but I don’t want to spend a minimum of $70 on a refill to test it out. The only place I’m aware of that ships those refills to Germany is YesStyle, and not even on the official CPB website.

At some point the brand started releasing eyeshadow quads as part of the holiday collections, but the options didn’t appeal to me. To spend so much money on a color story I didn’t like would have been no different from buying it for the packaging alone.

In 2023, I started to get my hopes up because Clé de Peau launched a full permanent line of refillable quads. This meant that even if I didn’t like what was in the holiday cases, I could replace it with a more appealing color story. If I didn’t like the options in the permanent range, I could still wait for an expansion to the line and buy a prettier refill in the future.

There was still an issue of the price. In 2023 and 2024, the products sold out before I could catch them on sale. Although customers can purchase eyeshadow refills and the standard case separately, CPB does not sell the limited edition cases on their own. $116 for a quad is still a threshold I’m not willing to cross. It pained me enough to buy the Chanel Boutons quad at full price.

This year, luck was on my side! Douglas started carrying Clé de Peau products, so I kept my eye out in the hopes that they would stock the holiday collection. They do, but the launch didn’t coincide with the timing of any discounts, and the items became unavailable after a few days. Although I was disappointed, this turned out to be a good thing because I remembered that Niche-Beauty also carries Clé de Peau. So, I was able to buy the quad at 20% off, in addition to using reward points. Sometimes this retailer offers 25% off promo codes, but I didn’t want to take my chances on it selling out, which it did a week later! I felt even more confident that I made the right call when I saw the quad return to the Douglas website for €13 higher than the price was before! So, I’m ecstatic to have this quad at a price that I’m at least able to swallow. It’s less than the Chanel Boutons quad, which I am still salty about paying full price for! Or as they say in Germany…

YourDailyGerman.com

Holiday 2025 Review

Clé de Peau Beauté Dreams Express Eye Color Quad in 504 Pastel Tea Safari

This isn’t a color story I would normally gravitate towards, but I saw some interesting eye looks on the website, especially on the model whose foundation shade could be in the NC46 range from MAC. I figured that as long as the brown shade was truly as dark as it appeared in photos, I could probably make these colors work together. So, checking the pigment level of these eyeshadows was the first thing I did.

Also, I am aware of the Asia-exclusive version of this holiday quad with the 505 Jeweled Horizons color story, but I prefer the one I bought.

I found this photo from a seller on Ebay, but I’ll also link a video by Serina.

On dry skin with no primer (which is the condition I always swatch eyeshadows in), 3 of the 4 shades look as weak as I feared. Thankfully, there are two ways to get them to show up better. The first is to use the priming shade, always located in the bottom left corner of the Clé de Peau quads. The second way is to apply them damp, like I did in the right half of the photo above.

The brand refers to the pink color as “pink sparkle.” It’s easy to see those shimmer particles on my bare eyelids because there’s so much darkness underneath, but if I try to apply it on top of the other shades in the same way I use a highlighter to amp up the shimmer, it can barely be seen. The only way for me to use this as a topper, and get some impact, is to wet it.

When I use Pink Sparkle as a primer, as intended, I get more color payoff and shine from the other eyeshadows. This also makes the colors look more cool-toned though.

The texture of Pink Sparkle reminds me of Surratt’s duochrome formula within their Artistique Eyeshadow line because of how much creaminess it has. Pink Sparkle doesn’t have as much slip as a Colourpop Super Shock eyeshadow, but I can tell by touch alone that it’s a dimethicone-forward formula. I’ve been happy to see that it’s not emollient enough to cause the eyeshadows to crease. The other shades don’t crease either, even though they contain argan oil.

Some of my dark discoloration still shows underneath Pink Sparkle, and doesn’t get covered up enough if the eyeshadow on top is light, like the light brown shade. Putting my usual Lisa Eldridge base down first will cause Pink Sparkle to pill off. So, I found it best to either keep the two separate, having just Pink Sparkle priming the lid and the Lisa Eldridge product priming the area between the brow and crease, or to just put Pink Sparkle everywhere and apply the Lisa Eldridge product on top (instead of underneath). That adds the necessary coverage and doesn’t negatively impact the performance of the other eyeshadows.

Even if I do wet the light brown eyeshadow, which is referred to as a “golden beige,” it’s too close to my skin tone to look vivid on me. I’m fine with this because it makes a perfectly good low-impact brightening shade and is a useful transition for the edge of the dark brown.

The darkest eyeshadow is called a “walnut brown,” and can create just enough depth for me to be satisfied. If I don’t use Pink Sparkle underneath, I’d say it leans neutral or just a touch warm at most. Pairing Golden Beige and Walnut Brown together makes for a simple, but pretty, eye look.

The purple eyeshadow is described as “lavender purple” and it’s what I rely on as the statement color. It pairs very well with the dark brown and pink shades in this palette. This isn’t my favorite tone of purple, but I think it looks quite nice!

The pigment level, texture, and performance of these eyeshadows remind me of Surratt and Suqqu eyeshadows. I linked my reviews for both, but I have additional Surratt eyeshadows (including a duochrome) that I haven’t posted about yet.

Surratt, Suqqu, and Clé de Peau eyeshadows are all made in Japan. One big difference, at least from Suqqu, is that I can lightly dampen Clé de Peau eyeshadows without it ruining the look of them in the pan or changing the texture. So, I can continue practicing my usual methods in intensifying these eyeshadows to the level that I prefer. This allows me to use this palette in a wider variety of looks than I believed I’d be able to get. I thought I would want to replace these eyeshadows with a different refill, but I like Pastel Tea Safari enough to want to keep it in this case! Between Surratt, Suqqu, and Clé de Peau, I like CPB’s eyeshadow formula the most.

These don’t produce a lot of kickup. They stick well enough to my eyes. Blending is no issue. Essentially, the quality is very nice. It’s just a matter of preference regarding buildable eyeshadows that don’t pack a punch right away (or at least not this year’s holiday quad without help). I consider these to be amped up satins, and the results I get from this quad is what a lot of luxury brands aim for.
Like a lot of luxury brands, these eyeshadows contain fragrance. I’d call it a mildly sweet and slightly floral soapy scent, which is faint enough that I don’t always notice it.

Because I tend to wear smoky and dramatic looks, intense sparkle, and very pigmented eyeshadows, paying the full €92 ($106) price for this quad or even €59 for the refill, will never be worth it to me. €59 EUR is around $67 USD, but Clé de Peau actually charges $78 for the refills on their US website. So, I don’t think I would buy more if I had to order them in the US. It’s not that the quality isn’t worth the price, but rather the price isn’t worth the amount of disuse I expect to have.
There are times when I’m in the mood for these kind of eyeshadows in their non-dampened form, but it’s so infrequent that I can’t justify getting them. If I will only use something occasionally, I want the cost to be lower too.

I wouldn’t put as much pressure on myself to “get my money’s worth” out of CPB quads if I could buy them at 25% off. So, this was my initial thought process regarding any new color stories in the future that may catch my eye. For a long time, I only found the 10 Sea Grass quad appealing, but those aren’t the tones of greens I love. Lately, 4 Ocean Sunrise has been on my mind. Merely one week before this post was set to be published, Niche-Beauty sent out 25% off codes via email. So, I ended up buying another quad.

It’s my birthday month! What can I say?

Lastly, considering my previous post, I feel compelled to mention that the packaging is gorgeous, but it is also lightweight. What makes this feel luxurious is the unicarton, the soft purple dust sleeve, large size push-click button, gold tone elements with concave sides and rounded edges, and the fantastically strange yet wonderful artwork on the lid.

Clé de Peau Beauté Eye Color Quad (refill) in 4 Ocean Sunrise

I get way more pigment with this quad than Pastel Tea Safari! The only eyeshadow that didn’t swatch as well is the first one, and it’s also the only shade that needed to be applied damp in the eye look below. The primer color is icy on me despite looking warm in the pan. It still has a pretty highlighting effect when applied dry, but I applied it wet in the eye look to create a stronger pop of brightness.

I’m pleased to see that the browns between both of my quads are not the same. The darkest color from Pastel Tea Safari looks like a combination of the two darkest shades in Ocean Sunrise.

For now, I intend to just keep the refill in the plastic holder and use it from there. Also, I intend to preserve the pattern in the holiday quad as long as possible by digging my brushes and fingers into specific spots (as seen in the pictures).

Since I bought the holiday quad and refill quad at a discount, I don’t have any regrets. However, I don’t think I can give a completely impartial opinion on whether this would be worth it to other people, considering this purchase has fulfilled a six-year desire to own a CPB holiday item and satisfied over fourteen years of curiosity about the brand. As a general rule though, I prefer not to spend over €50 for a quad that isn’t on my list of top 10 favorite brands’ eyeshadow formulas. That’s why getting a color story I liked, at that lower price, was good enough for me to be content with my purchases.

Blog Updates

If you’ve been visiting my blog for a while, you’re probably aware that I continued my second Project Pan into the remaining half of this year. Even though there are certain products I am trying to avoid buying, I have exceptions to every rule, particularly if it’s something I’ve been wanting for years. Some of the reasons I might have an exception is because the item finally restocked, I’ve been waiting for a color story that would suit me, the product was only sold in a region of the world I couldn’t access, the price was too high at the time, etc.

Based on the details in the history section, Cle de Peau clearly falls into this category of exceptions.

My idea for the “Wish Fulfillment” series is to separate my normal purchases from the products I’ve had on my makeup bucket list. These are products I’ve always wanted to buy, but couldn’t because of some circumstance.
Within the “Table Of Contents By Topics” bar of my blog, where one can select a category of posts from the drop down menu, I have added, “Wish Fullfillment/Makeup Bucket List,” so anyone can easily find the series.

The first one I can think of that should be in this category is the Charlotte Tilbury Instant Look in a Palette. Others from the past have been added to the list.

That’s all for today! Thank you for reading and I hope this has been interesting and helpful!

-Lili ❤