Thursday, May 24th, 2012
Bare Escentuals The 15 Minutes Ready Eyeshadow Duo
Bare Escentuals The 15 Minutes Ready Eyeshadow Duo
Bare Escentuals The 15 Minutes Ready Eyeshadow Duo ($20.00 for 0.10 oz.) contains two shades: Page Six (sandy pink sheen) and Most Requested (burgundy sparkle). This is one of seven new duos for spring/summer. Each duo is packaged in a rubberized plastic compact with a full-size mirror inside and a sponge-tipped applicator. Each eyeshadow is the size of the average full-size eyeshadow (0.05 oz.).
Page Six is a warm strawberry pink with subtle golden shimmer and a frosted, metallic sheen. It’s soft, smooth, and opaque in color. MAC Rose Light is pinker, not as yellow-toned. Lancome Kitten Heel is a smidgen lighter and has a stronger golden sheen. Inglot #399 is darker. Giorgio Armani #7 is darker, less pink.
Most Requested is a red-toned medium-dark brown with burgundy tones. It also has subtle sivler and ruby sparkle. It has mostly opaque color coverage and applies smoothly. Dolce & Gabbana Cocoa is a little lighter and browner. Bare Escentuals Kismet is very similar, perhaps a touch browner, and doesn’t have sparkle. Chanel Ebloui is darker.
I’m a huge, huge fan of the Ready Eyeshadows. The formula is soft, dense, and feels almost creamy, and it applies smooth as silk against the skin, whether over a primer or on bare lids. I get a full eight hours of wear without creasing or fading when I wear the formula on bare lids or over a primer, so it’s great to have that versatility. The 15 Minutes works together, which is always nice, though they are easily used alone or with other eyeshadows you have in your stash. Most Requested has noticeable sparkle, so there is some fall out during application and the majority of the sparkle doesn’t translate onto the lid (gets lost somewhere between the brush and the lid).
Wednesday, April 4th, 2012
Bare Escentuals bareMinerals The Alter Ego Eyeshadow Duo
Bare Escentuals bareMinerals The Alter Ego Eyeshadow Duo
Bare Escentuals bareMinerals The Alter Ego Eyeshadow Duo ($20.00 for 0.10 oz.) won’t be available until May, but hang onto your seats, because it’s such a lovely duo. This is one of the best eyeshadow formulas on the market, and bareMinerals didn’t let us down with their expansion of their Ready line-up. Alter Ego consists of two shades: Wicked and Daring.
Wicked is a springy yellow-tinted green with a frosted finish. It has excellent pigmentation and goes opaque with very little product needed. Wet ‘n’ Wild Comfort Zone is darker, more olive green. MAC Juxt is yellower, a bit darker. Inglot #364 is very similar but a matte variation. It’s a warm, yellow-based green, but subtly done–it’s not as yellow or as warm as other shades that might be similar.
Daring is this rich, smoky purple with subtle red undertones and almost bluish tint. The color payoff is amazing–I couldn’t believe it–it was so soft, smooth, and rich. MAC Indigo Noir is similar but matte. MAC Imaginary is purpler and brighter. MAC Starless Night is similar but more shimmered, less muted.
What makes the formula impressive is the pigmentation; both shades in this duo were intensely pigmented with a soft, smooth texture that was dense and buttery without being so soft it was crumbly or powdery. This texture and payoff translates seamlessly to the lids during application. They’re soft and blendable. Without a primer, it wears for over eight hours with no noticeable issues–after ten, there is the faintest fading around the crease. With a primer, I have no problems even after ten hours. The price point is palatable, too–two full-sized eyeshadows for $20.
Where to Buy: bareMinerals, $20.00 -- May 2012
What makes the formula impressive is the pigmentation; both shades in this duo were intensely pigmented with a soft, smooth texture that was dense and buttery without being so soft it was crumbly or powdery
Saturday, September 24th, 2011
Bare Escentuals Bare Minerals The Paradise Found Eyeshadow Duo
Bare Escentuals Bare Minerals The Paradise Found Eyeshadow Duo
Debuting at the beginning of October, Bare Escentuals Bare Minerals The Paradise Found Eyeshadow Duo ($20.00 for 0.10 oz.) is a mix of orange and green with Nirvana and Utopia. The new pressed eyeshadow formula has a SeaNutritive Mineral Complex that gives the shadow a “creamy, silky smooth” texture with “seamless blendability” and “stay-true color.” It’s supposed to be long-wearing whether worn alone or with primer–you shouldn’t see any creasing or fading. I’ve tested various combinations of shades from the duos and quads, and I’ve happily achieved ten hours of solid wear without a primer underneath. For a review of the packaging, please read my original review.
Nirvana is a softened orange with a frosted finish. It’s not a full-on orange but it’s more orange than peach. It has good pigmentation and the texture is smooth, but it’s not as buttery as other shades in the range. theBalm Mischievous Marissa is a bit more copper. Inglot #368 is more orange and matte in finish.
Utopia is deep, dark forest green with subtle olive-brown undertones. It has a satiny finish with a drier texture that’s still smooth but not as buttery or as dense. Despite the dryness, it yields good color payoff. It’s browner compared to shades that seem similar, like OCC Poison. However, it’s less green compared to shades like MAC Femme Noir and MAC Diana Undercover.
Where to Buy: October 2011 at Bare Escentuals, Sephora, $20
The duo is still good, but it's one of the weaker duos I've tried from Bare Escentuals' new pressed line-up. It is, however, a very unusual pairing of colors!
Friday, September 23rd, 2011
Bare Escentuals Bare Minerals The Honeymoon Phase Eyeshadow Duo
Bare Escentuals Bare Minerals The Honeymoon Phase Eyeshadow Duo
Debuting at the beginning of October, Bare Escentuals Bare Minerals The Honeymoon Phase Eyeshadow Duo ($20.00 for 0.10 oz.) is a mix of pink and gray with Giddy and Do Not Disturb. The new pressed eyeshadow formula has a SeaNutritive Mineral Complex that gives the shadow a “creamy, silky smooth” texture with “seamless blendability” and “stay-true color.” It’s supposed to be long-wearing whether worn alone or with primer–you shouldn’t see any creasing or fading. I’ve tested various combinations of shades from the duos and quads, and I’ve happily achieved ten hours of solid wear without a primer underneath. For a review of the packaging, please read my original review.
Giddy is a light-medium pink with yellow undertones and a satiny sheen. For such a light shade, it has surprisingly good color payoff without being powdery or chalky. It’s similar to Inglot #356, which is a degree lighter. MAC Pen ‘n’ Pink compares well, too, but has more of a matte finish.
Do Not Disturb is a charcoal gray with a soft, frosted finish. It’s a little drier than a lot of the other Bare Escentuals eyeshadows though it still has good pigmentation. It is similar to several other grays, like theBalm Inspirational and Urban Decay Gunmetal.
Where to Buy: October 2011 at Bare Escentuals, Sephora, $20
Pink and gray is an elegant and feminine combination of colors, and neither shade runs cool-toned, which is interesting. It's more neutral than warm, though the pink does have yellow undertones but they are subtle.
Thursday, September 22nd, 2011
Bare Escentuals Bare Minerals The Escape Eyeshadow Duo
Bare Escentuals Bare Minerals The Escape Eyeshadow Duo
Debuting at the beginning of October, Bare Escentuals Bare Minerals The Escape Eyeshadow Duo ($20.00 for 0.10 oz.) include Daydream and Wanderlust. The new pressed eyeshadow formula has a SeaNutritive Mineral Complex that gives the shadow a “creamy, silky smooth” texture with “seamless blendability” and “stay-true color.” It’s supposed to be long-wearing whether worn alone or with primer–you shouldn’t see any creasing or fading. I’ve tested various combinations of shades from the duos and quads, and I’ve happily achieved ten hours of solid wear without a primer underneath. For a review of the packaging, please read my original review.
Daydream is a light-medium beige with satiny sheen. The payoff is amazing, and it has a lovely dense and buttery texture that’s soft and silky smooth. MAC Brule is similar but less pigmented.
Wanderlust is a grayish gray-tinted brown–taupe–with a soft, frosted finish. It applied smoothly and evenly while delivering excellent pigmentation. It’s a shimmery version of Bare Escentuals Apropos. MAC Satin Taupe is similar but has a much redder base.
This is one of my favorite duos, because it’s so wearable and easy to use. It’s light and dark neutrals, which can give you brightened but smoldering eyes in thirty seconds flat. I keep this stashed next to a few of my go-to Hourglass’ duos, as it’s flattering and a total no-brainer when I’m in a rush!
Where to Buy: October 2011 at Bare Escentuals, Sephora, $20
This is a perfect duo for traveling or storing in your makeup bag, because it can give you a quick and easy neutral eye (or go heavy on the darker brown for something smokier)--plus it has a mirror and sponge-tipped applicator.
Monday, September 19th, 2011
Bare Escentuals Bare Minerals The Grand Finale Eyeshadow Duo
Bare Escentuals Bare Minerals The Grand Finale Eyeshadow Duo
Debuting at the beginning of October, Bare Escentuals Bare Minerals The Grand Finale Eyeshadow Duo ($20.00 for 0.10 oz.) is all starry night skies with Standing O and Climax. The new pressed eyeshadow formula has a SeaNutritive Mineral Complex that gives the shadow a “creamy, silky smooth” texture with “seamless blendability” and “stay-true color.” It’s supposed to be long-wearing whether worn alone or with primer–you shouldn’t see any creasing or fading. I’ve tested various combinations of shades from the duos and quads, and I’ve happily achieved ten hours of solid wear without a primer underneath. For a review of the packaging, please read my original review.
Standing O is a light-medium gold with this faint hint of green. It’s not really green at all, but there’s just that inkling that keeps it from being more like an orangey gold. It has a frosted, metallic finish, and the texture and payoff are nice. It’s a touch darker than MAC Treasure Hunt. It’s not as yellow as NARS Goldfinger. It’s almost like the golden color of MAC Gorgeous Gold but lacks the greenish duochrome aspect.
Climax is a purple-tinted navy blue with a satiny sheen. The texture is soft and smooth, while the pigmentation is right on. It’s similar to MAC Blue Storm, Wet ‘n’ Wild Earth Looks Small From Down Here, and Urban Decay Goddess.
Where to Buy: October 2011 at Bare Escentuals, Sephora, $20
Why do gold and blue always look so striking when paired together? Both shades have great color payoffs and textures, which makes it a good duo overall.
