Guerlain d’Un Soupir (187) Eyeshadow
Guerlain Spring 2011: d’Un Soupir
Guerlain d’Un Soupir (187) Eyeshadow ($36.00 for 0.12 oz.) is a deep, dark brown with warm amber peeking through the base with silvery-white micro-shimmer. It has a very rich, satiny finish–not too frosty but certainly not lacking in dimension and some sparkle. Whether it is used wet or dry, it applies beautifully and intensely.
my thoughts on the formula: Guerlain’s eyeshadow texture is phenomenal in their singles–smooth, silky, very buttery. The color is true-to-pan and delivers rich results with little product needed. These eyeshadows are massive–over double the average single eyeshadow–and so by the ounce, Guerlain is as expensive (or as affordable) ($300/oz.) as MAC eyeshadows ($290/oz.).
If you want to know more about how products are evaluated, read out Rating System FAQ! 
- Product: 30/30
- Value: 9/10
- Ease of Use: 4/5
- Packaging: 4/5
final thoughts: This will make for a beautiful smoky brown for warmer complexions. It has noticeable red-brown leanings, but there is this shadow of taupe that seems to keep it from veering too red or orange. I think it will still work well for cooler skin tones as a result.
where to buy: Nordstrom
theBalm Jealous Jordana Eyeshadow
theBalm Shady Lady Eyeshadow: Jealous Jordana
theBalm Jealous Jordana Eyeshadow
($16.00 for 0.12 oz.) is described as a “rich shimmering green.” I would say it is deep, dark blackened forest green with teal and emerald green micro-shimmer in a soft frost finish. It’s not quite as deep as Urban Decay Loaded, but the colors are similar–Loaded just has a blacker base, while NARS Rajasthan is bluer.
The packaging is simple cardboard, which makes these easy to stack and store, plus a little more eco-friendly than plastic, though it may not stand up to wear and tear as prettily as plastic. I think the cardboard is plenty durable, but you may get a couple dents and scratches over the months/years.
my thoughts on the formula: theBalm’s eyeshadows are soft, silky smooth, and packed with pigment. They apply evenly, blend out beautifully, and aren’t powdery at all (sometimes a side effect of really soft eyeshadows). I find they are so easy to use, because they apply without fall out and blend with other shadows effortlessly. Worth noting, too, is individual eyeshadows come with 0.12 oz., which is just over double the average eyeshdaow–and at a rather affordable price tag.
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- Product: 30/30
- Value: 10/10
- Ease of Use: 4/5
- Packaging: 4/5
final thoughts: Definitely worth the price, and you’ll find it will take you quite awhile to hit pan on one of theBalm’s eyeshadows–but even better is that you don’t really end up paying for that privilege. The beautiful, deep dark green-teal will work well on all skin tones.
where to buy: Sephora
theBalm Shady Lady Vol. 3 Eyeshadow Palette
theBalm Spring 2011: Shady Lady Vol. 3
TheBalm Shady Lady Vol. 3
($39.50 for 0.51 oz.) is an eyeshadow palette that includes nine shades: Lusty Lee (silver shimmer), Envious Erin (shimmery pearl), Racy Kacy (copper shimmer), Safe Bet Annette (pale-pink shimmer), Runaround Rebecca (sage), Come-Hither Heather (soft taupe), Open To Offers Olwen (teal), All The Way Annie (shimmering amethyst), and Guilty Gwen (sparkly black shimmer).
- Lusty Lee is a bright silver-gray with a frosted finish.
- Envious Erin is a pale, creamy white with soft golden warmth.
- Racy Kacy is a coppered brown with a frost-metallic sheen.
- Safe Bet Annette is a pastel pink with a white frosted finish.
- Runaround Rebecca is an olive green with a khaki brown base and frost-metallic sheen.
- Come-Hither Heather is a mauve-y taupe witha frost finish.
- Open to Offers Olwen is a rich, vibrant blue with a touch of teal and frost finish.
- All the Way Annie is a red-based purple with soft silver flecks of micro-glitter
- Guilty Gwen is a softened charcoal black with silver flecks of glitter. This was the only shade I had issues with–I had to scrape out the product to get it to show. It was so poor, I thought it was actually defective. (It is really packed on in the swatch to get it to show.)
my thoughts on the formula: With the exception of Guilty Gwen, these eyeshadows are soft, silky smooth, and packed with pigment. They apply evenly, blend out beautifully, and aren’t powdery at all (sometimes a side effect of really soft eyeshadows). The formula is the same as the individual eyeshadows–no skimping or cutting corners.
This palette has a good mix of colors, and I can see some combinations coming from the palette, though I see these more easily mixed with other products you already own. They are all rather shimmery/frosty finishes, which makes them easy to blend. The quality is really phenomenal, excluding Guilty Gwen, and well worth the price tag.
value: theBalm’s single eyeshadows retail for $16.00 and contain 0.12 oz. worth of product, while this palette retails for $39.50 and comes with 0.51 oz. worth of product. Single eyeshadows work out to be $133/oz. and the palette works out to be $77/oz. The palette is also an excellent deal, because each shade is approximately 0.057 oz. each (the average full-sized eyeshadow is 0.05 oz.), so you get more variety.
If you want to know more about how products are evaluated, read out Rating System FAQ!
- Product: 28/30
- Value: 10/10
- Ease of Use: 4/5
- Packaging: 4/5
final thoughts: I had to take off two points because of Guilty Gwen, but I would have loved to give this palette full marks–it really is a beautiful palette with so many well-pigmented, easy-to-use shades.
where to buy: Sephora
Giorgio Armani #404 Rouge d’Armani Lipstick
Quick! Snatch Up This Limited Edition Holiday Red!
Giorgio Armani #404 Rouge d’Armani Lipstick
($30.00 for 0.14 oz.) is a bright pink-tinged ruby red with a subtle metallic sheen in its finish. It has lots of ruby micro-shimmer–it’s subtle but it’s there. The color applies nearly opaque, and it wears beautifully (at least six hours). This is a gorgeous holiday red!
my thoughts on the formula: The formula itself is moisturizing, long-wearing (six to eight hours), and comfortable to wear. It’s not clingy nor heavy, and there’s enough slip to give it that creamy look where the color nearly melts against your lips. Rouge d’Armani Lipsticks are also scent- and taste-free (and no waxy scent, either!). It comes in a sleek, glossy black case with a magnetic enclosure to ensure your lipstick is closed at all times.
If you want to know more about how products are evaluated, read out Rating System FAQ!
- Product: 29/30
- Value: 8/10
- Ease of Use: 4/5
- Packaging: 5/5
final thoughts: Infinitely flattering on both cooler and warmer skin tones, pigmented and rich enough to work on pale and dark complexions, #404 is one of those darling holiday reds that many covet.
where to buy: Giorgio Armani
Giorgio Armani #405 Rouge d’Armani Lipstick
Giorgio Armani #405 Rouge d’Armani Lipstick
Giorgio Armani #405 Rouge d’Armani Lipstick ($30.00 for 0.14 oz.) is a rich, decadent shade of vibrant, deep orange with soft copper-gold micro-shimmer. It provides full color coverage with very little product, and it has a naturally glossy finish. It applies beautifully–even and opaque.
The formula itself is moisturizing, long-wearing (six to eight hours), and comfortable to wear. It’s not clingy nor heavy, and there’s enough slip to give it that creamy look where the color nearly melts against your lips. Rouge d’Armani Lipsticks are also scent- and taste-free (and no waxy scent, either!). It comes in a sleek, glossy black case with a magnetic enclosure to ensure your lipstick is closed at all times.
If you want to know more about how products are evaluated, read out Rating System FAQ!
- Product: 30/30
- Value: 8/10
- Ease of Use: 4/5
- Packaging: 5/5
FINAL THOUGHTS: This is an excellent orange lipstick for warmer skin tones–especially medium to dark skin tones. Pair it with a soft gold or peach eye, even just neutrals, and let the lips shine.
WHERE TO BUY: Nordstrom
Hourglass Exhibition Eyeshadow Duo
Hourglass Exhibition Eyeshadow Duo
Hourglass Exhibition Visionaire Eyeshadow Duo
($38.00 for 0.20 oz.) contains a grayish plum mauve with a frost-metallic finish and a blackened burgundy eggplant with a frost-metallic sheen. Hourglass’ Eyeshadow Duos are such an underrated and under-appreciated product–the quality is absolutely phenomenal and the shades are infinitely flattering.
Selfishly, I wish they had about a dozen more duos, because their eyeshadows are easily some of the best I’ve come across–and better yet, the quality is fantastic across the range. There are no duds in their duo line-up. Soft, smooth as silk, and buttery texture paired with intense color pigmentation that glides on, blends effortlessly, and can be used wet or dry.
The $38 may seem steep, but don’t let it fool you: there are two full-sized (actually, more than that) eyeshadows inside. Each eyeshadow is 0.10 oz., which is double the average full-sized eyeshadow, for a total of 0.20 oz. The packaging is also this pewter bronze with a swivel top that reveals a mirror inside along with a pint-sized brush (with real bristles) that’s usable and not scratchy.
If you want to know more about how products are evaluated, read out Rating System FAQ!
- Product: 30/30
- Value: 9/10
- Ease of Use: 4/5
- Packaging: 5/5
FINAL THOUGHTS: Hourglass as a brand is underrated, but their eyeshadows are easily my favorite product from the brand. There is something to be said for a brand that puts out consistently high quality products with to-die-for textures. This duo will naturally flatter cooler skin tones but it is not so cool-toned that warmer skin tones will find it difficult to work with.
WHERE TO BUY: Sephora
