Written Reviews

The finish of Becca's Luminous blushes is, to my eye, one of the prettiest, most flattering blush finishes ever. I missed out on these before they were discontinued but found this beauty, deeply discounted, at Winners. It is such a beautiful colour for me and really does impart a truly luminous look to my skin. It's a shame these blushes were discontinued and it's an even bigger shame that Becca will be shutting down entirely in the autumn of 2021.

A+ indeed! Christine's rating for this shadow is spot on. Initially, I got this because it was an attainable dupe for Metal Saffron from the Estee Lauder/Victoria Beckham palette (which I wasn't able to get and which was pricey and contained shadows I either didn't want or didn't need). Chiffon is a terrific "one and done" shadow and works well as a lid or outer lid shade as well. The pigmentation is excellent and the finish is so smooth and flattering so that even though this is shimmery, it isn't scaly looking or aging. It's not too dark which is why it works well for me as an "all over the lid/into the crease" shade. It really is perfection.

How have I neglected to review this work-horse of a shadow? Probably because it's not an attention-getter but rather a good staple shadow to have in your collection. It's hardly eye-catching but as a crease or blending out shade, it's perfect and the texture is also super - smooth and blendable and not patchy. There was a time when the Buxom singles were available in Canada at Sephora and they offered so much - a wide range of colours and finishes, really excellent quality and value and it was easy to customize a palette with the shades I wanted. Sadly, these are no longer available as singles here, which is sad indeed though to be honest, I probably purchases (almost) all the shades I wanted.

I got this for next to nothing in the "mark-downs" section at Winners. It was in a set that included 3 MUFE shadows (the old, d/c'd ones that are very large in size) with an empty palette to house all 3, as well as a mini of their black liner pencil and a small bottle of Sens'eyes eye makeup remover, all for less than $10 CDN. This isn't one of MUFE's better shadows from that collection. It's matte and a bit powdery/dry, so can have a bit of fallout if I try to swipe on a LOT of product but now that I know this, I know to pat/press and not to use too much. In terms of its effect, I think I'd find it more effective and flattering if it had just a bit of a sheen or satiny finish. I use it over my e/s primer, especially in the sweltering, humid summer, to even out the colour of my lids and to give a smoother finish for the shadows I apply over top. Considering the low price, this was not a bad purchase, just not an exciting one.

I was so glad to get this pencil liner when it was released with the Game of Thrones collection. I'd been waiting for a liner this colour for years. I only wish UD could make this shade (perhaps with a new name for copyright issues) permanent. It looks gorgeous with my dark brown eyes and the pencil itself is creamy smooth and long-wearing. It totally lights up my whole face because of how it illuminates my lower lash line or inner corners.

I'm not much of a bronzer person. I'm quite pale and have always avoided the sun because I just don't enjoy sitting out and baking. Most bronzers look unnatural on me but this little beauty is so natural looking and so versatile. It works as a blush, as a finishing powder that imparts a bit of warmth (but not too much). It's not orange looking and just makes my face look fresh and healthy.

This is my second Becca Luminous Blush purchase (Foxglove was my first). These were discontinued several years ago, which is a shame and makes no sense because the finish of these blushes is so beautiful and glowy without being harsh or glittery. This blush just lights up my face and is a perfect shade for me. I was worried that it might be too warm or coral for me, but it's not - it's just perfect. And I really lucked out finding this, in perfect condition, for $12.99 CDN at Winners. The original price of these blushes was much higher but even at full price, this is so flattering as to be worth it.

I now have 3 shadows from this line, all with the pearly, shimmery finish. I struggle a bit with red toned eyeshadows and so in general, I just don't buy them. But I fell for this plummy brown as soon as I swatched it in-store. There's a reason this shadow earned an A rating here at Temptalia. The texture and pigmentation are fantastic and application is a dream - no fallout, no patchiness. The only reason it doesn't get 5 stars from me is that it's still a tricky colour for me to wear but that's no reflection on the shadow itself. This was pricey when I got it about 18 months ago but I think I snagged it during a VIB sale. Now (Feb. 2021) they are marked down at Sephora's site so it's a perfect time to try this shade if you've been considering it.

I just picked this up on sale as it seems this line is being discontinued. Prim-O is the sort of easy, flattering shadow I reach for regularly. The texture of these O!Mega shadows (at least the 3 shimmery ones I have) is absolutely perfect on all counts - lush, rich, pigmented, a joy to work with. And to get this pretty, brightening peachy champagne beauty on sale - these aren't exactly budget shadows though you do get a lot of product - was just the icing on the cake.

Winter is Here is one of my 3 or 4 favourite shades from the Game of Thrones palette. It's such a perfect shade of brown for me - rich, not warm, with a texture that makes it a pleasure to use. While I do have a few dupes, I'd really love to see this released as a single.

I've had the Old Church Street duo for a few months now (picked it up in August or Sept. 2020, steeply marked down) and while I really wanted it for the lighter left hand side of the duo - a lovely coppery beige - I have really been enjoying this darker side a lot in the past weeks and months. It just looks good on me - applied on the outer third of my mobile lid and buffed - to soften it and to bring it up into the crease. As Christine pointed out in her review of this shade, it really does blend out beautifully and easily. Basically, it gives a very nice smokey eye that doesn't look ridiculous on someone my age.

I can only echo what Arena said in her review - what a shame this was discontinued when so many inferior palettes from ABH have remained or new ones have been released. This is such a versatile and excellent quality palette. While Bloom is not a shade that I personally would choose to use ever, all the other shadows in here are flattering shades for me, and the variety of finishes and undertones (cool, warmer and neutral) make this a really wearable palette.

I found this greatly reduced at Winners. It's a shadow I've wanted for ages and now, after using it for several days in a row, I can say I'm really delighted. The colour itself is really flattering = a versatile silvery-taupe - as is the finish. What has really surprised me is how well this colour lasts - it doesn't seem to fade at all as the day wears on. It's a great "one and done" shadow but also works really well with other colours - browns, grey, purple tones, etc. Just an all around winner for me.

It's not surprising that this is one that Temptalia recommends. I love neutral eyeshadows in cooler tones and this one is a real beauty on all counts. The "curation" of the shades is flattering and elegant. The textures and finishes are equally elegant and a pleasure to use. Dior quints are always pricey but in past, the performance sometimes didn't measure up to the price ticket. This one, though, is fabulous and for someone like me, it's a real treat to use this to get ready in the morning.

This palette is BLISS! While the price is pretty steep, the quality and colour selection is so good that it's worth it. For me, it's the perfect colour assortment for autumn. Shade #1 is the only one that's a bit disappointing - it's a bit less pigmented than I could wish, but still buildable and while I thought it might be a bit too orange for me, it's actually a beautiful shade once applied.

Another "find" at an amazing price at Winners. I bought this partly because of the price, partly because I do have a weakness for NARS eyeshadow, most of which are no longer available at Sephora, and because this also had excellent reviews. What a find. First of all, I love the newer packaging, with flat cases that also allow the individual shades to be popped out easily if you want to put them in another palette for travel, etc. And these 2 shadows would be ones I would put in a travel palette (if we're ever able to travel again!). The duo is pretty similar - both light and very shimmery colours. The left side is more pink-champagne and the right side more gold-champagne but both are exceptional in terms of their texture - almost like liquid silk - pigmentation and total absence of fallout. While this might not be a stand alone duo, these are 2 really beautiful shadows for brightening the lid or just the inner corner or for highlighting the brow bone or center of the lid. Two real treasures here and for $15, a total find!

When the Charlotte Gainsbourg collection came out, I really wanted to "mix up" the 2 duos and put the left side of this one with the right side of Rue Allent but, alas, that wasn't to be. I got this recently (Sept. 2020) steeply marked down and was so happy to find it. I love the left side, a coppery champagne, and like the right side well enough that I will certainly use it, especially now, with fall approaching, as it's a rich and interesting blue green and truly "velvety" in texture and finish but a bit tricky to blend so I'm careful in how much I apply and where I place it. As I paid well less than half price, I've rated this "great value".

This is certainly a festive 5-pan. I sort of lost my head when I saw it and bought it because it was just so pretty. But it's not really the most practical of palettes for someone like me. I do love it but have to remember and sort of force myself to use it just because it's not the most "every day" collection of shadows (nor was it promoted that way). I was a bit disappointed with the middle, taupe shade - it's not as pigmented or "visible" as I'd hoped, though applying with a damp sponge improves things considerably. What did come as a pleasant surprise for me is that the bottom left shade, which looks very warm and orange/coppery actually translates to a nice, wearable brown on my lids. I've not used the black shadow. I suppose it's good that it's there as there are many women who rely on a black eyeshadow, but I rarely use any of the black shadows I have (many, many, as they seem to be ubiquitous in just about every palette I own).

This shadow was a very happy surprise in the Game of Thrones palette. I thought it would be too warm, too orange/apricot toned for me but it's anything "but" - it's so flattering, brightening and it is of such good quality. It works with just about any of my "go to" shadow looks for day/work and is just all around a fantastic colour. I so wish it would get re-released as a single (even with a different name) because for me, it's just such a workhorse colour.

I tend to shy away from red-toned eyeshadows because some reds and pinks look awful - unnatural and like I'm having a severe allergic reaction - but this one is a beauty. The shadow itself has a wonderful texture - so smooth and so blendable - and pigmentation is fantastic. I still feel a bit self-conscious wearing this shade but that's just me trying to get used to something a bit different. It's a lovely shadow especially for the fall months.