Anastasia Beverly Hills Self-Made Palette - review

Anastasia Beverly Hills - next, only online available in my country, high-end brand. Whenever they launch something new everyone in Youtube tells you: "You need this in your life!". So I had to check what it's all about...

I wasn't even able to have enough fun with the previous palette ("World Couture Palette", yes I own this one as well, post in the progress;)) when then they came up with a new, limited edition one called "Self-Made Palette".

When you look at Self-Made one, it doesn't look really flattering. As I have her younger sister, which I don't use as much as I've thought, I've planned to skip this (it costs about 50$). But the makeup photos on Instagram using this green-mint eyeshadow Isla convinced me that I really need this in your life... No matter that green-like eyeshadows don't look good on me.. This one was supposed to change my life.. It didn't but...

Let start from the beginning - packaging is really elegant. Grey imitating some kind of material. Quite compact, easy to storage but Zoeva palettes are a little bit thinner (and a little bit wider at the same time). I think you can take it with you while travelling - seems really reliable.

Inside there is a big mirror (which is a plus) and double-ended synthetic brush. I've heard many good opinions about it (especially because it with a palette brush), for me... crap. You can make use of the pointed side, but the other one just makes big eyeshadow stains on my eyes which I cannot blend at all...

Last but not least... the eyeshadows! :)
In the palette we have 14 eyeshadows (younger one has only 12), 2 are mats, 2 are with glitter and the rest is with more satin/shimmery finish. Buttery and Pink Champagne can be found in the two previous palettes (I don't mind that as they are really useful and beautiful). Every eyeshadow weight 0,72g excluding Ping Champagne (0,65g).

When it comes to quality - it's not overrated. They are really pigmented (I must have to say that I had some issues with Isla but I have to check if it was the base or the eyeshadow). It's really a pleasure to do your makeup. I really love the Sherbert colour. Although satin finish, you can use it as transition colour in the crease. Then ad some Treasure all over the lid and Hot & Cold in the outer corner of the eye... I was completely sold..

Just look at the swatches...

From the left: Pink Champagne, Metallic Plum, Self-Made, Witchy, Blush, Blossom, Buttery

From the left: Deep Purple, Treasure, Hot & Cold, Sherbert, Isla, Spirit Rock, Hot Chocolate

What's surprising, the palette has a quite wide range of colours. From neutral beige, browns, champagne and peach-like eyeshadows, through duochrome Blush (grey with a hint of pink), to 3 additional "pop" eyeshadows (beautiful intense violet Deep Purple, poping green Isla and a black with purple glitter Spirit Rock).

I'm quite please that I have this palette in my collection. The eyeshadows don't fallout (but you have to be careful with Pink Champagne), they last all day and don't crease (which is really a challenge due to my deep-set eyes). I reached for it quite everyday since I got it. I used it even to fix my eye makeup once when I didn't like the result while using the other palette. It's really one of the best palettes if you are in the rush in the morning... but:

1. The price - I got my palette in the e-store www.glowstore.pl for 199 PLN (50 $) (including deliver). On the ABH site it costs 35$... Not budget friendly..
2. On the packaging it says that you use it within 6 months after opening! Craziness.. 
3. The eyeshadow colours are not as unique as they seem to be... When I saw this palette for the first time I thought "I think I've seen something similar"... And yes, I have already some dupes for them...

Just to sum up a little bit, I don't regret buying it. I reach for it every single day right now, even if I have dupes in other palettes.. It's quite a good option for people, who are looking for quite universal shades both for everyday makeup as well for a night-out with a hit of colour. And of course if you want to splurge some money on a eyeshadow palette. Would I repurchase it? Probably yes...

Please leave a comment what do you think about this palette? Do you have it and like it or not really?

I will try to post some dupes with more affordable options for you in a while.

Hourglass Lighting Edit Palette - worth the hype?

I didn't know that Hourglass brand ever existed until I started to watch Youtube.

It is a quite luxury (and of course expensive brand), not really easy to get in my country. It's well-known by it's famous powders thanks to which your skin is going to look fresh and glowing and... you know, the most beautiful ever.

It's highly probable that I wouldn't have ever purchase any single product from this company (in my country the prices are up to 60$ - 80$ for just one full-size powder and they are only available online), but as this year they decided to launch limited edition palette with 6 smaller-sized powders, so I couldn't resist...

When it comes to packaging.. You get a really expensive-looking one (with pointless leaflet inside - nothing special apart from palettes names in different languages, which is, to everyone's surprise, quite the same regardless of the country). Mixture of gold and brown, really glowing - you can almost use it as a mirror. At least you know for what You are paying for ;)

Inside, apart from the powders, you have a really big and useful mirror - definitively a plus. The names of the powders are on the other side of the palette, with one "but": they are put in the reverse order. When you look at the pictures, you think that they are put properly => Bronze Light seems to be under bronzer, but in reality it's under Mood Exposure blush.

I have used it on a daily basis for about two weeks and I have to say that I really like this palette. The powders are soft and creamy, the pigmentation is just enough - you can't do yourself harm with them. They give you this nice, healthy and glowing skin (without powder-cakey effect). You still must to remember that Iridescent Light as well as Bronze Light do have visible glowing glittery sparkles (my camera was really struggling to get a proper focus while making a picture). Moreover Bronze Light seems to be more on the orange sight. Not everybody will be pleased with those kind of effects. Nevertheless I have to say that I haven't noticed to look like a Christmas tree while using it.

And here goes the uncongenial accent: the palette's size. One of the most common reproach among the Youtubers and in reviews was the size/the amount of powders in the palette. Of course, I was quite aware that I won't get a full sized products but when I get a package I was still really surprised how little it was! It's really an absurd. On the picture below I tried to at least show you it's size comparing it to Zoeva Naturally Yours palette and a regular pack of tissues. Moreover it occurs that when you purchase a full-sized product you get more powder in powder (10,5 g) then the whole palette itself (6 x 1,4g = 8,4g!) paying much more. The palette on the Hourglass palette is worth 80$ whereas you have to pay for a blush about 35$, brozer 50$ and powder 45$... It's not surprising that many people decides to return it later...

Therfore is it really worth the hype?
Yes and no.

Yes, because:

• The powders have a really good quality and you get a really nice effect
• They don't dust therefore you don't waste a lot of product
• Pigmentation is really enough
• You can do the whole makeup thanks to it (including subtle eye makeup) - Youtube it ;)
• Size - easy to travel and do not need a lot of space
• You can try out 6 products at once and see if you would like to buy a full-size version (especially if you have no idea which one to choose)
• It doesn't cause me any breakout (and my skin really likes to leave me a surprise day or night)
• It will take a while to use up any of those powders

No, because:

• Price vs. quantity - I won't return the palette I have  but I won't repurchase it as well. I would more likely buy a full-size one.
• The powders are really great, but you don't need them in your makeup routine. If the effect you get while using less expensive products it's enough to You, it's not worth to spend so much money on the palette (and use this money for sth more sensible).

To summary it a little bit, if you think that it's a must-have in your life, you want to try out Hourglass products but you don't know which one to choose and your budget will handle this kind of splurge, go for it :)

It may seem a little bit stupid, but if you don't know which product to choose (or you just don't have any of the powders already) and you want to try out any of them, it's better to spend 80$ on this one palette then buying the 6 full-sized products (which will probably cost at least 240$). Of course, you won't get as much product but it lease you will see which one you like and how long it will take you to use them up.

I ordered it from www.glowstore.pl (local polish online shop) but it's highly probable that You will be able to get it directly from Hourglass site (they ship internationally, but you have to take into account the delivery cost and probably the customs). As far as I know I've seen it on www.net-a-porter.com with quite reasonable price for Europe market.

I hope that this post was useful for you. Please live a comment :)