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It’s that time again. Time for a showdown. Competing today we have the new Too Faced Glitter Bomb Eyeshadow Collection going up against the veteran Urban Decay Moondust Palette.

Let’s start by looking at the stats.

Glitter Bomb-
10 shadows (8 glitter and 2 solid bases)
.14oz pans
$45

Moondust-
8 glitter shadows
.02oz pans
$49

The winner of the cost-effectiveness round is Glitter Bomb!

Now, let’s get to the swatch round. We begin with still swatches of both palettes:

Obviously, the Glitter Bomb has more options because of the bases, but it would be easy enough to put a black or white shadow below the Moondust shades.

Now, for some moving swatches:

As you can see, both the Glitter Bomb and Moondust Palettes offer a more foiled look when patted on. And, many of the shades are similar. Below you will find eight shades that I matched up to really show a comparison between the formulas. The top shades are from Glitter Bomb and the bottom shades are from Moondust.

Based on these swatches, I will say that the Glitter Bomb formula is more opaque with one swipe. Moondust requires more building up. Both palettes have a bit of fallout no matter how you apply. Glitter Bomb has the creamier formula while Moondust is, well, dusty.

If you have to pick between the two, and price per ounce is not a concern, I would go based on the color offerings. Moondust has more blues and shades that are multidimensional. Glitter Bomb has more purples and no true green or blue.

Personally, I’d choose the Too Faced Glitter Bomb. Luckily, I don’t have to make that choice because I have and will use both forever and ever!

Shop the showdown:

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Hello all, and happy June! I was lucky enough to be able to attend the recent Sephora VIB Rouge “Fall Preview” event. I won’t even get started on how it’s June and we’re already having Fall events. Nevertheless, I was able to get my hands on some items that are very new. One of these was the Too Faced Glitter Bomb Palette.

The Too Faced Glitter Bomb Palette (which is in reality called the Too Faced Glitter Bomb Eyeshadow Collection) contains eight glitter shadows as well as two base shadows.  The product can be used wet or dry to vary the intensity of the pigmentation.

I found the glitter shadows to be soft, though gritty, to the touch. This is different than some other glitter palettes I own where the shadows are drier and a bit dusty.

Below you will find the shadows swatched over primer only, then over the white brightening base, then over the black intensifying base.

Too Faced Glitter Bomb will be available at Sephora soon for $45 US. It’s a worthy palette if you enjoy the glitter/foil scene.

P.S. Here’s a comparison to Urban Decay Moondust!

Shop Too Faced:

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[may contain affiliate links] Hello, class! As you know, normally I steer clear of holiday-themed packaging. However, there was something about this year’s Too Faced sets that caught my eye. In particular, the Too Faced Grande Hotel Cafe set became something that wouldn’t leave my brain, no matter how hard I tried.

The Grande Hotel Cafe features, according to the description on Sephora:

A makeup set with 18 eye shadows, two blushes, a bronzer, a mascara and a how-to guide for looks that are perfect for the season.

Now, the 18 shadows, blushes and bronzer are divided between three different palettes. Each palette has a different name that corresponds to its fragrance: Peppermint Mocha, Gingerbread Cookie, and Eggnog Latte. In my opinion, each palette can also comprise a complete “look,” or you can whip out all three and mix-and-match.

The set comes in a cute box with a roof that comes off and doors that swing open.

As with any holiday set, there is the worry that the powders are not up to par with the permanent line. Overall, I found the products in these palettes to have decent pigmentation, with a few exceptions. The satiny shadows performed the best, with the mattes being mostly OK, and the glitters needing perhaps a bit more finesse (think – fix+ and a patting motion, rather than sweeping).

Let’s take a peak at each palette and the corresponding swatches.

Eggnog Latte:

Gingerbread Cookie:

Peppermint Mocha:

Some of my favorite shades in the entire set are Sprinkles (from Peppermint Mocha), Iced Coffee, Cold Brew (both from Eggnog Latte), Ginger Snap and Winter Dream (from Gingerbread Cookie).

So, the important question is – do you need this? Here is my answer:

If any of these apply to you, then possibly yes-
– you have no other Too Faced shadows
– you love glitter and don’t mind working with it
– you like products that smell yummy
– a few of the shades really appeal to you
– you need a good travel palette
– you hate spending a lot of money on makeup

If any of these apply to you, then possibly no-
– you hate products with a fragrance
– you dislike glitter
– you’ve had problems with Too Faced shadows in the past
– you’d rather save up for a more expensive but better quality palette

Which category do you fall in? I’m definitely in the “yes!”

Shop Too Faced:

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Too Faced Peanut Butter and Jelly

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Hello, class! I started thinking that an amazing “fall-toned” palette that is being overlooked this season is the Too Faced Peanut Butter and Jelly Eyeshadow Palette. I mean, a palette centered around browns and oranges and purples is the epitome of what everyone is going crazy for this season! Figuring it might be nice to reiterate the beauty of this palette, I present to you, Too Faced Peanut Butter and Jelly!

From ShopStyle:

Only at ULTA! Inspired by the social media sensation that is Peanut Butter from Too Faced’s bestselling Semi-Sweet Chocolate Bar Collection, they created this peanut butter palette of nine gorgeous matte and shimmer shades featuring antioxidant-rich cocoa powder with a creamy peanut butter twist! Includes their signature Glamour Guide with three looks to get you started. Shades: Bananas (soft peachy gold w/ fine gold shimmer) Extra Creamy (matte creamy beige) Jammin’ (dark chocolate w/ golden sparkle) Jelly (vibrant orchid) Nuts About U (matte brown w/ red undertones) Spread the Love (medium peach w/ gold sparkle) Peanut Brittle (metallic burnt orange) Peanut Butter (matte medium orange brown) Peanut Butter Cup (metallic golden bronze w/ gold sparkle)

Unfortunately, I think the worst performing shades in the Too Faced Peanut Butter and Jelly palette are the purples. Jammin’ swatches a bit too sheer, and Jelly lacks pigmentation. However, if you happen to be looking for gift ideas, this makes the palette ideal for that beginner in your life who may use a heavy hand!

Too Faced Peanut Butter and Jelly is back on shelves and online at Ulta. Oh, and did I mention that it smells like peanut butter? But don’t worry, it doesn’t contain any peanut products!

Do you have this palette? Share your thoughts in the comments!

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[may contain affiliate links] Good morning, class. As you can imagine, August favorites time is the worst time. It means that it is time to go back to school. And alas, if you are reading this the day it is published, I am probably still in the middle of a day of back-to-school meetings! So let’s get to it. Here are my beauty favorites from August 2016!

Bite Beauty Multistick – “Gelato”
When Bite Beauty released their new multisticks I was pretty hesitant. After all, two-in-one, much less three-in-one, products rarely work for all their intended purposes. However, this product delivers. Out of the three multisticks I tried, Gelato is by far my favorite color for everyday use. Feel free to check out my swatches here!

Laura Mercier Candleglow Soft Luminous Foundation
This spontaneous purchase has been the highlight of my summer. I love the medium coverage and natural finish, and the shade Shell is a perfect match for me. My full review is here, if you’d like to check it out!

Too Faced Hangover Replenishing Face Primer
The scent alone makes this one of my favorites products ever (I love coconut!) I just feel really refreshed when I use this primer. I think it helps keep my face luminous but not oily.

MAC Instacurl Lash Mascara
So this was another potentially gimmicky product that actually delivered. What makes this mascara unique is the wand, which you can actually bend and un-bend to suit your needs. This helps to reach every little lash. I also just think that the formula happens to be really good.

Lime Crime Velvetine – “Prairie”
From the Livin’ On A Prairie collection, this lipstick is a beautiful pinky nude. I have been in love with the Velvetine formula for a long time now, and this whole collection was a lovely extension to the range of colors.

I’d love to see what your favorites were this month. Please link to your list below!

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[may contain affiliate links] This week I put two concealers to the test. Both are recent releases and certainly have quite a bit of hype around them. As you may remember, I have always struggled to find concealers/correctors that brighten my undereye area without emphasizing the natural creases. So, I thought it might be fun to do a head-to-head showdown of two products!

The Products

Tarte Double Duty Beauty Shape Tape Contour Concealer claims (via Ulta):

Sculpt and highlight as you mask imperfections with this 2-in-1 full coverage concealer. The hydrating, longwearing formula delivers natural, radiant coverage across all skin types so you can instantly brighten and cover acne, dark circles and redness while softening the look of pores and fine lines. Wear it 1-2 shades lighter or darker, and it works as a creamy highlighter or contouring stick with a lightweight, blendable formula and tapered wand applicator ideal for precise strobing and sculpting. Powered by Amazonian clay and conditioning mango seed and shea butters, the nutrient-rich concealer helps promote skin elasticity and illumination with each crease-free application.

Too Faced Born This Way Naturally Radiant Concealer claims (via Sephora):

Born This Way Naturally Radiant Concealer banishes the appearance of dark circles and imperfections while it blurs the look of lines and wrinkles. It’s infused with skin care benefits, including coconut water to replenish moisture levels, Alpine rose to brighten and boost radiance, and hyaluronic acid for a smoother, more youthful look. Creamy and comfortable, a proprietary blend of color correctors create the look of flawless skin. The result: a complexion that appears naturally radiant when applied over or under foundation—even when worn alone.

The Test

To compare the Tarte Shape Tape and Too Faced Born This Way, I applied each beneath one eye. Below you will see my eye area after foundation but prior to any concealer:

You’ll notice that I naturally have slight discoloration in this area, as well as some very deep creases. For the sake of this experiment, I did not use any additional corrector (like one with peach tones to combat the discoloration).

I applied the Too Faced to my left eye (which will appear on the right below) and the Tarte to my other eye. I used the lightest shade available in each, and it is interesting to note that the “Very Fair” Born This Way is by far darker than the “Fair” Shape Tape.

Tarte Shape Tape, left Too Faced Born This Way, right

I did set both sides very lightly with the RCMA No Color Powder. Below is immediately after finishing my makeup.

You probably notice that the Tarte side is visibly lighter. Since the product was lighter, this makes sense! The Instagram response was an overwhelming preference for the Too Faced side, which many said was more natural looking.

I kept my makeup on for most of the day, and took a photograph again after about seven hours of wear:

I do apologize for the lighting difference, but I think you can still see that both concealers gave about the same performance.

Conclusions

In terms of application, I prefer the Tarte Shape Tape. The thicker formula is somehow easier to blend and offers slightly better coverage. However, in terms of longevity, both the Tarte Shape Tape and Too Faced Born This Way concealers offer very similar performance. Both sank slightly into my creases, but not to the extent that previous concealers have. Since this experiment, I’ve even played around with combining these two products for a better color match and amazing coverage.

Have to pick just one? First, consider the color range. If you are very fair you will need to go with Tarte. Prefer a smaller wand? Too Faced it is. Like a thicker formula? Tarte. So, you can see it will really come down to personal preference.

Do you have either of these products? Let us know how you like them in the comments!

Concealer favorites:

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The July Favorites time is always an upsetting time because it means Summer is half over. Or, I suppose you could look at it as “half started.” I guess most teachers go with the former. Life is hard.

July was full of fun new releases, for sure. The warmer months also bring us back to past favorites meant to withstand crazy humidity and heat. So, without further ado, here are my July beauty favorites.

Anastasia Beverly Hills Glow Kit “Moonchild” – When I first started planning for this post, I had no doubt that Moonchild would be among my favorites for the month. Boasting unique and ethereal colors, this palette is a must-have for the highlight enthusiast. It is currently out-of-stock but I bet it will make a brief comeback, so keep your eyes peeled!

Urban Decay Moondust Eyeshadow Palette – This extremely versatile glitter bomb is a fantastic way to add some sparkle in your life. I especially enjoy using the many shades to add just a hint of sheen on top of other matte shadows.

Too Faced Born This Way Foundation – This is a rediscovery for me. My older Born This Way foundation was just a touch too dark, so when I finally repurchased in the correct shade it was like finding love all over again. This is a full coverage foundation that will last through your sweatiest days.

ColourPop Ultra Satin Lipstick “Alyssa” – This neutral dusty pink is basically my lip color but somehow better. And you know  absolutely love ColourPop’s Ultra Satin formula. This shade is a part of KathleenLight’s collaboration so be sure to get your hands on it before it is gone.

Too Faced Sketch Markers – The liquid eye liners are just so fun. They come in many colors (I have Smoky Emerald and Papaya Peach). They have a felt marker tip that allows for easy line and wing drawing.

BeautyBlender Blotterazzi – I was in the habit of continually applying powder to my face until I found this guy. The Blotterazzi is like the sponge version of blotting papers. The product comes with two sponges in a cute case that has a giant mirror. The Blotterazzi does not remove makeup when pressed to your face, just excess oil. I highly recommend it.

Well, those are my July favorites. What were yours? Please link to them in the comments for everyone to see!

Shop the favorites:

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Hello, class! Forgive me for being a bit delayed on the monthly favorites! But I do have some good ones for you today for our February Favorites – so here ya go!

Lunatick Cosmetic Labs Contour Palette 
I expressed my deep appreciation for this palette a few weeks ago. It is a fantistically versatile, quality product. I especially love the range of blushes and cool-toned contour shades.

MAC Beauty Powder in the shade “Pearl Blossom” (from the Flamingo Park Collection)
This beauty powder offers the prettiest light pink sheen that I love to use on light makeup days.

NARS Velvet Matte Skin Tint
This is my new go-to foundation.  It is incredibly easy to apply and offers amazing lasting powder. I reviewed it here, if you’d like to see.

IT Cosmetics Brow Power Super Skinny in the shade “Gray”
OK, so maybe it sounds silly that I would use a gray pencil, but truthfully, it isn’t gray so much as very cool blonde. I love the ease of use this skinny liner provides. I’m actually on my second pencil because I ran out!

Too Faced Melted Chocolate Liquefied Long Wear Lipstick in the shade “Metallic Frozen Hot Chocolate”
Well… that was quite a name, eh? I took a chance on this after really strongly disliking a Melted Metallic shade a while back. Frozen Hot Chocolate does actually smell like chocolate, making it my favorite lipstick to apply. This does not dry down matte, but it can last through a cup of coffee if you drink carefully!

As always, I would love to see your monthly favorites. Please leave your link below in the comments section!

Shop the favorites:

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