This post is going to be a bit different from the others. As in - the makeup photos will come after the general notes. In addition, there will be photos so you'll see what each product looks like in color and consistency.
Onto the blog post then:
Sephora palette packaging. I actually didn't think to photograph what a shadow looks like in its regular packaging
Availability: All of these shades have been discontinued.
Notes: So I was actually scheduled for a training where I got to play with these shadows before they were launched and was told all about how the Sephora colorful mono shadows were getting reformulated and all that jazz. I've never been the biggest fan of Sephora Collection eyeshadows because some of them had this dry texture that just wouldn't play nice and there were more appealing things on the market. They are way smoother now, easier to use, just plain... good. Would I choose them over another brand? Not necessarily. Did the training perhaps... prompt me to buy these? I would say so. However, I probably would've picked some up anyway, because of the newness and the nice colors and textures. I did purchase all these colors myself as the disclaimer will say - there was a tin that was provided for testing purposes for all Sephora employees which contained boring-arse colors (to me - a black and gray... which I have plenty of) so I gave that away to someone who has more use for it than I. In addition, there's no doubt in my mind that I would've bought the Pop Idol, in particular because there was a color in the Smashbox Love Me palette this year (not too sure if that's the official name of the palette, but there was a Love Me collection that featured a palette of blue-toned shadows and that's what I'm referring to) that had this luscious purple sparkly color. It's the only one I wanted in the palette because I pretty much had dead-on dupes for the rest but this... oh this captured my heart and I wanted it alone. I do like Pop Idol better, in fact, because it's more pigmented and intense. But I'll get to that later. Despite all the long-last claims (10 hours on the shimmers and mattes, I believe and then 8 on the glitters and 6 on mirrors - or perhaps I've got the mirrors and glitters mixed up here, either way) I suggest the use of a primer. Not only to prolong wear but to enhance the color and application of the shadows. It's a crime not to prime - ESPECIALLY the eyelid area. Just sayin. In addition, the eyeshadows can also be used wet for more intense pigmentation. I haven't really tried them wet so... I mean, I don't mind ruining the testers in the store because well... clients will ruin them anyway, but I don't want to ruin mine by getting them wet. I have seen them used wet though and yes, they do go on more intense that way. Not too sure if they'll form a crust though. The testers haven't. :P I think that if you're not a person who likes pre-made palettes or are often unhappy because you use up only certain colors in a palette then this is for you because it gives you control over what shades to include.
Onto the fun part
Apple Mojito is described as a citrus glitter. Does that make sense to you? No... citrus comes in many colors, first of all and then... why call it apple if you're describing it as citrus? Is apple citrus? No... no it ain't. Get it together naming and/or color description team! Seems like someone may have had one apple mojito too many when describing this. All in good fun. Anywho, I'd describe this shadow as a vibrant matte chartreuse base (so we won't get into arguments with which fruit family it belongs in) with loads of pretty gold micro-shimmer. The glitter finishes in Sephora collection remind me a bit of the Inglot DS (double sparkle) finishes because they have the uniqueness of a matte shadow that has glitter particles in it. It's definitely a fun color and one I tend to gravitate towards.
To know me is to know that I would never custom-make a palette and NOT include a teal. How can I possibly not? What a heinous sacrilege to leave teal out of the picture. I'm a mermaid after all, I need the color of my homeland. Surfin USA is described as a(n) azure blue shimmer. It's a beautiful bright glowing blue-based teal that I want to live in. I absolutely adore it. :) I'd say definitely worth a look.
Sailor Kiss is described as a dark blue matte. I'd describe it as a delicious, buttery navy. The texture is just... ugh so nice to play with. I have to say I'm impressed because mattes are so hard to get right and Sephora really nailed it with these. I wasn't too sure about getting this color but my wife (aka work bestie, but c'mon... wife just sounds way better) convinced me that it needs to be owned. It looks amazing over a black base, like the night sky or the depths of the ocean. It's genuinely sad that this has been discontinued because matte navies are so hard to get right and I have to hand it to Sephora for having done so.
Pop Idol is described as a black plum mirror. I actually really like the way that sounds, makes it seem real exotic and such. I'm sad that the true gorgeousness of this color cannot really be captured by a camera. In fact any of the mirror finishes are definitely worth a look in person as far as I'm concerned. They all have an intense shimmer finish but... not glittery, more subtle. This particular one is super stunning, I can't even explain it but... I just really needed this in my life. It's definitely the kind of color that if you were to wear it by itself no one would dare say "oh how lame that you're calling this a look and you only have one shadow on" because it's so multidimensional. I hope I'm making some sort of sense here, but if not, go look for yourself.
Full Moon Romance is described as a purple shimmer. Pfffft... That's underrating its gorgeousness. I would describe it as a deep blue-based purple with a violet sheen. It's not really a duo-chroming but a violet halo. Violet is my new favorite thing (and pairs beautifully with both the teal and chartreuse) so I had to have this too. Uber pretty. :)
Overall, I think that if you're in Sephora, these are worth checking out.
Please let me know if you have any comments or questions.
Disclaimer: I paid for all of these myself. :3
