What It Is:

theBalm Meet Matt(e) Eyeshadow Palette

Why This Should Be in Your Bag:

Matte eyeshadows (no shimmer, no sparkle, flat color) are an extremely useful tool. Although they seem rather boring, they add depth and can really make your eyes pop! theBalm is a fave brand of mine, and their eyeshadows always impress me. Therefore, I couldn’t wait to try out their palette filled with nine totally matte eyeshadows!

How To Use It:
To create an eye look with a lot of dimension, you’ll want to start off by applying one of the lighter shades (Matt Smith, Matt Chung) all over your eyelid. Then, add any of the medium-dark shades (Matt Gallagher, Matt Ramirez, Matt Schilling, Matt Patel) to the crease. Lastly, use one of the darkest mattes (Matt McDonald, Matt Horowitz, Matt Batali) to deepen the outer corner. You can also use any of the medium-dark or dark shades as an eyeliner and the lighter shades as an inner corner or browbone highlight.

(L-R: Matt Smith, Matt Gallagher, Matt Ramirez, Matt McDonald, Matt Horowitz, Matt Chung, Matt Batali, Matt Schilling, Matt Patel)

CC Rating: B+

Like I mentioned above, theBalm is one of my absolute favorite cosmetics brands. They put out quality products in fun packaging and Meet Matt(e) is no exception. All nine shadows were very smooth and easy to apply. They weren’t too chalky, as I often find matte shadows to be, and blended almost as well as shimmery counterparts.

The only problem with this palette is the lack of pigmentation in shadows. Some of the shadows were a little sheer for my liking, and Matt Smith and Matt Chung were barely visible on my pale skin. However, the shadows were very easy to work with and I imagine you could build up the color if it wasn’t pigmented to your liking on the first swipe.

This palette is available on theBalm’s website for $34.50.

[Need some new makeup but not sure what to buy? Check out Alex's other beauty reviews here.]

What It Is:
Clarins Eye Quartet Mineral Palette in 07 Smokey Passion and Rouge Prodige in 131 Passion Rose

Why This Should Be in Your Bag:

I rarely feature collections on In Our Makeup Bag and here’s why: they are big. Most makeup collections have upwards to 10 pieces and that is just too much for this column. On top of that, the quality of all the items is usually so varied that they don’t make for a very coherent review.

Clarins is a fave brand of mine that happens to put out rather modest collections. Their latest holiday fare boasts only three items: a face powder, eye quad and a lipstick. I have both the quad and lipstick to test out, so let’s see how it goes.

How To Use It:

I’ve previously reviewed Clarins Eye Quartet Mineral Palettes, but this one has a slightly different set-up. Included are two eyeshadows, one powder eyeliner and a creamy highlighter. This selection makes use rather easy. Neither of the eyeshadows stands out as the lid or crease color, so you can match them any way you please! Then, line your upper (and lower if you’re going for intensity) lash line and add the highlighter to your brow bone and inner corner. Another plus: you can use all four both wet and dry!

(DRY L-R: highlighter, 2 eyeshadows, liner)

(WET L-R: highlighter, 2 eyeshadows, liner)

The lipstick is super creamy and glossy, so application is easy. I find you barely need a mirror for this, because the color is rather sheer. Just swipe on (I found two swipes to be perfect for me) and go!

131 Passion Rose

CC Rating: A-

Let me say it: Clarins has done it again! Seriously! Both the quad and lippie in this Holiday release are fabulous. The four shades and formulations in the palette fit well together and make for an easy eye look. The eyeshadows are buttery and blend great. The pigmentation is definitely increased when used wet, but the dry pigmentation is still acceptable. The lipstick is on par with the rest of the Rouge Prodige line: creamy, moisturizing and super flattering. The shade is a stunning plummy-red with gold shimmer that is slightly vampy, but wearable. I really like this shade and don’t have anything like it in my collection!

My main gripe with the collection: the highlighter shade. It’s mostly glitter suspended in a gel, which is unique, but not totally useful. On an average day, I wouldn’t wear glitter on my eyes and would have preferred this to be another eyeshadow. The two eyeshadows are nice quality, but also not the most unique colors ever. For holiday you usually expect something special, and while Clarins did put a spin on their normal palette, the bronze and taupe shades just don’t scream “Holiday!” to me. However, I do like the addition of a specific eyeliner in the palettes. This one is gorgeous: a deep brown with gold nuances that really jump out when you use it wet.

If you’re new to Clarins or looking to haul some holiday collections, this would be a great place to start.

[Need some new makeup but not sure what to buy? Check out Alex's other beauty reviews here.]

I feel bad for the male gender 90% of the time. Mostly because I see them as the lesser sex..but hey don’t we all? Another reason I feel bad for them is that they don’t get to use make-up. That’s not an airtight statement, but for the most part foundations, shadows and lip shades are left for us girls. But with this great gift of makeup comes great responsibility that some have chosen to abuse.

From the overly excessive smokey eye to some downright weird eyelash extensions, sometimes eye makeup can go way too far. Below are prime examples of those faux-pas…

What It Is:

Why This Should Be in Your Bag:

Eyebrows are probably the most overlooked part of the average woman’s makeup routine. After applying eyeshadow, foundation, lipstick and blush, many girls don’t have the time to fix up their brows too. However, since I started tidying my eyebrows, I’ve noticed that my face looks a lot more “pulled together” and am a total convert to the practice.

Anastasia Soare is Hollywood’s brow guru, grooming the eyebrows of almost every celebrity you can think of. She’s sharing her knowledge with the general public through her cosmetics brand, Anastasia Beverly Hills. I tried out her Beauty Express for Brows and Eyes kit, with a sampling of her best products for grooming your brows and looking wide awake.

How To Use It:
This kit comes with killer instructions, so I’m not going to go too in depth. Basically, you choose one of the 5 brow stencils from the palette and tweeze your brows accordingly. Then, use the brow wax to set your brows in place. Use the 2 shades of brow powder and included brush to mix a color that matches your brows and fill in any patchy spots. Finally, brighten your eyes with the 2 shades of neutral eyeshadows, highlighting your inner corner and under your browbone!

(L-R: darker powder, lighter powder, shimmery shadow, matte shadow)

CC Rating: A

This kit is truly and utterly fantastic. Seriously, you can be a complete brow newbie or an expert and still benefit from this palette. The wax, powder and eyeshadows are great quality and I’ve barely made a dent in any because you need so little to achieve a perfectly shaped brow. The 5 stencils will definitely cover most brow shapes, however, if yours isn’t in the kit, you can still use the wax, powder and shadows.

The only downside may be if your brows are a really unique color that can’t be achieved with any of the powders. The kit does come in Blonde and Brunette, with 2 distinct shades in each, so hopefully most can find a match! The price is also on the higher end as far as brow products go, but you are not only getting the products, but stencils and a how-to guide for tidying up your brows. You would also have to factor in how long the kit lasts for you to assess it’s worth.

I highly recommend checking out the Anastasia Beauty Express for Brows and Eyes palette. It’s available at Sephora and Anastasia’s website.

[Need some new makeup but not sure what to buy? Check out Alex's other beauty reviews here.]

NYX is a really great brand and is still independently owned by founder Toni Ko, who started it in her 20′s (what have you done with your life?).  It’s definitely a brand worth checking out! While the color pigmentation wasn’t as striking as I hoped for, this still remains a huge addition to my makeup collection.  With 112 colors, it’s a pretty useful palette.  I found that these were best used wet because the color payoff when used dry was a little light.  Adding just a little bit of water to my brush amped these babies right up and gave me the true color that I actually saw in the giant box.

Watch the vid for my full review and an explanation on how you can salvage less pigmented shade!

Got something you want me to cover? Post it in the comments below. And don’t forget to follow us on YouTube and check out my other videos right here! And for more beauty related tips, check out my website and follow me on Twitter!

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What It Is:
theBalm Shady Lady Vol. 3 Eyeshadow/Eyeliner Palette

Why This Should Be in Your Bag:
Eyeshadow is an essential for any makeup junkie. Whether you’re all about neutrals or crazy for colors, it’s a great way to enhance your natural beauty and have fun with makeup! I also love the versatility of a shadow that can be used both wet and dry, making it a liner too! And getting a bunch of colors in one handy little package offers not only an array of options, but a really good deal too!

As for this particular product, well, the colors are awesome, the quality even better, and theBalm always has fun, cute packaging and names that make their products even more appealing. According to theBalm: “These nine beautiful shades tucked inside a cute giraffe-print palette can be used wet or dry and can be combined or worn individually for an endless variety of looks.”

How To Use It:
Like theBalm suggests, you can create an infinite number of looks with this palette, but I will just share my favorite day and night looks with you!

Dry L to R: Lusty Lee, Envious Erin, Racy Kacy, Safe Bet Annette, Runaround Rebecca, Come-Hither Heather, Open to Offers Olwen, All The Way Annie, Guilty Gwen

Wet L to R: Open to Offers Olwen, Racy Kacy, Runaround Rebecca, Come-Hither Heather, All The Way Annie, Guilty Gwen

For day: start by applying Come-Hither Heather (soft taupe) all over the lid. Use Envious Erin (shimmering pearl) as a highlight under the browbone and in the inner corner of your eye. If you’re a liner girl like me, get an eyeliner brush wet and draw a thin line of Guilty Gwen (sparkly black shimmer) along the upper lashline.

For night: use Lusty Lee (silver shimmer) on the whole lid and add All The Way Annie (shimmering amethyst) in the outer corner. Smudge Guilty Gwen in to the top lashline and blend out slightly for a sexy, smokey look. Lastly, dip your liner brush in water and use Open the Offers Olwen (teal) as a pop of color for your lower lashline.

CC Rating: A
The colors in theBalm Shady Lady Vol. 3 Palette are just stunning. It’s the perfect mix of safe neutrals and sexy, bold shades for every makeup lover. The quality of these shades is pretty much on par with MAC and every single one applied smooth like butter. With a primer, these lasted all day and night, and none of the shades suffered from loads of glittery fallout.

This palette is also a great value. You’re getting 14.4g of shadow for $39.50, which would normally run you $108! Now, with any palette, it’s only a good value if you’re going to USE every shade featured. Personally, I like all the shades and have worn each and every one, so I know it will be a great product for me.

If you’ve never tried theBalm before, Shady Lady Vol. 3 will be a great intro!

Would I Repurchase?: If I ever run out, yes! I will most likely purchase Vol.4 , once released – if there are no duplicate shades and I will use all the colors.

[Need some new makeup but not sure what to buy? Check out Alex's other beauty reviews here.]

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[Is it just me or is there another “revolutionary” new makeup product introduced every freaking day?! Just walking into Ulta or Sephora (or even Walgreens!) sends many chicas into fits of hysteria, reaching for the nearest brown bag to regulate their breathing. It’s all so overwhelming.

So how can you know which product – among the sea of thousands – is the best? Which does what you need it to do? Which ones are worth the extra money? Let me help. I don’t know every beauty product out there, but I’ve tested a lot of them and I’ll let you know which are worth the money and which are not.]

(Disclaimer: This product was provided to me for review purposes)

What it is: Jemma Kidd Make Up School Crushed Jewel Creme Duo in 04 Black Diamond

Why this should be in your bag: This versatile little product is perfect for taking you from day to night. It contains a satiny, cream eyeshadow and, when you screw the bottom off, multicolor glitter to go over top. I found that the color I tested, 04 Black Diamond, also had another wonderful use: as a black base for any shadow! I’ve seen people using NYX’s famous Jumbo Eye Pencil in Black Bean for this, but I’ve always found them very unstable and prone to melting off. The Jemma Kidd Make Up School Crushed Jewel Duo has come to solve your intense-eye woes and also provide you with some fun!

(Top: with glitter. Bottom: cream shadow.)

How to use it: Always prime your eyelids before applying shadow for mega lasting power and no creasing. Regardless of how you’re going to top this off, apply the cream shadow to your lid. I found it a bit tough at first and it took me quite a bit of work to warm it up enough to be malleable. I just used my fingers for application to my lid. If you’re planning on topping up with the glitter, I recommend using a C-Shaped shadow brush. If you’re using this as a dark base, then apply your normal shadow as usual. Note, when using very light/sheer shadows, you may have to really build the color up.

CC Rating: B

I really like this as a black base for my current eyeshadow collection. It makes my shadows WAY more versatile and allows me to do a smokey eye with virtually any I own. The staying power was also unreal.

However, this product is marketed as a stand-alone shadow/glitter combo and as that, I wasn’t too thrilled about it. Yes, the payoff was great and the glitter was a fun touch, but I would rarely wear just the shadow and glitter. At $26 a pop, I would much rather get myself a pair of nice MAC shadows that I could mix in with my current ones. But if you’re looking for a great base for a smokey eye, with the optional glitter for a glam night out, then this will suit your needs perfectly!

[Looking to overhaul your makeup bag? Check out Alex's other beauty reviews here.]

So how can you know which product – among the sea of thousands – is the best? Which does what you need it to do? Which ones are worth the extra money? Let me help. I don’t know every beauty product out there, but I’ve tested a lot of them and I’ll let you know which are worth the money and which are not.

(Disclaimer: This product was provided to me for review purposes)

What it is: Urban Decay Vegan Palette

Why this should be in your bag: Every girl needs a nice eyeshadow palette. They are totally foolproof, since the company itself picked out an array of complimentary shades for you. Whether you’re a shadow newbie, or simply trying to expand your horizons, a palette is a great place to start. It also comes complete with an eyeliner and mini shadow primer. Plus, they are ideal for travel! This palette has a magnetic closure, which ensures that it won’t open in your checked luggage. Also, if you’re an animal lover like me, you’ll really feel good about using totally vegan, cruelty-free products. Even the super cute packaging on this palette is vegan!

How to use it: The palette comes with 6 shadows in total. They are diverse, but really work well together. I like using the bottom three in the palette (Twice Baked, Smog and Half Baked) for a bronze smokey eye. The included primer is a new shade, Sin, which intensifies your shadows and makes them pop, all while holding strong.  Simply swipe Smog on your lid, add Twice Baked in the outer “V” and smudged into the crease and then use Half Baked as a highlight and to blend it out towards your brow bone. Urb is a great all over wash, while Minx and Gunmetal are fun highlighters. The three colorful shades work well with the neutrals, making for endless combinations. And who doesn’t love a silky, black eyeliner?

(Top: Zero eyeliner. Middle: Twice Baked, Smog, Half Baked. Bottom: Minx, Urb, Gunmetal)

(Left: Minx – Middle: Minx over Sin Primer Potion – Left: Sin Primer Potion)

CC Rating: A

The packaging and versatility of the Urban Decay Vegan Palette really make it unforgettable. I find myself constantly reaching for this before work, as I know it will make me look great! Urban Decay’s shadows are so smooth and buttery and always look like a million bucks on. Initially, I didn’t like the giant pieces of glitter in Minx, Urb and Gunmetal, but when you build-up the color, they tend to dissipate and not look so obvious. The packaging is absolutely to-die-for and the included eyeliner, primer and mirror make it a great travel buddy. And the animals decorating it remind you that you’re doing a good job by shopping vegan! All in all, the Urban Decay Vegan Palette is fun and functional and will satisfy most makeup junkies. Although not nearly as good of a deal as the Naked Palette (my other new fav!), it’s still a great buy with lots of options.