Tarina Tarantino Dollskin Cheek Palette Swatches and Review

Being the huge blush fanatic that I am, I craved Tarina Tarantino’s Dollskin Cheek Palette from the moment I saw it. And then the overwhelming positive reviews came pouring in. I was *this close* to ordering it from Sephora many times, but never ended up pulling the trigger. And then I found out that Tarina Tarantino was being phased out at Sephora and was selling for 40% off. There were many items I wanted (and ended up ordering!) but this blush palette was listed as sold out at the time. I was crushed. But undeterred I checked Sephora daily to see if it would come back in stock. And it did. I was ecstatic. Okay, I know how ridiculous it sounds to be ecstatic over blush, but if you’re a fellow makeup addict (and if you’re reading this I’m assuming you are), you’ll understand. (Of course, as of writing this post the blush palette is no longer listed. But keep checking, it might come back! I do see it listed on Amazon for $32, which I definitely think is worth it. Still cheaper than it originally was!)

The palette definitely lived up to the hype for me. I LOVE it.


The palette comes in a grey and pink box inside a holographic sleeve. It's pretty, but I definitely think it's a little over-packaged.

Tarina Tarantino Dollskin Cheek Palette

Tarina Tarantino Dollskin Cheek Palette

The palette is HUGE. I was expecting the blush pans to be about eyeshadow size, but they look amost like full size blushes to me. I compared the size to a Zoya nail polish bottle so you can see how big it really is.

Tarina Tarantino Dollskin Cheek Palette

There are two peachy-coral blushes and two bright bubblegum pink blushes. I wish the names of the blushes were listed somewhere on the palette. The blush colors are/were also sold individual so names would be helpful.

Feather (the top left) is a peach coral shimmer. Parasol (the top right) is a bright pink coral simmer. Carved Rose (the bottom left) is a bright pink matte. Candy Cameo (the bottom left) is almost the same color as Carved Rose, but has heavy silver shimmer. This is definitely the most shimmery of the blushes.

I almost wish they had left out Candy Cameo (I can just wear a highlighter over the matte pink if I want shimmer) and chose one of their other blushes, like Neapolitan Lane or Charm.

From left- Feather, Parasol, Carved Rose, and Candy Cameo

For each color the swatches are applied heavily on the left and blended out on the right.

The formula on all of them is pigmented, soft but not powdery, and easy to blend.

From left- Feather and Parasol

From left- Carved Rose and Candy Cameo

I recommend this palette to those who are blush obsessed and those who aren't. There is a variety of colors and finishes in this palette that will keep you from getting bored. I'm so glad I was finally able to get this!

Lancome Tangerine Tint Blush Subtil Swatches and Review

Every day at work when I'd walk by the Lancome counter I would stop and stare longingly at this beautifully creamy peachy tangerine blush. I though it would be too neon and orange on me. One day I got up the courage to try it on and much to my surprise it was a fresh, natural coral on my cheeks. I immediately fell in love with it and bought it. I have a lot of pink in my skin so wearing pink or red blushes can make me look like I'm running a fever. The orange toned blushes combine with the pink to make a flattering coral shade.

Lancome Tangerine Tint Blush Subtil

 The pan only contains .18 oz which is a bit on the small side, but still a little more product than NARS blushes (.16 oz).

Lancome Tangerine Tint Blush Subtil

Lancome Tangerine Tint Blush Subtil

I thought the claims for the blush were kinda funny. Micro-bubbles? Really?

Lancome Tangerine Tint Blush Subtil

Here is Tangerine Tint in the sun.

Lancome Tangerine Tint Blush Subtil

And the shade.

The blush appears mostly matte, but there is a subtle sheen/sparkle to it that really is only visible in strong light. The texture leaves a little to be desired as it's a bit on the dry and stiff side, but I still find I can pick up plenty of pigment and it blends well.

Lancome Tangerine Tint Blush Subtil

Swatched in the sun- heavy on the left, blended out on the right.

Lancome Tangerine Tint Blush Subtil

In the shade.

The name Blush Subtil is not a misnomer as this seemingly bold tangerine shade is much more wearable than it appears in the pan. However it is buildable to be much more intense and I believe it would work for darker skin tones as well.

Here is a comparison of Sleek's Pan Tao blush (left) and Tangerine Tint. Tangerine Tint is softer and not nearly as orange. It has a peachier tone to it.

Here I am wearing the blush really softly.

And here I packed the blush on a bit more. I didn't wear it like this, but it was just to show you that it is buildable.

$30 is the highest amount I've paid for a blush, but for me it was worth it. The color was unique enough and flattering enough on my skin that I could justify the price (or at least that's what I tell myself). Over the years I've noticed a definite shift in my spending. I've gone from the "Pokemon" mindset of "I need to have ALL the makeup" to being more selective and really picking things I think I will use and are of good quality. Every now and again I will find myself going back to my old ways and "binging", but not often. "Window shopping" online has really helped curb that. I've put together and abandoned hundreds of carts in the past year. If i find myself going back to the same items over and over I know that it's something I really want. Anyway, I digressed quite a bit.  So what do you think of the blush? What is the most you have spent on a blush? Was it worth it?

Oh, and for your viewing pleasure, my sleepy pug.

Maybelline Limited Edition Blushes in Stage Glow, Pressworthy Pink and Ravishing Rouge Swatches

I'm such a great blogger. *sarcasm* Yeah, I'm really behind in swatching things. I shouldn't be allowed to buy limited edition items as I never post about them while they're still available! But  I have heard about a few people finding these blushes on clearance at Walgreens, so it might be worth checking out there.

From left- Pressworthy Pink, Ravishing Rouge, Stage Glow

The bad thing about these being limited edition is that they're actually pretty nice.  They're basically 2 blushes and a highlighter. The highlighter (Stage Glow) is pretty sheer and sparkly with larger pieces of sparkle throughout. It is a tad TOO sparkly for my tastes, as I prefer a sheen on my cheeks, not straight out shimmer. The pink blush (Pressworthy Pink) is also pretty sparkly, but I can buff the sparkles out enough to where I'm happy with it. The color is bright, happy pink that you can build up to the intensity you desire. The red blush (Ravishing Rouge) is extremely intense. It doesn't have as much sparkle, but the pigmentation is INTENSE. If I wear this one I need to apply it with duo-fiber stippling brush. All of these were silky smooth, and non chalky with great pigmentation. I was really impressed with the quality of these blushes. None of the shade stole my heart, though. I would have liked to see a peachier, or more color blush, too.

From left- Pressworthy Pink, Ravishing Rouge, Stage Glow

From left- Pressworthy Pink, Ravishing Rouge, Stage Glow

Pressworthy Pink

Ravishing Rouge

I found these in a display at my local drugstore awhile ago and don't remember how much they cost because they were on sale for 40% off that week. Haha, I'm just about worthless! I wasn't going to post this as these probably are no longer available and I'm completely unhelpful, but figured it might help someone out there, so I might as well!


Thank you for reading and have great day/night/whatever!

Detrivore Cosmetics' Blushes Swatches and Review

I loooooooove Detrivore (click here and here for previous swatches). Not only is their makeup amazing, but their prices are as well. From time to time they also offer some of the best sales I have seen. I bought these blushes during one of those sales. A new sale starts November 1st. 10 gram jars, including blushes will be 3 for $10 and 5 gram jars, including eyeshadows, will be 10 for $20.

One problem I have with indie blushes is that many of them tend to be too glittery and pigmented. They almost just seem like eyeshadows in a bigger jar. These blushes are perhaps my favorite indie blushes. The finish is matte, but they aren't chalky, and almost have a satin-y look about them. They're build-able, but you can wear them more sheer as well. I love the soft, buttery texture. Despite being a powder, they don't look powdery on my skin at all.My only complaint is that I find the pictures for the blushes on the Detrivore website to be inaccurate. The tone is correct, but they look a lot darker/bolder than they really are.

From left- Poison, Concubine, and Spoiled

Detrivore Blush in Poison

Detrivore Blush in Poison

Detrivore Blush in Concubine

This one looks kind of scary in the swatch, but I really like the way it looks on my cheeks. It's subtle, but pretty.

Detrivore Blush in Concubine

Detrivore Blush in Spoiled

Detrivore Blush in Spoiled

So what do you guys think? Even without the 3 for $10 sale, these are still a great deal.

Available:

• Sell for $5 each for a 10 gram jar on Detrivore's website- http://www.detrivorecosmetics.net/

Thank you for reading and have a great day/night/whatever!

Evil Shades Cosmetics Swatches and Review

Well, this isn't much of a review because I absolutely love everything about Evil Shades. The owner, Andrea, is amazing, as is her makeup. I don't know why I waited so long to order from them! And why I've waited so long to post this review. Evil Shades is one of those dream Indie companies- the owner is accessible, listens to feedback, and will go out of her way to make customers happy. If you haven't ordered from Evil Shades, you must! Stick around for proof.

My order came inside this pretty hot pink drawstring bag.

I ordered a Large Gift Set for $23 ($30 value) that includes your choice of 3 eye shadows, 1 Hardcore lips, 1 Deviant lipstick and 1 Blush and a Blogger Review Set ($4, and an additional $4 for shipping, but you must include your blog/youtube channel to order) that included 4 eyeshadow samples, 2 blush samples, and 3 lip product samples.

Evil Shades Eyeshadows from left- Bittersweet Symphony, Heartless Queen, Nightshade, Phyrra's Fantasy, Reondite, Victorian Night, and Zombie

The eyeshadows are all very lovely and much more nuanced than you see in my pictures. They swatch well and wear well. I find the colors are pretty unique, or have an unexpected touch that makes them unique. You would think Phyrra's Fantasy is just your standard pink, but it has really pretty aqua shimmer.

The shadows are priced well at $1.25 for a 1 gram sample in a clam shell, $5 for a 5 gram jar with no sifter, and a pro size that is $9 for a 10 gram jar with a sifter. The only thing I wish is that there were swatches of each color on skin so I could get a better idea of what the color looks like!

Evil Shades Eyeshadows from left- Bittersweet Symphony, Heartless Queen, Nightshade, Phyrra's Fantasy, Reondite, Victorian Night, and Zombie

Evil Shades Blushes in Atomic, Day Dream, and Skön

I really love Evil Shades blushes. A lot of the times I find that indie blushes can be too sparkle for me and give me disco ball cheeks, but I didn't find that the case here. Even Atomic, which looks scary bright on my skin works for me. The only one that doesn't is Skön, which is sadly too dark for me, no matter how lightly I apply it. It makes for an absolutely gorgeous eyeshadow, though.

The blend well, aren't cakey or powdery, and last forever on my skin. Samples are $1.50 in a clamshell container, regular sizes are $6.50 in a 10 gram jar with sifter, and pro sizes are $12.50 for a 20 gram jar with sifter.

Evil Shades Deviant Lipstick in Devilista, Fearless, and Primrose Path; Evil Shades Harcore Lips in Féline's Kyss and Not Your Barbie

The lipstick formula is great. It's opaque, smooth, and creamy. While they don't feeling drying on my lips, I just had the teensiest issue with Primrose Path feeling a tad bit dry. I never mentioned it because it wasn't a huge deal, and I usually wear a lip gloss over it anyway. Samples are $1.25 for a clamshell container, while a full size in a .07 tube is $4.75.

The lipglosses are lovely as well. Féline's Kyss is the perfect gloss that will pair will any lipstick or goes with any makeup look, while Not Your Barbie is the most gorgeous bold, hot pink gloss ever. It's like the Fearless lipstick in a gloss form. I haven't tried it yet, but I bet they would look fabulous together. Samples are $1.50 in a snap tube that holds 1.5ML and full sizes are $5.75  for .20 fl oz in a tube with a doe-foot applicator.

Evil Shades Deviant Lipstick in Devilista

Evil Shades Deviant Lipstick in Fearless

Evil Shades Deviant Lipstick in Primrose Path

Evil Shades Hardcore Lips in Féline's Kyss

Evil Shades Hardcore Lips in Not Your Barbie

And a bonus-

Féline's Kyss over Primrose Path

I love, love, love Evil Shades. Head on over to their website and check them out!


Thank you for reading and have a great day/night/whatever!

Quick Review: elf Studio Blush in Pink Passion

Well, I'm pooped. The nice thing is that I get to sleep in tomorrow. No school, yay! The bad thing is that I have 3 more tests coming with two on Friday. It's probably not true, but I feel woefully unprepared. Then again, the first tests of the semester always make me feel that way.

My lack of time prompted these quick swatch/review posts that I'll be doing occasionally. I'll do this for products I feel don't need an in-depth review and I can just give a few quick thoughts on.

elf Studio Blush in Pink Passion

elf Studio Blush in Pink Passion

elf Studio Blush in Pink Passion

elf Studio Blush in Pink Passion

I wanted to love this blush because the color looked cool in the pan, but it just didn't work for me.  I am extremely pale so I tend to be pretty washed out looking most of the time, but this blush did nothing for my complexion. The color is like Pepto-Bismol (or Pink Bismuth as I'm too cheap to buy name brands), pastel yet almost neon at the same time.Plus, the texture is powdery and a bit chalky. It didn't want to "stick" to my skin that well and didn't last as long as blushes normally do on me.  I would be willing to try another blush from elf's studio line, but this one just didn't do it for me.

I tried it twice and hated it equally both times.

Thank you for reading and have a great day/night/whatever!