Givenchy - Iconic Stud palette (QVC exclusive): pics, swatches, review

Hello, Beautiful!

Givenchy created two limited edition palettes for QVC, the Iconic Stud and Leatherette. I decided to get the Iconic Stud because the palette compact itself looked prettier to me and so did the shades inside. This quad is a beauty - from the shades to the feel to the performance, it's a real winner!

Check out all the product info, along with my full review, after the pics!

Givenchy Iconic Stud Palette Info & Review

Cost: $39.00
Availability: Available on the QVC website.

My Rating: 5 out of 5 Kisses!

PRODUCT DETAILS & CLAIMS...

Couture coordination. Elegant and luxurious, this eye shadow palette from Givenchy includes four specially selected shades to give you plenty of styling options. The couture-inspired case infuses a bit of luxury into your everyday.

Givenchy Iconic Stud Palette

The actual compact this quad comes in is very weighty and well made. It's a little piece of art, if you ask me. I chose the Iconic Stud palette for how it looked. The Leatherette looks pretty too, but this one called my name.

Inside are four gorgeous, wearable shades. You get a blue based gray matte, a deeper brown matte, a tan matte, and a rose sparkle shade.

They also include a mini duo-ended shadow brush, which I honestly never used and already lost.

The shades are really pretty, but look different than what QVC shows on their website.

Here is what my palette looks like (left) compared to what the QVC palette looks like (right):

 

As you can see, there is a difference, but it's still gorgeous and I love the shades.

Here are swatches....

Top left shade:

Top right shade:

Bottom left shade:

Bottom right shade:

FINAL THOUGHTS...

I really like this quad. I think it's a great everyday sort of quad to play with. If you really love simple, neutral eye looks, this will get the job done. you can wear the bottom left shade all over the lid, the top right shade in the crease and/or outer corner. Then use the top left shade as a smokey liner. If you want some sparkle, tap on the bottom right shade and you're good to go!

I've been using the two browns as crease/transitions shades, and using the sparkle shade a lot. I pair this palette with other shadows/palettes I have, but I have worn it completely on its own.

The texture of these shadows is really superb. The mattes have a velvety, creamy smooth texture. The sparkle shade has that packed sparkle pigment-like texture that is similar to the ones offered by Tom Ford and Charlotte Tilbury.

They blend like a dream! They were so easy to work with and effortless to apply. They're also really nicely pigmented, with the exception of the sparkle shade which is meant to be more of a topper shade and not fully opaque.

Overall, I find this to be a really luxurious little palette that I'd recommend as a great gift to give (in fact, I gifted my boss this as part of her Christmas present). They are limited edition, and only found at QVC, so get online and get yours before they're gone!

Now let me know what you think...

What do you think of this palette? Have you tried this, or would you consider adding this to your beauty wish list? Discuss in the comments below!

xoxo with love & beauty,
Crystal Valentine

Catrice Liquid Metal Eyeshadow - 4 shades - swatches, pics, review

Hello, Beautiful!

I was really excited to try some Catrice products once Ulta started carrying them. I picked up a few things, and the Liquid Metal Eyeshadows were on the top of my list. I picked up four shades (they were buy one get one 50% off).

Catrice Liquid Metal Eyeshadow Info & Review

Cost: $4.99 (0.11 oz full size)
Availability: Available at Ulta.

My Rating:  3.5 out of 5 Kisses

INFO & CLAIMS...

Catrice Liquid Metal Eyeshadows have high pigmentation for an extraordinary metal shine. The silky powder with a chrome effect is reminiscent of liquid metal. Its innovative texture with maximum pigmentation and intense color-dispersion is sure to make the eyes shine instantly. The unique 3D embossment turns this eyeshadow into an absolute highlight - for every day, every mood, every style.

Catrice Liquid Metal Eyeshadow
Shades: 090 Nougat It Right, 030 We Are The Champagnes, 040 Under Treasure, 080 Mauves Like Jagger
Continue scrolling down to see more pics of each individual shade.

These look so beautiful in the pan!!

Here are all four shades swatched....
From left to right: 090 Nougat It Right, 030 We Are The Champagnes, 040 Under Treasure, 080 Mauves Like Jagger

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Catrice Liquid Metal Eyeshadow
Shade: 090 Nougat It Right

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Catrice Liquid Metal Eyeshadow
Shade: 030 We Are The Champagnes

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Catrice Liquid Metal Eyeshadow
Shade: 040 Under Treasure

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Catrice Liquid Metal Eyeshadow
Shade: 080 Mauves Like Jagger

FINAL THOUGHTS...

I really love shine on my eyes, whether it be sparkle or metallic, so I was really excited to get these. They look so, so, so pretty in the pans so I had really high hopes for how they would swatch and look on the eyes.

While I do think they have nice pigmentation, a good texture and pretty shades, I have to say that I wasn't impressed with the shine part. The claims of high pigmentation and shine just don't seem like an accurate description.

Don't get me wrong, the pigmentation is good, but it's not insane. And the shine is nothing special or out of this world. There is a metallic feel to these, but you really have to catch the light to get them to shine pretty - otherwise they really aren't very special.

I recently purged a bunch of single shadows because I reach for palettes more, but if it's a special shadow I have no problem with them being sold as singles. These Liquid Metal Shadows just aren't that special to me. I know a lot of people love these, but I was just expecting a lot more shine from them and maybe that's why I feel so disappointed in them.

Don't get me wrong, I still think these are good and I've used them several times, but I don't get excited about them like I thought I would.

Additionally, that shine that is in the pan disappears after you swatch/use it. It is an over spray, but the product underneath is still good... just not as pretty as that first swatch/use will be.

Maybe I just have been spoiled by some other really fantastic shadows and had too high of expectations, because I know these are well loved by many people.

Now let me know what you think...

What do you think of these eyeshadows? Have you tried them, or would you consider adding them to your beauty wish list? Discuss in the comments below!

xoxo with love & beauty,
Crystal Valentine