Kat Von D Mi Vida Loca Remix Eyeshadow Palette (Holiday 2015) - swatches, pics, review (plus a few dupes)

Hello, Beautiful!

In today's post I'm reviewing the Kat Von D Mi Vida Loca Remix Eyeshadow Palette, which is her Holiday 2015 palette. This palette is so, so, so pretty to look at. Every inch of it; from the artwork, to the shades, to the layout... it's just so beautiful and perfect!

You can go crazy or stay subtle, all within the same palette. Not many palettes offer that kind of versatility, but that center circle of neutrals really make this palette special. I've been doing a lot of eye looks with this palette on my Instagram. Check them out @ValentineKissesBeauty

And if you're wondering just how much that center circle of neutrals resembles the shades from the Kat Von D Shade & Light Eye Contour Palette... well, some of them really do. Dupe/comparison pics in this post for those that are curious.

Kat Von D Mi Vida Loca Remix Eyeshadow Palette Info & Review

Cost: $59.00
Availability: Available at Sephora

My Rating: 5 out of 5 Kisses!

PRODUCT DETAILS & CLAIMS...

An eye shadow palette with 24 highly-bold shades, remixed from Kat Von D's fan favorite Mi Vida Loca palette.

Go crazy for color with 24 new high-pigment eye shadows in a palette inspired by vintage vinyls. With a striking combination of technicolor brights and everyday neutrals, this palette proves that there's no shade too bold or combination too daring. It features an inner wheel of seven nudes and neutrals surrounded by an outer wheel of 17 vivid brights. Discover how to rock three stand-out and insanely vibrant looks on the illustrated insert. Each is named for one of Kat's cult favorite Studded Kiss Lipstick shades.

Each shadow pan is 0.04 oz

Kat Von D Mi Vida Loca Remix
Eyeshadow Palette - Holiday 2015

Here is what the front of the palette looks like....

And the back of the palette....

The actual eyeshadows slide out, just like a record.

You will need to slide them back into the box or they won't have anything to protect them from dust or other makeup getting on them.

This palette includes a look sheet, with three different looks.....

Now onto up close shadow pics and swatches....

 Vox is described as a chocolate brown.

 Strutter is described as a taupe.

 Lyric is described as a white pearl.

 Black Metal is described as a matte black.

**** I am missing the close up pic of the shade Skulls. I will try to recover the image or rephotograph and update this post at a later date. *****
Skulls is described as a iridescent pearl.

 Noble is described as a nude.

 Moulder is described as a butter yellow.

 Anthem is described as a purple.

 Muse is described as a lilac purple.

 Echo is described as a purple glitter.

 Dark Wave is described as a deep navy.

 Synth is described as an electric blue.

 Hyperballad is described as a sea blue.

 Lemmy is described as a grass green.

 Misfit is described as a kelly green.

 Vinyl is described as a neon green.

  Legend is described as a golden yellow.

 Fran is described as a deep mustard yellow.

 Analogue is described as a burnt orange.

 Harpsichord is described as a metallic bronze.

  Rewind is described as an aubergine.

 Destroyer is described as a bright strawberry.

 Swoon is described as a fuchsia.

 Love is described as a shimmery rose.

FINAL THOUGHTS...

I had my eye on the Kat Von D Mi Vida Loca Remix Eyeshadow palette since I first saw that it was coming for the Holiday 2015 season. When it first launched, I couldn't buy it and had to wait till pay day. Once pay day rolled around the palette was out of stock. I signed up to be notified by email when it came back in stock. I received a "back in stock" alert email, but by the time I opened the email (less than 3 hours later), the palette was sold out again! I kind of stalked the Sephora website by that point, refreshing and just hoping I could catch it. I finally did (and then made an Instagram post to alert everyone else who may have been waiting for it to come back in stock).

After all that build up, did this palette live up to my expectations? Yes!!!

Some of the shades could benefit from an eyeshadow primer and may need a bit more work to get just right, but the overall texture is just what you've come to expect and love from Kat Von D.

I don't wear bright neon shadows on the regular, but I like to have some to play with. I recently did a huge makeup purge and got rid of a lot of neon and bright shades, especially those in loose shadow form. I think this palette is a good replacement for those, as the quality is better than many I had.

As a whole palette, this really does give you a little of everything... you have your neutrals, your more "normal" pops of color, and then some really bold neon shades. You can go crazy or stay subtle, all within the same palette.

This palette has really helped me step out of my eyeshadow comfort zone. I've been having so much fun coming up with looks - from wearable to a bit more out there - this palette is so much fun!

I know this palette isn't for everyone; especially when you only focus on the very bright and vivid shades if you're so used to just neutral looks. If you are the kind of person who enjoys playing with color, or maybe you want to start adding more color to your eye looks, then this is the palette for you. If you only stick to neutrals, I don't think you'll enjoy this palette very much and likely won't get that much use from it, aside from the center circle of neutrals. BUT, you may be surprised with how many wearable looks you can do using this palette. Check out my eye looks on Instagram!


Now, let's shift this blog post slightly in another direction...

Let's continue talking about that center circle of neutrals.... do they look familiar? If you own the Kat Von D Shade & Light Eye Contour Palette (which, I do), then you'll look at the center circle of neutrals and immediately think of the Shade & Light Eye Contour palette. They look very similar.

I decided to see just how many dupes there really were. There are a few, but surprisingly there are still several neutrals that aren't the same. But for the ones that really duped nearly identical, here they are....

I also compared the very bright (most recent) Wet n Wild 8-pan palettes to this Kat Von D palette. I was sure there would be dupes and there wasn't. While you could get similar looks, I wouldn't call them dupes. Many were just too light/too dark or weren't the right finish. To me, a dupe needs to be very spot on. But if you want a cheaper alternative to color, then go for the Wet n Wild 8-pan palettes that recently came out (if you can find them).

Still, I did find a few dupes in my collection that are pretty spot on. I am sure I could find more but I didn't want to completely destroy this palette swatching it to death. Here are a few I found....

Destroyer VS. Wet n Wild 8-Pan Palette in Poster Child. These are pretty much spot on when swatched. Both in pigmentation, finish and look on the eye. Out of all the red shades in my collection (including the reds from the newer 8-pan bright shadows from Wet n Wild), this one from Poster Child was the closest match to Destroyer. 

Synth VS. Black Radiance 8-Pan Palette in Island Blues. These aren't a 100% exact dupe, but the Black Radiance Blue will give you a very similar look on the eye and can be built up. Over a white base, it looks even more spot on.

Dark Wave VS. Black Radiance 8-Pan Palette in Island Blues. This blue was actually pretty hard to get spot on, and this was the closest in my collection that I could come up with. Many other blues were too dark, leaned too purple, were too light, etc.. This one is pretty spot on, especially on the eye.

Vinyl VS. Wet n Wild Trio in I Dream of Greenie. The Wet n Wild shadow is the closest to Vinyl I could get from my collection. It's pretty close, although it leans a bit more yellow than green.. 

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

Kat Von D Mi Vida Loca Remix Studded Kiss Lip Set (holiday 2015): swatches, pics, review

Hello, Beautiful!

Out of all the holiday palettes and sets, I knew I wanted both the Kat Von D Mi Vida Loca Remix Eyeshadow Palette (review coming up this week), and the Kat Von D Mi Vida Loca Remix Studded Kiss Lip Set. In this post I'll show you the Studded Kiss Lipstick set, which I'm actually going to return. I'll explain more in the post....

Kat Von D Mi Vida Loca Remix Studded Kiss Lip Set Info & Review

Cost: $42.00
Availability: Available at Sephora

My Rating: 3 out of 5 Kisses

PRODUCT DETAILS & CLAIMS...

This Studded Kiss Lipstick lip set includes one full size lipstick - Gold Blooded - which is a new, exclusive & limited edition shade, in addition to seven mini lipsticks: Noble,  Halo, Bachelorette, Sexer, Wolvesmouth, Coven, NaYeon.

The full size lipstick is 0.10 oz, and each mini size lipstick is 0.04 oz

The Studded Kiss Lipstick is formulated with Color Cushion Technology, which combines long wear, bold color payoff, and ultrasoft comfort for audacious, feminine lip looks. Each lipstick is infused with a creme brulee scent for a subtle sweet experience.

100% Vegan, not tested on animals, and is formulated withOUT parabens, sulfates or phthalates.

Kat Von D Mi Vida Loca Remix
Studded Kiss Lip Set - Holiday 2015
Shades: Gold Blooded, Noble, Halo, Bachelorette, Sexer, Wolvesmouth, Coven, NaYeon.
Continue scrolling down to see more pics of each individual shade.



Here is what the box looks like...

 

When you pull out the plastic tray, this is how the lipsticks are nestled in.

You receive 7 mini's, with the traditional black packaging, and one limited edition exclusive shade in white packaging.

The KVD logo is on the top of each studded lipstick tube.

I really wanted this lipstick set, along with the eyeshadow palette, because I mean just look at all the pretty colors.....

Here are the swatches of all 8 shades next to each other.

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Now let's talk about each individual shade, because my opinion on them really varies shade to shade.

GOLD BLOODED
Let's start with the one full sized lipstick, Gold Blooded.


This lipstick comes in white packaging instead of the standard black.








The shade is described as a remixed red with subtle gold shimmer.







Gold Blooded went on pretty nice, especially considering it has shimmer in it. There is a slight grit feel if you're really trying to find it. The color itself isn't my favorite; it pulls very warm/orange on me and is very vibrant in real life. Seeing as how this is the only full sized lipstick, I was hoping to love it more.

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NOBLE

Noble is described as a matte petal pink nude, and is a cult favorite.

Before receiving this lip set in the mail, I was sure I would love the shade Noble. However, sadly, I don't. This shade is described as petal pink nude, but on my lips the pink really doesn't come through strong and instead it looks like concealer lips. Just not flattering on me, but I have seen this shade on many people and it looks beautiful. I wish I could pull it off, especially since I was excited to try this shade.

This shade will look horrible on your lips if they are not in perfect condition. My lips are dry year round, and you can see how it clung to every single dry patch it could find on my lips. It also goes on a bit patchy, but does even out easily.

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HALO

Halo is described as a neon clementine.

If you like bright orange shades, Halo will be your jam. It's pretty close in tone to the full size lipstick from this set, but more orange and none of the glitter. It does have a slight metallic finish. I do like orange lipsticks, but don't wear them near often enough to justify getting a full size -- which is why I liked the minis in this set. I just don't even know if I wear bright orange enough to justify a mini size either.

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BACHELORETTE

Bachelorette is described as a matte reddish fuchsia, and is a cult favorite.

I actually really liked this shade! I'm not a red lip wearer, but I will rock a bright pink lip like it's my natural lip color. Bachelorette is the perfect "red lip" for those of us that don't wear red but are full on comfortable in bold pink shades. It's just pink enough, even though it looks way more red in the tube. I liked the formula on this one too; it went on smooth and felt comfortable. It also has a nice finish and wasn't patchy.

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SEXER

Sexer is described as an iridescent fluorescent pink.

I've heard so much about this shade and was excited it was in this lip set. This is definitely a bright pink; not for the faint of heart. In the pics it doesn't show just how neon bright it is... it looks a bit more fuchsia in these pics, but trust me, it's a very neon bright pink.

I really like this shade, but it's not one I would wear on the daily. I can see why people love it though; it definitely has an appeal if you like the bright pink tones. It also went on nicely without being too patchy and feels good on the lips.

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COVEN

Coven is described as a matte lavender.

This is a shade that got crazy attention originally. I do love purple lip colors, and lavender purples can be really pretty on the lips. Coven is a pretty shade, but the formulation on this one just isn't that nice. It's much drier, probably because it is a matte, and it isn't opaque enough to get even coverage. If you rub your lips together you'll get that dreaded line, which you can smooth out with your finger but why should you have to do that?

It goes on patchy and really needs work to look good on the lips. It also likes to find dry patches and make them look even drier. I really was looking forward to this lipstick and sadly it's one I wasn't happy with, both with formula and the way it sat on my lips.

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WOLVESMOUTH

Wolvesmouth is described as a metallic berry.

Wolvesmouth is the one lip shade from this lip set that I knew I would 100% not like, and even after swatching, I was right about not liking it. There isn't anything specifically wrong with the formula; it actually goes on pretty nicely, the shade just isn't my cup of tea.  However, if you like this type of shade then you probably will love the way this looks on the lips.

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NaYeon

NaYeon is described as a pitch black with gunmetal shimmer.

It will leave silver sparkle behind when you try to remove it, or as it wears off. 

NaYeon is one of those shades I was excited to have, but know I won't wear it very often (which is why a mini is perfect). This has a really nice formula, especially for the amount of glitter that's packed into this tube. It's a really great black with silver shimmer. It's so black that it almost leans towards the green side of darkness, but is definitely still a black. If you like to wear black lipstick then you'll absolutely love this shade!

FINAL THOUGHTS...

I was really excited to order this, and did so without much thought. I love Kat Von D makeup and this set is just so beautiful to look at. I think I may have been a little too eager because I'm now having a bit of buyers remorse. I have even debated returning it, because $42 can be used in much better ways (like going towards the $55 I need to buy my holy grail foundation).

I don't wear crazy color lipsticks very often, at least not in everyday real life (like, out of the house to go grocery shopping or to my son's hockey games). When I do wear them, it's often inside my house for fun, for a special event/look, or for some pretty Instagram pics. So I knew going into this purchase that this wouldn't be a set of lip colors I reach for often. But what made me have buyers remorse is the fact that I wasn't blown away by the formula either.

I'm a huge fan of Kat Von D makeup products, but I haven't been the most in love with her lipsticks. I know she went through a reformulation, but I didn't see a huge improvement. While some of the shades in this lip set felt more comfortable on, the overall notes I made was "dry, not very comfortable on the lips". I do have a mini in the shade Love Craft, and I do like that shade but again, the formulation just isn't my favorite. I thought maybe it was just that shade (I have tried two other shades, but they are no longer in my collection), and that this set would make me fall in love with these -- especially because they included some cult favorites.

Out of the 8 shades, I only truly liked two: Bachelorette and Sexer. For the price, $42, I could purchase those two shades in full size and not have all the extra shades I likely won't ever use.

Since I recently did a huge makeup purge, I'm really being way more harsh with my makeup choices than I may have been in the past. And I never returned many products, but with the more expensive items - especially at $42 - I can't just eat the cost and hoard those in my collection, knowing they'll end up in a blog sale for like $2 each, meaning I would lose a lot of money. So instead, yeah, I'll probably return this (if I haven't already by the time this review posts).

I do plan to see if I have any dupes in my makeup collection so if you do like the shades, but don't have the $42 - or if your lips don't get along well with the formula - then you will have alternative lipstick brand options to choose from.

So in conclusion, I think if you are a fan of the Kat Von D Lipsticks then you should absolutely get this lip set.... especially if you have wanted to try some of the most talked about and most popular shades from her line. But if you're like me, and your lips just don't get along well with the Kat Von D formula and you also aren't sure you'll wear these shades often, then this is one of the 2015 Holiday sets you can skip.

Now let me know what you think...

What do you think of this holiday lip set? 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