Mally Eyeshadow Base & Eyeshadow Single in Shimmering Taupe - pics, swatches, review

Hello, Beautiful!

This is one of the few shadows from Mally that I own, but I love the shade. It's one of the few shades I can put on my eyes by itself (with liner and mascara, of course) and feel like my eyes look good to go, without needing anything else.

Check out my pics, swatches, stats, and review...

Mally Eyeshadow Base & Eyeshadow Single in Shimmering Taupe

Shade Description: Base - a light/medium nude cream. Eyeshadow Single: a purple-gray taupe shimmer.



 
 

Basic stats for Mally's Eyeshadow Base & Eyeshadow Single:
Formula: cream base/pressed-powder shadow
Coverage: nicely pigmented
Wear: above average
Shade Range: n/a
Container: a rectangle container that has a magnetic closure; mirror on one side; shadow base on left and shadow on right; non-refillable
Cost: ? I can't find this exact duo anymore
Availability: ?
My Rating: 4 out 5 kisses


Formula:
The shadow base is creamy and smooth, applies easily. The eyeshadow is a pressed-powder eyeshadow, which is silky, smooth and blends easily.

Coverage:
Good pigmentation with this shadow. You can control how soft or intense your look is, especially by using the shadow base underneath (for a bolder color).

Wear:
Without the shadow base this shadow has average wear, which for me will get me through an entire day (usually). With the shadow base it's not going anywhere until you take it off.

Shade Range:
I can't find this duo anymore, with a shadow base and shadow, so I'm not sure if this duo compact is still being made or if you can only get it in a Mally kit.
Container:
A rectangle container that has a magnetic closure. When you open it one side is a mirror and the other side for the product. The shadow base is on left and the eyeshadow is on right. Most of her compacts are refillable but this one is not.

Cost/Availability:
I'm not sure.

Review:
This is a pretty shade, one I consider to be a neutral shade for me. I like that this "taupe" is more purple and gray than it is a taupe. Typically when I think of taupe I think of beiges, browns and tans. This is so far from that.

I have nothing to complain about when it comes to formula. This shadow goes on nicely, blends easily and lasts a long time. The shadow base is nice too; it really helps the shadows grip to the eyelid and look truer in color.

I do recommend this - both the base and the shadow color. You could probably find them both separately.

Now let me know what you think...

Do you own this shadow base & shadow single, or one or the other from Mally? If so, what are your thoughts? If not, is this something you'd want to own?

Mally Evercolor Starlight Waterproof Liner - pics, swatches, review

Hello, Beautiful!

This is another great eyeliner from Mally; maybe not as great as her Evercolor Automatic Waterproof Eyeliners but this is a close second. They're nicely pigmented, glide on like butter and are long lasting.

Check out my pics, swatches, stats, review...

Mally Evercolor Starlight Waterproof Liner

Shade: Midnight

Shade Description: A rich black

Basic stats for Mally's Evercolor Starlight Waterproof Liners:
Formula: a creamy pencil
Coverage: richly pigmented
Wear: long-wearing
Shade Range: available in 19 different shades
Container: a regular eyeliner pencil thickness; needs sharpening 
Cost: $15 for one, or a three-pack for $25
Availability: find on Mally's website and on QVC's website
My Rating: 4 out 5 kisses


Formula:
A creamy pencil that glides on easily.

Coverage:
These liners have really good pigmentation so you won't have to go over the same line again and again; just one swipe and you're good to go.

Wear:
They're long wearing for me, nothing to complain about!

Shade Range:
You can buy a single pencil in 18 different shades on Mally's website or in 19 different shades on QVC's website. You can buy a trio on Mally's website or QVC's website - choosing from three trio combos (Showtime, Glamtime, Primetime).

Container:
A regular sized eyeliner pencil which does need sharpening. A pull-off cap.

Cost/Availability:
$15 for one or $25 for a trio.

Review:
I like these liners a lot, and before I tried her Evercolor Automatic Waterproof Liners I was in love with these.

The formulation is wonderful; nice pigmentation and glides on like butter. You can smudge them out before they set, if you wish. Once they set they're budge proof, or bullet proof (as Mally would say).

These liners are worth checking out for sure. Recommended.

Now let me know what you think...

Do you own this liner? If so, what are your thoughts? If not, is this something you'd want to own?

Mally Citychick Smokey Eye Kit in Plum Chelsea: swatches & review

Hello, Beautiful!

I've reviewed and swatched this palette in the past, but I wanted to update the photos using my photography lighting.

Mally makes it easy for you to put together colors that look great together with her Citychick eye kits. This is one of her smokey eye kits in the shade Plum Chelsea, which features a shadow base and three beautiful shadows; a neutral and two purple-plum shades.

Check out pics, swatches, stats and my review...

Mally Citychick Smokey Eye Kit

Shade: Plum Chelsea

Shade Description: Base - a creamy shadow primer in a light nude tone. Browlighter - pinky nude champagne shimmer. Lidcolor - violet shimmer with a pink undertone. Crease - eggplant plum shimmer.



Basic stats for Mally's Citychick Smokey Eye Kit in Plum Chelsea:
Formula: one cream shadow base, three pressed powder shadows
Coverage: buildable
Wear: all-day wear when using the shadow base 
Shade Range: available in five separate palettes on QVC's website, or seven separate palettes on Mally's website
Container: a metal container; mirror on one side and shadows/shadow base on the other.
Cost: $39.50 each, which includes an eye liner and pouch, on QVC's website - or $40 each, which also include an eye liner, on Mally's website
Availability: Purchase on Mally's website or QVC's website
My Rating: 4 out of 5 kisses


Formula:
Each palette contains one cream shadow base and three pressed powder shadows. The shadows are good quality and blend easily.

Coverage:
Shown above in the swatch photo is just one pass of color, giving you a nice wash of color. Continue to build the color until you reach your desired intensity. And remember, using her shadow base underneath will make the colors more vivid. Click here to see my old swatches of this palette showing each color at full intensity (without shadow base underneath).

Wear:
These shadows will last all-day when you use her shadow base. Without the shadow base they will wear like normal, good-quality shadows.

Shade Range:
Seven different palettes to choose from on Mally's site. I want SoHo Silver and Skyscraper!

Container:
A metal container with a large mirror on one side and shadows on the other side.

Cost/Availability:
$40 each on Mally's website. You can often find these palettes in some of her kits, which will save you money. Just search for them on QVC.

My Review:
This is a really nice palette, and I like to wear purples so I was happy to find this one in a kit awhile back. The shadow base is nice and does its job of holding shadows on and making the colors bolder. Although this is a nice palette I just haven't used it all that much. I really should because the colors are pretty, but for some reason I always forget I have it.

These palettes are great for people who aren't sure what colors go together and where to put them. Mally makes it easy.

Now let me know what you think...

Do you own this palette? If so, what are your thoughts? If not, is this something you'd want to own?

Battle of the Multi-Colored Glitters 2.0 - a detailed comparison of seven brands

Hello, Beautiful!

A few months ago I compared four multi-colored glitters, which included Deborah Lippmann, Ulta, Milani and Wet n Wild. Since that time I've acquired three more multi-colored glitters that I wanted to also compare for everyone. I've gone into a little more detail with this compare post, so I really hope it helps!!

Remember: Click on the photos to view them larger!!!!

Battle Of The Multi-Colored Glitters!

The Line-Up:

[Shown below from left to right: Deborah Lippmann - Happy Birthday, Sephora by OPI - Spark-tacular! Top Coat, Ulta - Pinata-Yada-Yada, Milani - Gems, Wet n Wild - Party Of Five Glitters, Claire's - Bedazzled, Kleancolor - Afternoon Picnic]

All shades of multi-colored glitters on a nail wheel:

1. Deborah Lippmann --- Happy Birthday
2. Sephora by OPI --- Spark-tacular! Top Coat
3. Ulta --- Pinata-Yada-Yada
4. Milani Jewel FX --- Gems
5. Wet n Wild Fastdry --- Party Of Five Glitters
6. Claire's --- Bedazzled
7. Kleancolor --- Afternoon Picnic

All shades of multi-colored glitters next to each other:


Only with one coat:


Now with two coats:




Now I'll go into detailed pics and swatches of each shade individually...

Deborah Lippmann --- Happy Birthday

Shade Description: A clear (although every so slightly yellow tinted) base with small hex glitter in green, orange, silver, gold, light blue, and fuchsia -- and micro square glitter in royal blue, reddish-orange, silver, gold, and green.

Sephora by OPI --- Spark-tacular! Top Coat

Shade Description: A clear base with small hex glitter in fuchsia, green, orange, silver, light blue, and gold -  as well as micro and super micro hex glitter in the same colors. Every now and again there will be these weird yellow blotches, which aren't glitter. You can see some in the photos below.

Ulta --- Pinata-Yada-Yada

Shade Description: A clear base with small hex glitter in orange, silver, gold, and fuchsia - and micro hex glitter in light blue, green, silver, gold, and orange.

Milani Jewel FX --- Gems

Shade Description: A clear base with small hex glitter in green, orange, gold, silver, fuchsia, and light blue -- and micro hex glitter in red, green, blue, gold, and silver.

Wet n Wild Fastdry --- Party Of Five Glitters

Shade Description: A clear base with small hex glitter in silver, fuchsia, green, and light blue (the silver is just a little bigger than the other shades) -- and micro hex glitter in red and green.

Claire's --- Bedazzled

Shade Description: A clear base with small hex glitter in gold, blue, orange, red, silver, fuchsia, green -- and micro hex glitter in silver, orange, gold and fuchsia -- and super micro hex glitter in blue and green.

Kleancolor --- Afternoon Picnic

Shade Description: A clear, a very slightly tinted (a pinkish-beige shade) base with large hex glitter in silver -- medium hex glitter in fuchsia, green, orange, gold, -- and small hex glitter in green, royal blue, orange, silver, fuchsia, and gold.



Price Compare:

[In order from most expensive to least expensive.]

• Deborah Lippmann - Happy Birthday: $18
• Sephora by OPI - Spark-tacular! Top Coat: $9.50
• Ulta - Pinata-Yada-Yada: $5
• Milani - Gems: $4.99
• Claire's - Bedazzled: $4.50
• Kleancolor - Afternoon Picnic: $3.49
• Wet n Wild - Party Of Five Glitters: $1.99

My final thoughts:

A lot of companies caught trend to the popularity of Deborah Lippmann's Happy Birthday glitter and developed their own. Of course there are many other multi-colored glitters out there, but I simply don't own them all and I can only talk about the polishes I own.

So far, nobody has made an exact dupe for Deborah Lippmann's Happy Birthday. Some may look the same to the untrained eye, but if you ever look at the glitters up close (like on this blog in the swatch photos) you'll know Deborah Lippmann has micro square glitter - something I haven't seen anyone else do just yet (at least not in the polishes I own). I'm sure someone will come out with one eventually, and there may already be one out there, but for now Deborah Lippmann's Happy Birthday remains unique.

If you can't bare to spend $18 on a single polish, even one as awesome and iconic as Happy Birthday, then I think you may be just as satisfied with Claire's Bedazzled - which is a fraction of the price. Milani Gems is another good option.

If you're looking for larger multi-colored glitter than you'll be very happy with Kleancolor's Afternoon Picnic. For a more speckled look go for Sephora by OPI's Spark-tacular! Top Coat or Claire's Bedazzled. For less dense glitter go for Ulta's Pinata-Yada-Yada or Wet n Wild's Party Of Five Glitters.