Best of Beauty 2017: Makeup Favourites Part I

Best of Beauty 2017: Makeup Favourites Part I

TheBalm Cosmetopia Digest   Friday, December 29, 2017

Mum took me shopping for clothes over Boxing Day, and it was an absolute riot, with crowds everywhere. Anyway, we compromised, with me buying mostly navy blue dresses, and a couple of greys, browns, greens, and maroons thrown in for good measure. I have no idea why I prefer sombre colours so much - it just won't go away.
I also managed to get my paws on the Beautylish Lucky Bag for 2018 - can't wait for it to arrive; stay tuned for my unboxing.
Before it arrives (it only ships out by Jan 12), let's take a quick gander at 2017's best makeup products. There are too many to go, so I've split it up into two posts. Stay tuned for part deux shortly.

Scroll down for my favourite makeup products of 2017 - these are foundations and eyeshadows.

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Best Eyeshadow Palettes for Fall 2017

Best Eyeshadow Palettes for Fall 2017

Wycon Cosmetopia Digest   Tuesday, October 17, 2017

My favourite eye makeup for this time of the year involves orange, and ruddy hues. And, we've seen a plethora of palettes with those shades recently. To the extent where you might as well label burnt orange the eyeshadow colour of the year.
I've picked my favourite cruelty-free eyeshadow palettes in terms of pigmentation, performance, and shade choices, and have swatches and eye makeup looks for each palette - do watch this video, give me a thumbs-up, and subscribe to my channel. 


There are older releases in here, such as Anastasia Beverly Hills Modern Renaissance, and newer launches such as TheBalm's Nude Beach, reviewed here. All palettes mentioned in this video are cruelty-free.

I prefer the burnt-orange/ruddy palette to the beige and brown based neutrals that were in vogue not so long ago. The former adds a bit of interest to my skintone, while remaining subtle enough for day-wear.

Which is your favourite palette for Fall 2017? Tell me in the comment box below.

SHOP THE BEST FALL 2017 EYESHADOW PALETTES:

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TheBalm Nude Beach Eyeshadow Palette Review, Swatches, FOTD

TheBalm Nude Beach Eyeshadow Palette Review, Swatches, FOTD

TheBalm Cosmetopia Digest   Tuesday, October 10, 2017

Every time TheBalm releases an eyeshadow palette, my heart beats faster. I love their palettes so much, not only for the packaging, but also for the quality. That said, I was a bit meh after all the endless Balm Voyage and the Meet Matt(e) launches.
This time, TheBalm has launched the third installment of their famous neutral palette series - meet the Nude Beach Eyeshadow Palette. It follows the Nude'Tude and the Nude'Dude eye palettes, both of which are much-loved in my routine.
Yes, all three are sufficiently different from each other, as well as from other brands' neutral palettes. More details, including packaging, pigmentation, and performance, below.

Scroll down for the review, swatches, and demo of TheBalm Nude Beach Eyeshadow Palette.

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TheBalm Appetit Eyeshadow Palette Review, Swatches, EOTDs

TheBalm Appetit Eyeshadow Palette Review, Swatches, EOTDs

TheBalm Cosmetopia Digest   Thursday, March 30, 2017

If you have been visiting this blog for a while, you know I'm infatuated by theBalm's eyeshadow palettes. I have pretty much every palette they've released, from theBalm and the Beautiful onwards.
TheBalm Appetit is the latest offering from theBalm. It is as cute as previous palettes. Thankfully, they have moved on from travel and hunky-dude themes; this one is about food. TheBalm's early themes included television, the Muppets, and rock music, so I was disappointed when a few consecutive palettes were themed on either travel or blokes.

Scroll down for the review and swatches of TheBalm Appetit Eyeshadow Palette, and for EOTDs.

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Makeup Video With HQHair Lust List

Makeup Video With HQHair Lust List

Videos Cosmetopia Digest   Wednesday, March 01, 2017

I did a dusky-neutral eye makeup look with a mauvey-pink lip, using the products on my HQHair Lust List, which I showed you yesterday here. This time, I have actually shared the step-by-step look on video as well.

Scroll down for a full-face makeup look featuring theBalm Appetit Eyeshadow Palette and Laura Geller Spackle Primer.

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My HQHair Lust List and February 2017 Favourites

My HQHair Lust List and February 2017 Favourites

TheBalm Cosmetopia Digest   Sunday, February 26, 2017

Two products have featured in my lust-list through 2017, and I finally managed to get my hands on both, from HQHair. They have promptly set themselves up as my February 2017 beauty favourites.
One is an eyeshadow palette - you can never have too many - from an old friend; a favourite, collectible brand. Incidentally, I have not missed even one of their eye palettes.
The second is a dual-purpose product I have been eyeing for a while - it certainly makes life much easier in the mornings. I wish more brands would come up with effective products that make things simpler, instead of a bazillion highlighters and colour correctors.
Did you guess either product without looking at the photographs? Stay tuned for a makeup look with these.

Scroll down for my February 2017 Beauty Favourites, and why you need them.

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16 Cute Makeup Buys From Feelunique's Birthday Sale

16 Cute Makeup Buys From Feelunique's Birthday Sale

Zoella Cosmetopia Digest   Friday, October 14, 2016

International beauty retail giant Feelunique - one of those rare sellers who ship everywhere - is celebrating their birthday this week with a series of offers, including 30% off on Bourjois. .
From today until Saturday - 15 October - you get £10 off a purchase of £60, which includes free worldwide shipping, using code BLUE. On Sunday, 16 October, you get 15% off everything, using code RAINBOW. Codes are not valid on already discounted products.

Here is a list of the cutest beauty buys to take advantage of the Feelunique Birthday Sale.

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Ipsy April 2015 Glam Bag review

Ipsy April 2015 Glam Bag review

Unboxing Cosmetopia Digest   Thursday, April 23, 2015

Three makeup products, of which one is....   

Spoiler: I GOT A TOO FACED MELTED LIPSTICK IN MY APRIL 2015 IPSY BAG!
Stuff like this never happens to me, never. I usually end up with some random foil sachets and infernal black pencil liners while other subscribers get GHD straighteners in their beauty boxes. Not exaggerating here; that actually happened with LookFantastic.
Now to bring back a semblance of normalcy to this post.
The April 2015 Ipsy bag is themed Best Beauty Bag Ever Beautifully Bohemian. The jute bag's pattern certainly fits the theme.

Check out the contents of my April 2015 Ipsy Glam Bag. Featuring a Too Faced Melted lipstick!

theBalm Balm Voyage Vol. 2 face palette review, swatches

theBalm Balm Voyage Vol. 2 face palette review, swatches

TheBalm Cosmetopia Digest   Tuesday, April 21, 2015

With eyeshadows, face powders and lip colours.

Any new release from theBalm Cosmetics excites me. They have the cutest packaging and good quality makeup. I liked theBalm's Balm Voyage 1, reviewed and swatched here. This "sequel" palette, the Balm Voyage Vol. 2 Travel palette, doesn't really feel like a sequel, but more like a standalone travel palette. Apart from the packaging, there are few similarities between the two - there are fewer eyeshadows; the pans are smaller, and there are more face products. Balm Voyage 2 is marketed as a travel-friendly palette - there are blushes, lipsticks, a bronzer and a highlighter all within a sturdy case. Two-thirds of the eyeshadow shades chosen are neutral.

Scroll down for the review and swatches of theBalm Voyage Vol. 2 Face Palette

theBalm Balmsai Eyeshadow and Brow Palette review, swatches

theBalm Balmsai Eyeshadow and Brow Palette review, swatches

TheBalm Cosmetopia Digest   Tuesday, November 25, 2014

I can never resist palettes from theBalm Cosmetics, and have most of their palettes so far, except for Muppets Show or Balm and the Beautiful, both of which were sold out before I got into makeup, two of the Shady Lady volumes, the small Autobalms and N*ude'Dude, which is on my Christmas wishlist. I love the fun packaging and the quality of their makeup.
Their Fall 2014 release, the Balmsai Eyeshadow and Brow Palette, comes with 18 mostly neutral and muted eyeshadows, some of which double as eyebrow powder and even as eyeliner, and a pair of shaping stencils to give you the perfect eyebrows, cat eyeliner and smoky eye. Some of the shades did not appear very unique to me, given the number of palettes in my stash, and I am not a cat-eye person, but there was no way I was going to miss out on something new from theBalm. 

Read on for my review and swatches of theBalm's Balmsai Eyeshadow and Brow Palette.

My Fall 2014 Beauty Wishlist

My Fall 2014 Beauty Wishlist

Wishlist Cosmetopia Digest   Thursday, September 25, 2014

I have had to amend my mid-year makeup wishlist, seen here. There have been just too many new launches which I absolutely need. We have all been there. Besides, I did manage to get a few of the things from my mid-year list, namely, Benefit Big Easy, Lorac Pro 2, Ciate Flower Manicure Kit, YSL Rouge Volupte Shine lipstick and IT Cosmetics Celebration foundation. I also gave up on Benefit Agent Zero Shine and the Rimmel Stay Matte Mousse foundation from the list, because neither worked for me upon swatching. Not all of the products on this wishlist are Fall releases - some have been around for a while. And, mind you, this wishlist has been edited, culled and minimised to an extent I once thought impossible.

Just when you think you have all the palettes you need, they go out and release THE mother of all palettes - it happens to me every time. This Fall, I have three palettes on my must-have list. Not to mention a bunch of other goodies, some of which you have already seen on my mid-year wishlist.

A quick look at the beauty products I want to buy this Fall.

Almost black smoky eyes with theBalm N*de'Tude

Almost black smoky eyes with theBalm N*de'Tude

TheBalm Cosmetopia Digest   Friday, June 13, 2014

Really dark, almost black smoky eye makeup is something I doubt I can pull off, given that my eye colour is almost black. But I am perfectly willing to try new things, just as I tried yellow eyeshadow. So I decided to go in for a light-handed dark look with a blackish-brown eyeshadow.
I also realised that none of my eye looks so far was from theBalm's N*de'Tude eyeshadow palette, which is my favourite neutral palette ever. Perhaps the size of the eyeshadow pans is responsible for this - I do not want to ever hit pan on these pretties! Not to mention the gorgeous packaging. Incidentally, it also contains the most versatile neutrals, with which you can do soft as well as dramatic smoky eye looks.
As usual, I accentuated just the one eyeshadow for this look, although I lightened it out with a couple of paler shades on the inner lid.

Here is a light-handed, almost black smoky eye makeup look with theBalm's N*de'Tude eyeshadow palette.

Matte plummy-taupe EOTD with theBalm

Matte plummy-taupe EOTD with theBalm

TheBalm Cosmetopia Digest   Thursday, May 22, 2014

All four of my wisdom teeth turned/are turning up well and truly impacted, perpendicular to the other teeth, growing straight into my cheeks. Two were removed, and my dentist gave me a schedule for other two, but one is now giving me grief as it tries to make its way into the world sooner than expected that I just might need to pre-pone extraction.
Moving to the makeup on the upper half of my face, I must say I love theBalm's eyeshadows. They are soft, buttery and pigmented and stay nicely on my oily lids. For today's look, I picked eyeshadows from two different palettes from theBalm.

Here is my matte eye makeup look using theBalm eyeshadows.

TheBalm For Keeps Watercolor Lip Stains swatches: From my stash

TheBalm For Keeps Watercolor Lip Stains swatches: From my stash

TheBalm Cosmetopia Digest   Saturday, March 29, 2014

Every couple of weeks, I like shopping my stash and giving it some love to an older product.
Around the time Prince George was born, LookFantastic had an offer - you could get the Real Techniques Core Collection free if you bought for £60 (or £50, can't remember). I added as many things to my cart as I could and then saw theBalm's For Keeps Watercolor Lip Stains. Now I must tell you that theBalm is not selling this on their website anymore, but it is still being sold on Feelunique, Bath and Unwind and LookFantastic - all of whom are official retailers of theBalm, according to the brand. It will continue to be sold by official retailers until all the stocks are gone. The palette cost £28, but I had a 15% off code, to celebrate the Royal birth. 
TheBalm For Keeps Watercolor Lip Stain palette is a little box with two lip colours, looking just like the watercolour cakes you had in school. And, just like them, you take a brush (lip, not watercolour brush, in this case), add water, swirl the brush and apply the colour. Neat! Swatches below.

TheBalm Balm Voyage makeup palette review, swatches, photos

TheBalm Balm Voyage makeup palette review, swatches, photos

TheBalm Cosmetopia Digest   Monday, February 03, 2014

The moment I saw photos of theBalm's new palette, Balm Voyage, on Temptalia, I knew I was going to buy it. Thankfully theBalm had one of their 40%-off sales in December. How do the people at theBalm Cosmetics come up with such cute packaging every time?

Here are the swatches and review of the Balm Voyage makeup palette.

EOTD: Radiant orchid smoky eye makeup look with theBalm

EOTD: Radiant orchid smoky eye makeup look with theBalm

TheBalm Cosmetopia Digest   Friday, January 31, 2014

I am so glad they picked radiant orchid as the Pantone Colour Of The Year 2014 over, say, yellow, which always makes me look ill. It is also easier to wear on the nails - even lips, as I realise now - and eyes and goes well with all skin tones. Violets and purples, along with blues, are my favourite shades. This is a purple smoky eye makeup look that I've done with just the three eyeshadows - A2 from theBalm's Balm Voyage palette and purples from the Accessorize Lovely Day palette. Read on to find out more.

Makeup haul from theBalm, Kat von D, Burt's Bees, Sephora and samples

Makeup haul from theBalm, Kat von D, Burt's Bees, Sephora and samples

TheBalm Cosmetopia Digest   Thursday, January 16, 2014

In December, I had placed one final order with my friend Shivani, who used to run a venture called Order Makeup UK (where she got any product from any brand from any where delivered to your doorstep, postage, customs et al notwithstanding) before she shut it down :( My order arrived yesterday and, as usual, she had enclosed a tonne of lovely samples. I wish she hadn't shut down her venture. Anyway, here are the items I ordered:

TheBalm Powder To The People eye brushes review, photos: Best eye makeup brushes!

TheBalm Powder To The People eye brushes review, photos: Best eye makeup brushes!

TheBalm Cosmetopia Digest   Monday, October 14, 2013

If you think Real Techniques and MAC 217 are the be-all and end-all of eye makeup brushes, I can tell you I've dumped both in favour of these marvels, which were released late last year. Like their eyeshadow palettes and other makeup, theBalm's brushes combine stellar performance with cute packaging and looks. And I'm not exaggerating.
TheBalm's brush collection is named Powder To The People. The collection includes three eye brushes, all of them dual-ended and cruelty-free. They are:

Meet the rockstar of makeup: Review of theBalm's Balm Jovi, my favourite palette

Meet the rockstar of makeup: Review of theBalm's Balm Jovi, my favourite palette

TheBalm Cosmetopia Digest   Saturday, September 07, 2013

After 160-odd posts, I realise I haven't talked about my favourite palette of all time.
I adore Bon Jovi; they're one of my top two rock bands ever. Keep reading till the end of the post to identify the other one. Having rock-fan parents, I grew up on Keep The Faith, You Give Love A Bad Name and Wanted Dead Or Alive. The moment I heard theBalm had a palette called "Balm Jovi" I knew it would rock. In fact, it's a palette even my Dad took a look at.

Look. At. That. Packaging. And the tagline is "Living On A Stare." Whoever names these things must have been a copy-writer or a sub somewhere. And, did you read the "review" by the Rolling Tone Magazine? I share those sentiments.
For those who don't give a toss for the packaging, theBalm's Balm Jovi palette offers a lovely set of 12 super-pigmented eyeshadows, a highlighter, a blush and two lip colours.

EOTD: Matte eyes with Meet Matt(e)

EOTD: Matte eyes with Meet Matt(e)

TheBalm Cosmetopia Digest   Sunday, July 21, 2013

Of late, I've been obsessed with matte eyeshadows, and Meet Matt(e) palette from TheBalm gets a lot of love. The shadows are very pigmented for matte shades, and a lighter hand gives soft results.

For this look, I used Matt McDonald in the crease and Matt Horowitz on the lid and Matt Ramirez as eyeliner (wet). The mascara used was No 7 Extreme Length mascara.