MARC JACOBS Beauty Style Eye-Con No.3 Plush Shadow in The Mod (112) review + comparison swatches

        I've been anticipating the new MARC JACOBS Beauty collection at Sephora ever since I caught wind of it several months ago! It's been fun reading up on the latest, as the first reviews trickle into the blogosphere. Of course, I've been playing around with some shiny new samples of MARC JACOBS Beauty products myself, and have a review of MARC JACOBS Beauty Style Eye-Con No.3 Plush Shadow in The Mod (112) to share with you today!

         The MARC JACOBS Beauty Style Eye-Con No.3 Plush Shadow trio comes packaged in a nylon sleeve (see above). A foam-tip eyeshadow applicator is also included. There's no tray in which to store the applicator (for aesthetic reasons I gather); it just slips into the pouch alongside your eyeshadow.

          The eyeshadow case is a shiny mid-weight black case with a mirrored lid. To open it, you press a silver button release. There's a black disposable plastic protector (not pictured) included inside. I know some people toss plastic protectors after purchase, but I like to keep them to keep powder off the mirrors.

         MARC JACOBS Beauty 'The Mod' has three colors that combine beautifully for a nice smoky eye. The white is shimmery and just slightly sheer. The black is richly pigmented and has a visible shimmer. The pale lavender-grey has a soft, non-frosty sheen.

          I found that the eyeshadow formula was different from other shadows in my collection. The texture leans a bit soft and is easy to pick up with a brush. The eyeshadow formula does feel a bit thicker and more moisturizing (as opposed to dry or powdery) - perhaps this is what the eponymous 'plush' refers to. Overall, the colors I have go on smoothly.

        Ive compared MARC JACOBS Style Eye-Con in 'The Mod' 112 to other colors in my personal collection so that you can get a better idea of the nuances in each shade. The white in The Mod is lighter and whiter than Urban Decay Virgin (reviewed here).  Both the black in The Mod and Urban Decay Blackout (reviewed here) are strong blacks; you can see how the slight shimmer stands out in the former. I've compared the greyed purple of The Mod to one of my favorite shadows, NARS 413 BLKR single eyeshadow (reviewed here). You can see how the former is brighter and less taupe than the latter.

        I'm really enjoying having MARC JACOBS Beauty Style Eye-Con No.3 Plush Shadow in The Mod (112) ($42) in my makeup collection, as it's the trio that I would have picked for my smoky-shadow-loving self. I'll have to play around and get used to the formula a bit, as it's different from what I'm used to; I'm also looking forward to seeing how it mixes with the other eyeshadows in my stash. In the meantime, I'm hoping to check out the MARC JACOBS Style Eye-Con No.7 palette in Lolita next time I stop by Sephora!

      Thanks for reading! Did you pick up anything from the MARC JACOBS Beauty collection? What has stood out for you so far?

Love, Dovey.
Disclosure: This post contains product(s) sent to Cute and Mundane for consideration. The ideas and opinions in this post are genuine and my own.

Marchesa Parfum d'Extase Hair Mist review

        Hair mists are this year's hot new perfume innovation. I'm sure many of you can relate when I say scent lovers have long been spritzing their locks with a favorite fragrance. After all, hair is a wonderful way to diffuse scent and leave a lingering trail in your wake. I've just had my first experience with a hair mist, the Marchesa Parfum d'Extase Hair Mist, courtesy of Sephora, and have a review to share with you today!

          Marchesa Parfum d'Extase Hair Mist has the same beautiful fragrance as its namesake perfume. Marchesa Parfum d' Extase is a delicate iris floral with a soft linen-like feel and amber base. The hair mist differs from the original perfume in its packaging, ingredients, and price. The bottle is tall and without embellishment, unlike that of the crystal-clad perfume. The ingredients (see below) are slightly different as well (e.g. the addition of aloe) which presumably helps the fragrance bind to hair. The hair mist is also more cost effective per oz. than using perfume, which is a plus!

Notes: Iris Flower, Black Currant, Young Violet Leaves, Lotus Flower, Night Blooming Jasmine, Bulgarian Rose Water, Orange Blossom, Iris Root, Ambrox, Captive Musks.

         Marchesa Parfum d'Extase Hair Mist ($38 for 1.7 fl. oz.) is a delicate iris scent for fragrancing hair. I find that the hair mist is a nice complement to my full size Marchesa d'Extase Eau de Parfum (which I'm hoping to review soon!). I found that upon usage, the fragrance is quite noticeable to those in close proximity. However, like the original perfume version, Marchesa d'Extase hair mist may have to be reapplied to last through a whole day as the notes are quite delicate and can fade over time. I think wear time will depend on your hair and potentially what other products you're using! Marchesa d'Extase Hair mist can be purchased from Sephora.

           Thanks for reading! Have you tried Marchesa d'Extase? Do you spritz perfume in your hair? Would you purchase a hair mist in the scent of your favorite perfume?

Love, Dovey.

Ingredients: Alcohol Denatured, Water, Fragrance, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate, Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane, PPG-26-Buteth-26, Ethylhexyl Salicylate, PEG-40, Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Butylene Glycol, BHT, Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone, Benzyl Salicylate, Butylphenyl Methylpropional, Citral, Citronellol, Coumarin, Eugenol, Geraniol, Hexyl Cinnemal, Hydroxycitronellal, Limonene, Linalool.
Disclosure: This post contains product(s) sent to Cute and Mundane for consideration. The ideas and opinions in this post are genuine and my own. The link in this post is NOT an affiliate link. It is present for your convenience only.

Sephora Favorites : Bottled Dreams Fragrance Sampler For Her (2013) review + photos

          Years ago, when I was starting my journey into the world of perfume, I picked up a Sephora fragrance sampler for myself. Fragrance samplers typically contain several spritzers or deluxe minis for you to try and a voucher to redeem for a full-size version of your favorite. They're pretty great deals too; the kits often cost less than buying a full size bottle!

           With that in mind, you can imagine my delight at receiving Sephora Favorites : Bottled Dreams Fragrance Sampler For Her, their latest fragrance sampler, courtesy of Sephora. It's packed with deluxe mini samples of six new scents to choose from, as well as a bonus bottle of Sephora by OPI nail polish. I was quite pleased with the selection within; the perfumes should please many noses! I've written a brief review of each below to give you an idea of what to expect:

           Juicy Couture La La is a fun and flirty combination of crisp fruits and rich white florals. The fresh fruits include apple, mandarin, and redcurrant (a note I love). The whites include orange blossom and lily of the valley, which are perfect for spring. Balenciaga Florabotanica is an unusual green floral that smells of sweet mint and light rose. I'm quite a fan; I have a full bottle in my collection already. The scent surprisingly long lasting; the green is slightly earthy and hemp-like (as opposed to grass-like). Marchesa Parfum d'Extase is a delicate combination of iris and amber. This scent is soft and feminine; it's a good choice for those who prefer scents with a more understated elegance.





          Gucci Guilty (see my review here) is a sensual combination of peach, lilac, and pepper. It's a smooth, warm, and alluring scent. Lancôme La vie est belle (see my review here) is an iris gourmand. The combination of airy florals with a vanilla amber base is quite delicious and pleasantly complex. Coach Love is a smooth warm floral. The base notes, musk and patchouli, have more weight than some of the other fragrances here. The florals are a blend of jasmine, violet, and gardenia.

         The Sephora Favorites : Bottled Dreams Fragrance Sampler For Her includes a little booklet with promotional photos and a short blurb on each fragrance. As a bonus, the set comes with Sephora by OPI Nail Color in What Aura Gonna Wear?, which is a vibrant pink polish. I've made some comparison swatches below to give you a better idea of the color. (As you can see I'm quite fond of bright pinks!).

          The Sephora Favorites : Bottled Dreams Fragrance Sampler For Her ($50 for $125 value) is a cute coffret of perfumes that's a perfect gift for moms (after all, Mother's day is right around the corner) or for anyone interested in exploring perfume. This limited edition fragrance kit may fly off shelves - it has a selection of popular scents, a bonus nail polish, and a voucher for a full size bottle of perfume. As for me, I'm looking forward to figuring out which perfume I'll be redeeming my coupon for! (Right now I'm leaning towards Juicy Couture La La or Marchesa d'Extase).

          Thanks for reading! Have you ever tried a Sephora Fragrance sampler set? Which fragrance would you choose? Which one do you think I should choose?

Love, Dovey.
Disclosure: This post contains product(s) sent to Cute and Mundane for consideration. The ideas and opinions in this post are genuine and my own.  

SEPHORA + PANTONE UNIVERSE Part II : Color Contour Face Brush set review + photos

          To celebrate the 2013 Color of the Year, Sephora has partnered with Pantone to create a stunning new Emerald collection! Yesterday, I shared my thoughts on the SEPHORA + PANTONE UNIVERSE kabuki brush and eye brush roll (review here). Today, I'll be reviewing the SEPHORA + PANTONE UNIVERSE Color Contour Face Brush set!

         The SEPHORA + PANTONE UNIVERSE Color Contour Face Brush set is packaged in a sturdy emerald cardboard case.  It can be folded to store or opened as a stand to display your brushes. The outside is decorated with three colorful and iridescent squares.

           The brushes included are the Fan brush, Contour brush, Crease brush, Large eyeshadow brush, Cream eyeshadow brush, Domed smudge brush, Angled liner brush, and Short smudge Brush. The bristles are soft synthetics. The brush handles are cylindrical and have metal exteriors upon which the brush names and SEPHORA + PANTONE UNIVERSE are printed.

           The SEPHORA + PANTONE UNIVERSE Color sculpting Color Contour Face Brush Set ($68) is a fun way to add a dose of emerald green to my daily routine! I'm glad that Sephora chose soft synthetic brushes; they're cruelty free and can be washed more vigorously than their natural counterparts. Overall, it's a well constructed, color coordinated set. Thanks for reading! Have you picked up anything from the SEPHORA + PANTONE UNIVERSE collection? What have you been eyeing? Are you a fan of colorful beauty tools?

Love, Dovey.
Disclosure: This post contains product(s) sent to Cute and Mundane for consideration by PR. The ideas and opinions in this post are genuine and my own.

SEPHORA + PANTONE UNIVERSE Part I : Color sculpting Kabuki Brush + Spectra Blend Eye Brush Roll review + photos

         If you're a color enthusiast, you've probably heard that the 2013 Pantone Color of the Year is Emerald. Color me excited --- what a gorgeous green! Last year, Sephora partnered with Pantone to create a Color of the Year Collection for Tangerine Tango; it was so successful that a Tangerine Tango product was sold every six seconds during the opening month! It was only fitting that they would partner again and create an Emerald collection for 2013. I've received a few green gems for review, and I'll be sharing the SEPHORA + PANTONE UNIVERSE Color sculpting Kabuki Brush and Spectra Blend Eye Brush with you today!

          The SEPHORA + PANTONE UNIVERSE Color sculpting Kabuki Brush is a soft, synthetic kabuki brush (my favorite kind!) The handle is an emerald green metallic color. It has 'SEPHORA' printed on one side and 'PANTONE UNIVERSE' on the opposite.  There are single '+' signs on the remaining two sides of the square.

         The SEPHORA + PANTONE UNIVERSE Spectra Blend Eye Brush Roll contains essential brushes to take on the go. The carrying case has a colorblocked nylon exterior with a magnetic closure.The brushes included are the Angled blush brush, the Blending brush, and Eye shadow brush. The bristles are soft synthetics. The brush handles are cylindrical with metal exteriors upon which the brush names and "SEPHORA + PANTONE UNIVERSE" are printed.

           I'm happy to add SEPHORA + PANTONE UNIVERSE Color sculpting Kabuki Brush ($18) and Spectra Blend Eye Brush Roll ($20) to my routine. I'll be getting a lot of use from the former to blend my foundation, while the latter will be perfect for my purse! I'm glad that Sephora chose synthetic brushes; they're cruelty free and can be washed more vigorously. Overall, both products are well made, reasonably priced, and are a fun way to add some emerald to your beauty routine!

        Thanks for reading! Have you picked up anything from the SEPHORA + PANTONE UNIVERSE collection? What have you been eyeing? What are your favorite kabuki and/or travel brushes?

Love, Dovey.

P.S. Read about some other emerald items I've been  collecting here.
Disclosure: This post contains product(s) sent to Cute and Mundane for consideration. The ideas and opinions in this post are genuine and my own.

Laura Mercier Sephora 500 point perk (November 2012) review + swatches

           During the Sephora VIB sale this month, I cashed in my points for the Laura Mercier Sephora 500 point perk. If this post seems like déjà vu, you'd be right; this is my second Laura Mercier perk (read about the first one here). The funny thing is, I don't find myself using the brand very often. So, just like last time, I've collected this small bounty to give to my mom who does use it!

          The Laura Mercier Sephora 500 point perk contains a Shimmer Bloc in Golden Mosaic, Eye Basic in Wheat, Tinted Moisturizer in Nude, and Foundation Primer. I've swatched all the colors below. The Laura Mercier Shimmer Bloc in Golden Mosaic is the star of the collection. I believe that this sample contains about half the amount of product in a full sized shimmer bloc. The sample packaged in a size similar to a Laura Mercier eyeshadow. (This is much better than the teeny Laura Mercier eyeshadow sample I received last time). When blended equally, the final effect is a shimmery peachy bronze. One could tailor the blend, depending on which colors you touch your brush on. The Laura Mercier Eye Basic in Wheat is a peachy nude. The Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer in Nude is swatched below. It seems to have an orange-y tint on my skin. Nude is the color that is typically included in Laura Mercier tinted moisturizer samples.



           This Laura Mercier Sephora 500 point perk has only four items, as opposed to the usual five deluxe samples one would expect. However, I thought this gift was quite nice because the Shimmer Bloc, Eye Basic, and Tinted Moisturizer are very useable. The foundation primer is a 'filler' item that I could live without. Overall, this 500 point perk was on the nicer end of Sephora's recent perks, so I'm happy. Thanks for reading! What Sephora perks or gift-with-purchases have you liked recently? What was the last 500 point perk that appealed to you? Have you tried any of the Laura Mercier products in this set?

Love, Dovey.

Boscia One Step Wonders (Holiday 2012) review

          Boscia has launched their first ever holiday collection! The centerpiece of their Holiday 2012 collection is the Boscia One Step Wonders collection. The collection has a festive Japanese-inspired wave-print packaging. Inside, there is a full-size Boscia B.B. Cream SPF 27++ (1.75oz.), a sample size Boscia MakeUp-BreakUp Cleansing Oil (1.7 oz.), and a sample size Boscia Super-Cool De-Puffing Eye Balm (0.14 oz).

          I was delighted to try the set, as it's a great introduction to the Boscia line. I had been hoping to try the Boscia B.B. cream for some time. It's one of very few B.B. creams that do not contain chemical SPF (which I'm allergic to). Thankfully, it does not have micro-glitter either, as some B.B. creams do. The formula is said to be 'self-adjusting' to one's skin tone. It looked a bit dark when squeezed out, however I found that it was a reasonably good match for my light skin. Like a tinted moisturizer, this B.B. cream should match a broad range of light skin tones. The consistency of the Boscia B.B. cream is thought to be drier than others. I found that application over a moisturizer worked well. I also found that distributing it on my palms and patting it on gave good results too. The coverage was light to medium, depending on how much was layered on. The Boscia MakeUp-BreakUp Cleansing Oil does a good job dissolving foundation and I found that it was able to break down some stubborn eye makeup too. It has a refreshing mint scent that I enjoy. The oil is very fluid and easy to work on the face.  The oil washed off nicely, which I prefer to cleansing oils that leave a residue. The Boscia Super-Cool Depuffing Eye Balm is a solid twist-up gel stick meant to hydrate and depuff eyes. I don't have heavy circles, so I can't attest to its depuffing functionality. That said, I did enjoy this eye balm a lot. One swipe under each eye gives a cooling and refreshing sensation.

           Boscia One Step Wonders is a great starter set for the botanical beauty lover, as well as a practical set for a seasoned Boscia fan. It was nice to receive a full size B.B. cream; full-size items certainly improve a set's appeal. I was pleasantly surprised by the cleansing oil and depuffing eye balm. Overall, I'm very pleased with the set and plan on rotating the items into my routine. The Boscia One Step Wonders set is exclusive to Sephora and Boscia online. Thanks for reading! Have you tried Boscia B.B. cream or skincare? What are your favorite items from the line? What are your favorite B.B. creams and cleansing oils?

Love, Dovey.
Disclosure: This post contains product(s) sent to Cute and Mundane for consideration by PR. The ideas and opinions in this post are genuine and my own.

Friday Five - Sephora edition

            Happy Friday! It's going to be a busy weekend for me, as Mr. Lovey's good friend is in town, we're going to see Skyfall, and I have a number of blog and work projects to get done.  Like many beauties, I had a good dose of Sephora this past week. I've been drawing up my list for the Sephora V.I.B. sale, as well as flipping through the glossy pages of the Sephora Holiday 2012 catalog that made it into my mailbox this week. I haven't placed my Sephora V.I.B. order yet, as I tend to drag these things out til the last minute. I don't forsee any of my wishlist selling out too quickly, and even if it does, c'est la vie. I splurged on a fragrance and a few blushes during the Sephora Friends and Family sale last month, so I won't be picking any of those. Most likely I'll end up ordering NARS and nail polish. That's what has ended up happening for the past few V.I.B. sales and, well, I'm a creature of habit!

          I mentioned on Instagram that the strongly shadowed photographs in the Sephora Holiday 2012 catalog looked beauty blogger inspired (see above), and many of you agreed. This is a sentimental topic for me, as it brings back memories of a very personal journey in beauty blogging. Veteran bloggers may remember that not long ago, beauty blog photographs had quite a different look. The prevailing photography emulated the industry ad standards and advice focused around how to minimize shadows in your images. As a fledgling blogger, I did my best to adhere to the advice, but couldn't get it to work for me. Intense shadows have long been a part of my non-photographic artwork. In my youth, I excelled in black and white mediums including charcoal, conte, and ink. I had an enduring fascination with contrast, negative space and the interplay between saturated light and darkness. Inevitably, I started experimenting with photographic shadows. One fateful day I posted an extreme photograph (see here). It was my way of declaring to the world (in reality, just a handful of readers at the time) my rebellion against the status quo. It's been my mission since then to show that maximalist shadows are not the mark of an amateur, but something skillfully and purposefully done to add depth and dimension. Most importantly however, it replaces artificial ethereality with reality while maintaining the underlying beauty. Embracing this different look really helped my blog take off and has been a part of Cute and Mundane ever since. It's been beyond cool to see this trend catch on in the blogosphere and eventually find its way back into the pages of an industry mailer. If anything, I think this is encouragement for bloggers to keep innovating; even a small idea can one day change the look of a landscape.

            On that note, here are five beautiful blog posts that caught my eye this week:

1. Best Things in Beauty has swatches of Chantecailles Les Petales de Rose.
2. The new Laura Mercier Artist Eye palette is on Lil Lady's Life.
3. There's a cool Lancome Bi-Facil 'eye print' on Beauty Reductionista.
4. Makeup Magpie has a sparkling selection from Lancome Holiday 2012.
5. If you heart hot pink, check out Chanel Ultra Rose on Front Row Beauty.

         Thanks for reading! I'd love to hear what plans you have in store for the weekend. What did you order from Sephora this week? Is there something in your basket that you're really excited about?

Love, Dovey.

Sephora 24 Karat Gold Tweezer review + photos

         'Goldpincers... the tweezers with the Midas touch.' I couldn't help but channel Shirley Bassey when I beheld the Sephora 24 Karat Gold Tweezer. This stainless steel tweezer is a part of the dazzling gold themed Sephora Holiday 2012 collection. It tweezes nicely and does not have a poking or sharp feel when used against the skin. When stored, the 24K tweezer fits snugly into its sturdy golden geometrically textured case.

          The Sephora 24 Karat Gold Tweezer ($16) is sure to add a golden touch to any Bond girl's holiday routine. Thanks for reading! What color are your tweezers? What is your favorite 007 movie or soundtrack? Are you looking forward to Skyfall?

Love, Dovey.

P.S. For more Sephora Holiday 2012, check out my Prestige Luxe Brush set review.
Disclosure: This post contains product(s) sent to Cute and Mundane for consideration by PR. The ideas and opinions in this post are genuine and my own.

Sephora Collection Prestige Luxe Brush Set (Holiday 2012) review + photos

         Sephora Holiday 2012 has a dazzling lineup of gold and black limited edition tools and accessories that range from stocking stuffers to absolute indulgences. I have the star of the collection to share with you today: the Sephora Collection Prestige Brush Set.

           The Sephora Prestige Brush Set arrives in a sturdy golden box that would look beautiful under the tree and can easily be repurposed as storage. The brushes are housed inside a clutch-like brush case. The case has a textured black iridescent exterior and a sueded interior. There is a golden clasp with the Sephora logo engraved on it. The brushes have their own pockets and are divided into face and eye brush sections. There are flaps that come down to protect the brushes and to prevent them from falling out of the case (in the photo above I've rolled them backwards).

         The Sephora Collection Prestige Brush Set is a collection of twelve Sephora Pro brushes and includes everything necessary to create a full face. The set includes a combination of natural and synthetic brushes. The face brushes in the Sephora Collection Prestige Brush Set include powder, blush, fan, foundation, and concealer brushes. The powder, blush, and fan brushes are natural hair. They're soft, full, and do not have rogue poking fibers. The foundation and concealer brushes are synthetic. They're firm yet flexible. The eye brushes in the Sephora Collection Prestige Brush Set include shadow, crease, smudge, brow, lip, angle liner, and brow comb brushes. The shadow, crease, and smudge brush are natural hair. The head of the shadow brush is on the large side of the eyeshadow brush spectrum. The brow, lip, angle liner, and comb are synthetics.

          The handles are black with flecks of glitter. The Sephora logo is written in gold to complement the golden ferrules of the brushes. The name/purpose of each brush is written on the converse side of the handle.

         The Sephora Collection Prestige Brush Set ($125 for a $325 value) is a beautifully packaged brush set that has nearly all the tools one would need for a full face. I've added the brushes to my everyday rotation; so far I'm pleased with their performance. The classic black brush handles are glitzy enough for the holidays and also made sense for year round use. The black casing has a luxurious dual texture in addition to a practical and aesthetically pleasing construction. The Sephora Collection Prestige Brush would make a great starter set for a new makeup enthusiast or a supplementary / travel set for the seasoned pro.  Thanks for reading! What was the last brush set you purchased? Do you have any Sephora Pro brushes in your collection? Are you giving brushes to anyone this holiday?

Love, Dovey.
Disclosure: This post contains product(s) sent to Cute and Mundane for consideration by PR. The ideas and opinions in this post are genuine and my own.

Sephora Laura Mercier 500 point perk review + swatches

          This month I cashed in my points for Sephora's 500 point Laura Mercier perk. It's a sampling of five different mini or deluxe sized products from Laura Mercier. What really sold me was the mini sized Laura Mercier Baked Eye Color in Black Karat (0.01oz.), an eyeshadow I've had my eye on for a while. It's nice to get it in mini form, though it is very mini.  I was also glad to have the deluxe size Laura Mercier Lip Glace in Sparkling (0.1oz.) sample. My mom likes the Lip Glaces so I'm planning on giving this to her. I wasn't excited about the inclusion of Laura Mercier Full Volume Lash Building Mascara (0.20oz.). The last time I tried this, I was disappointed by the lack of volume it provided (read about it here). A mini size Laura Mercier Foundation Primer - Radiance  (0.18oz.) and a Laura Mercier Kohl Eye Pencil in Black Gold (0.03oz.) were included as well.

          I've swatched all the color products below. Laura Mercier Baked Eyeshadow in Black Karat is a gorgeous blackened gold. Black Karat is meant to be used both wet and dry. You can see how much more intense the shadow is when applied wet! It's worth noting that when dry, the shadow is a glitter-bomb. The particles are small, but get everywhere! Laura Mercier Kohl eyeliner in Black Gold is a darker gold with bronze tones. It's pretty and usable. Laura Mercier Lip Glace in Sparkling is a nice light peach gloss with some golden sheen.

          Overall, the colors in the Laura Mercier gift were nice, but the products were quite miniature. The gift is not like the Sephora's 500 point perks of yesteryear that contained at least one full size product. I think it's become a better strategy to look for the sporadic deluxe sized samples offered in Sephora's emails if you're looking to get better gifts at a lower price point. Thanks for reading! Have you redeemd points for any of Sephora's 100 or 500 point perks lately? Do you wait for gift with purchases, or purchase as needed?

Love, Dovey.

August Sephora VIB gift with purchase

         Every August Sephora offers a nice gift with purchase event for their VIBs. They usually offer several minis for a $35 purchase. I thought I'd share a quick snapshot of what was offered this year. Most of the samples were minis not deluxe sizes. There were two mini primers: Smashbox Photo Finish Hydrating Primer and Benefit the Porefessional. Primers seem to be typical inclusions with gift with purchases, as companies seem to be keen to market them. The heavy amounts of silicones in primers simply don't agree with me, so I'll likely be giving these away. Two quality samples that I'll be happy to use are  Lancome Hypnose Drama mascara and the L'Occitane Hand Creme. I've tried Hanae Mori Eau de Toilette sample before and it's a pleasant scent. I've reviewed the Murad Intensive-C Radiance Peel previously (see here), and it's another nice offering. There are also two moisturizers: the Sephora Instant Moisturizer and Algenist Overnight Restorative Cream. I don't really know much about either, however I guess I can use them for myself or on the Mr. And of course, everything came in a silver pouch. Overall the samples were decent for the buy-in level, especially considering some of the paltry gift with purchase offerings I've seen from department stores at even the $100+ level. They're recognizable brands and I'll be able to use a few of them for fun. Lately my philosophy on gift with purchase has been changing. While I might have been easily enticed in the past, I only indulge if I have a burning wishlist or if the gift has samples I'm really excited about. How about you? Did you jump for Sephora's VIB gift this year? Do you typically purchase during gift with purchase events or as the need arises?

Love, Dovey.

NARS Exotic Dance duo eyeshadow

NARS Exotic dance is one tricky duo eyeshadow. I've put off my review of Exotic Dance to give ample time to play around and figure out exactly how to use it. The  colors look deceptively refreshing and beautiful together in the pan, however figuring out how to use them and then how to describe them has been an ordeal. Fortunately, I've had an energizing day, filled with a trip to the art museum, free tickets to a baseball game, and just now a slice of Trader Joe's Strawberry Rhubarb pie, so I feel ready to tackle that challenge today!

 NARS Exotic Dance is one of two duo eyeshadows that were released in the NARS Summer 2011 collection. I think it's received less love than its smoky sister Dogon (previously reviewed here), due to the tricky texture and color of the white half. It's a shame since Exotic Dance is so pretty in the pan. Despite reading reviews warning of the chalkiness of the white, I went and got it anyway, because the idea of white and gold was intriguing. The golden half did not disappoint--- it's really lovely, smooth, and I love the color. Which is saying a lot since I usually steer clear of golds. The white, as described by bloggers, was difficult. It feels chalky, hard to pick up on my brush, and kind of a pain to blend. I failed many attempts to blend it together with the gold for a cool eye look. However, it's been growing on me (more details below), and I've been cured of my buyer's remorse. The way to make this duo work for me is to simply not use them together, and to use them as singles. As singles, they're awesome and really shine. I use them on the lid and use a plain black/brown liner color like NARS coconut grove to add a little depth. After all, there's only room for one queen bee. True of cliques, and for eyeshadows.

Let's take a look at some photos.

Here's a closeup of Exotic Dance. In the pan, the white has a sheen, as does the gold half. As you can tell from the dents, the gold half kicks up product a lot easier than the white half. There's also large particles around my pans that I haven't cleaned up; that dusty look is inevitable when you're dealing with the white.

And here are swatches of the two colors. In the pan, the white looks like a polar white and the gold looks like an old gold. However, when swatches, the colors are a bit different. This is likely due to the part sheerness of some NARS shadows, which allows for incorporation of your skin tone into the final color. I really like slight sheerness and don't associate it with cheapness. A good semi-sheer eyeshadow blends compliments skin tone better. So, when looking at my swatches (and others') keep in mind it'll look different on everyone. My skin has neutral yellow-olive undertones, for reference.

NARS Exotic Dance indoors with camera flash

NARS Exotic Dance indoors with no camera flash

The gold is a relatively neutral gold, perhaps a slight rose gold even. There are no strong yellow, bronze, brown, or orange undertones, which is great. The reason I don't like most golds is because of too strong of a presence of those other tones. I really love the gold in NARS Exotic Dance; I find myself reaching for it often despite my gold-phobia.

The white is a sheer and has a small amount of iridescent quality.  As you can see, it swatched well with my brush and looks even despite the weird texture when picking it up. On the eye it's actually very pretty. I used it as my lid shade and used coconut grove for lining and slight smoke. I got the idea from Bobbi Brown, who usually uses a matte white-toned shade all over, as well as the new NARS book which I noticed used the sheer white in Pandora to brighten smoky eyes quite often. The sheerness is great because I can use it all over and it doesn't scream white! In fact, you can't really see much, however it results in a really bright-eyed look, due to the lightening power of the white and the light shine. It made my eyes look wider! This is the surprising redeeming quality that made me a fan of the Exotic Dance duo.

NARS Exotic Dance swatches

The next order of business was to find potential dupes. My stash is limited, however gold is a pretty ubiquitous color so I had a couple colors in mind that looked similar in the pan. I pulled out my Bobbi Brown Warm Eyeshadow palette, my Urban Decay Naked Palette, and a few single shadows. One of the whites, Sephora Aspen Summit single eyeshadow was Sephora's birthday gift last year, so many of you probably have it.

The results of the swatch comparisons was quite elucidating. Although the colors looked relatively similar in pan, they looked drastically different when swatched!

The whites looked especially similar in pan, after all shimmery white is shimmery white. However, whites can be quite different! NARS Exotic Dance is much less pigmented and shiny than Sephora Aspen Summit. It's also sheerer than my CoverGirl shadow (animal testers, hence not promoted here), which has the more milky white aspect that is more common in white mattes. This reinforces the idea I wrote above that this was meant to be a sheer shine type of shadow. If you're looking for it to be white white, that's not going to happen.

The golds were all over the place! NARS Exotic Dance is my favorite of the bunch, as it has the neutral rose gold tone as I mentioned above. Urban Decay Half-Baked is way to yellow-orange and warm for me. Bobbi Brown Burnt Sugar is a really nice darker old gold, but more appropriate for fall, which is when it was released. Bare escentuals Gold Medal is a cooler gold.

NARS exotic dance swatches with comparisons

In conclusion, NARS Exotic Dance is a surprising winner for me this summer. Once I figured out the white, and found peace in using the colors separately, I really embraced this palette. I wouldn't say this is a must have by any stretch of imagination, although it is unique and I really do like the gold a lot. $33 is a lot if you're going to use just one shadow! (At that rate,  you could get a Chanel.) If you're looking for something a little different, this might be for you. If you're stash is small, you might have bigger better holes to fill with your pocket money.


Thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoyed this post! Let me know if you've tried this, and feel the same or differently, or have other tips! I have a future post planned showing what products I've been using alongside Exotic Dance. However, I have a presentation coming this week, so I won't get to it for at least a few days at least. Hope you guys are enjoying Memorial Day Weekend wherever you are, especially those with friends and family who have served!

Love, Dovey.