The day after I declared an eyeshadow ban, I went out and bought more eyeshadows. I am such a hopeless case and can't seem to exercise much self-control, especially when Smashbox's Spring 2011 collection was so hard to resist.
Talking about a spring release now may sound outdated as most of the beauty blogosphere has moved on to fall, but the In Bloom Eyeshadow palette is just too pretty to cast aside.
The eyeshadows are housed in a sleek, black case with a fairly large mirror. It also comes with a brush and although the hairs are synthetic, the bristles seem to pick up colours well. It is a welcomed addition to my brush collection.
The eyeshadow palette consists of ten watercolour-like shades. They are pigmented and are very smooth. There is a mix of mattes and shimmers, dark and light shades. The lighter shades are perfect as a wash or highlighter whilst the darker shades can double up as a soft liner.
I really like Smashbox Spring releases because they are usually so pretty and this year's collection is no exception. Although this palette consists of neutrals that may seem boring to most, they are such classic, wearable shades and I find them to be very versatile as they tend to suit most skin tones.
Smashbox has arranged the colours vertically in duos to help you coordinate more effortlessly but that doesn't mean you can't mix and match the different shades from one end to another. With such easy and soft neutrals, they can be paired with almost anything.
Today, I used the first duo from left, which are Pink Lily and Soft Orchid.
Soft Orchid may look a little brown on my lids but it has a hint of purple and lavender. I used Pink Lily on the inner half of my eye but it does not show up very clearly on photo.
I don't wear fancy schmancy shades to work and usually reserve whacky or adventurous colours for weekends or parties. Muted tones that enhance the eyes but do not dominate are definitely more office-friendly.
I don't wear fancy schmancy shades to work and usually reserve whacky or adventurous colours for weekends or parties. Muted tones that enhance the eyes but do not dominate are definitely more office-friendly.
I would most certainly recommend this palette to any working girl who's starting out with eyeshadows. However, as this is a limited edition item, it may be difficult to find locally. I purchased this nearly a month ago and the SA was telling me that there were only two palettes left. But I think he was trying to scare me into buying. He probably spotted the word "sucker" stamped across my forehead.
The Smashbox In Bloom Eyeshadow Palette retails for RM199 and might be available at Smashbox in The Pavilion. And yes, I know... that works out to RM19.90 per eyeshadow, which I'd like to think is value for money so I won't feel so guilty for breaking the eyeshadow ban :-)
