A Palette & A Partner Week 18

Week 18 Group!!! 

Foundations: Tarte Amazonian Clay in Tan Sand &
Nars Sheer Matte Foundation in Syracuse

Highlighter: Beauty Creations - Glamorous &
Blush: Malibu Glitz - Rouge Rose

Karity Smokey Palette

Lorac Pro 3

Zoeva - Rose Golden Palette

Blinc - Electric Eyes Palette

A Palette & A Partner - Week 17

This weekend I had a really amazing conversation with one of my closest friends, Lindsay. I was telling her about my new ideas for palette rotation and she lovingly mentioned to me that the more I buy, the more complicated the rotations are going to get, which is true. I am not saying that I am going on a #nobuy, but I am going to seriously concentrate my efforts on using and enjoying the products I have, continually declutter things I do not want or need, and reduce my monthly spending on my beauty and skin care items. When you have a backup box, then you might have a problem. Thanks and much love to my friends Lindsay & Desiree for looking out for your gurl

Week 17's Group!! 

L.A.Girl Pro Coverage in White
Lorac PoreFection Foundation in Tan
Make Up For Ever HD Foundation

Make Up For Ever Profusion Highlighter #2
Tarte Blush in Sweet

Morphe X Kathleen Lights Palette

Buxom - Dolly's Wide Side

NYX Cosmetics - California Palette

OFRA Cosmetics - Radiant Lights Palette

Friday Haul - O - Day: BOMB Challenge - Supporting Juvia's Place - Zulu Palette

 Zulu Palette by Juvia's Place - Swatches

Zulu Palette by Juvia's Place

Zulu Palette By Juvia's Place

Friday HAUL-O-Day: Sephora Haul - Pretty Vulgar, Sephora Collection, Smashbox

Sephora Haul!!! 

Smashbox - Lighting Theory Master Class Palette

Sephora Collection - Mixology Palette

Sephora Collection Colorful Eye Shadow Filter Palette
Sunbleached Filter 

Sephora Collection Colorful Eye Shadow Filter -
Vintage Filter

Sephora Collection Colorful Eye Shadow Filter Palette
Overcast Filter

Pretty Vulgar - Pretty Birdie

A Palette & A Partner - Week 16

Hey, my makeup enthusiasts! I hope that your start to the new week is fantastic! If you have been following my A Palette & A Partner series you know that the purpose of this weekly featured post initially was to begin rotating through a rather extensive palette collection. Ideally, I take approximately 4 palettes with different yet complimentary color selections to utilize for a full 7 day period. I pick out the palettes on Sunday night and use my inventory spreadsheets, complete with name, brand, category (luxury, high-end, affordable, etc.) and date purchased, to select the palettes for the week. I also pick out blush, bronzer/contour, highlighter, lip products and 2 foundations, which may stay in the rotation for up to 3 weeks depending on the circumstances and the amount of product usage.

Now entering week 16, I am about 1/4 - 1/3 way through my eyeshadow collection. I know, it's a ridiculous amount, but once you get over that and realize the effort I am making to really take advantage of my collection, you'll be in the bleachers cheering me on! Moving forward I am going to be making adjustments to the rotation. For the entirety of this process, I have been working through my collection backward, meaning that have been rotating my eyeshadow palettes based on the purchase date, not current trend relevance. All my high-end, luxury, large palettes, and the majority of my affordable palettes are labeled from the date of purchase. I have been working through my palettes from oldest to newest, rotating categories and brands. Starting new week, I will be rotating in 2 of the oldest unused palettes, 1 newer palette based on trends and relevance,   and 1 palette that has already been through a previous rotation. I will continue to rotate through highlighters and blushes, starting from oldest purchased to newest and I will continue to rotate in two foundations. Due to the last two foundation rotations, I have already decluttered two high-end foundations that I will never be purchasing again. I kept trying to make them work, and I just couldn't and that's ok! If you have seen YouTube videos where beauty gurus "shop their stash" then you will understand this similar concept. Eventually, I will begin to rotate in single shadows, cream shadows, shadow sticks, eyeliners, and groups of magnetic palettes with single brands.

I hope that this makes sense to you guys and that I am explaining this clearly. Well, check out this week's group! Have a great makeup week!

Week 16 Group!

Estee Lauder Double Wear (3N2) &
Too Faced Born This Way (Golden)

Rotating into this week's group for the second time,
Lorac Pro 1

Sonia Kashuk - Eyes on Neautral 02 (Matte) &
Sonia Kashuk - Eyes on Neautral Shimmer 03

Makeup For Ever - Artist Palette 9 Volume II

Natasha Denone - Blue/Purple Palette 28 pan

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                       

Product Review: ***Devinah Cosmetics - Eyeshadow Pigments***

Price, Purchase Process & Packaging

I happened upon this brand while cruising the Internet for reasonably priced Indie Brands that specialized in pigments. I found a website that featured this brand and had a coupon code for 20% off your entire purchase. For that particular website, please click HERE! When I clicked on the link for Devinah Cosmetics, I automatically located the "About Us" page because I think it's important to know the back story of the brand that you are essentially supporting by purchasing their products. I was absolutely captivated by the owner, DeAndra story which moved me and resonated with me in a way that spoke to me as a makeup enthusiast, a resourceful and daring individual and particularly in creating my own version of beauty. Please take the time to read about DeAndra, her vision, the name Devinah, and her thoughts on beauty HERE!

After learning a little bit about the CEO of this Indie Brand, I decided to invest my money and take a chance. Devinah specializes in hand-made/pressed pigments, mattes, bronzers, and highlighters. Being the colorful shimmer girl I am, I went straight to the pigment section. This brand has over 100 shades to choose from in 26 mm, 36 mm, 44 mm, 57 mm sizes. I decided that I wanted to spend about $100 on my first order, which came out to 20 26 mm pans, but I had the discount code...So, I paid $80 instead!!! The site was a little bit too much for me in terms of color scheme, but it was still user-friendly and easy to navigate. Their were pictures of the actual shades, but what was even better was that their were swatches of each shade so you could really get an idea of the actual color of the pigment, which I appreciate tremendously. Smart move on the brands part because it helps the consumer make a more informed decision. Check out was a cinch and the package arrived, well wrapped and sufficiently protected about a week later.

Pigmentation, Color Payoff & Performance

Once I received my package, I quickly found the individual pigments a home in a magnetic palette I purchased from Etsy and then I began swatching. Yes, the coveted finger swatch which essentially determines the viability of the shadow. Some believe that a swatch is not sufficient and that only application to the eyes gives a true testament to the shadows pigmentation. I happen to believe that is all very relative, so in fairness, before a conduct a product review I do swatches and application. First of all, check out my mediocre pictures below. They don't lie. These shadows swatch with intense pigmentation and are not chunky and do not bunch up. Absolutely smooth swatches, yes! So, that's definitely a great sign, but how do they apply to the eyes. I have found that these shadows apply extremely well in one of the three classic ways: with your finger, with a dampened brush, and packed on the lid. The shadows are beyond stunning. I truly cannot find a proper adjective to give it justice. Needless to say, I love these shadows.

Overall Product Presentation

I love when a brand has an amazing backstory, a female head, and phenomenal products. That, my friends, is the trifecta!!! I cannot wait to purchase more products from this brand and I am pleased with the overall service, product, and the product presentation. This a brand that you shouldn't miss! Don't sleep on Devinah Cosmetics

Results: ✭✭✭✭✭  5/5

~Devinah Cosmetics~ 

Sensational Pigments!!!

1st Row

2nd Row

3rd Row

Friday Haul-O-Day: Smashbox!

Smashbox - Full Exposure

Smashbox Full Exposure

Friday Haul-O-Day: Devinah Cosmetics Haul

 My Devinah Cosmetics Collection - Haul!!!!

Devinah Cosmetics Pigment Singles

Devinah Cosmetics Pigment Singles

Dirty Beautiful Collection

Palette Patrol: Least, Most, Best, Worst, & Favorite

Least Expensive Eyeshadow/Eyeshadow Palette

My least expensive eyeshadow would be my Wet n Wild Color Icon Single Shadow in Brulee at $1.09. My least expensive eyeshadow palette is also by Wet n Wild, from their Colon Icon Trios in Walking on Eggshells.

Most Expensive Eyeshadow Palette

If you know me, this won't be a surprise, but my most expensive eyeshadow palette(s) are my Natasha Denona Blue/Purple & Brown/Green palettes coming in at a ridiculous $239. Yeah, I know....it's a lot.

Most Colorful Eyeshadow Palette

I am going to add two palettes to this category, well, because it's my post and I can. My fist most colorful eyeshadow palette is, of course, the Urban Decay Electric palette, which I purchased or basically stole from Sephora for $24. Yes, $24. My second most colorful palette is my Zulu palette from Juvia's Place, which I also stole for $18. I admit it, I am a thief.

Best Buy For Your Buck

In my opinion, the best buy for your buck considering pigmentation, pan size, the number of shadows per palette, packaging, and the price would absolutely be Juvia's place, followed closely by Morphe Brushes. Juvia;s place has excellent packaging, names of the shadows on all their palettes (from the Nubian 2 moving forward), insane pigmentation and blending capabilities, enormous pan sizes (for the majority of their palettes) and an excellent price. Morphe Brushes has a considerable amount of product for the price, great pigmentation in their shimmer/foil formula, a variety of palettes with many shades, offer bundles & sales.

Favorite High-End Palette

My favorite, ride or die palette, is hands-down the Lorac Pro. The Lorac Pro was my very first high-end eyeshadow palette. Initially, my experience with it wasn't that stellar, but once I learned to tap off my brush, I was in business. The shadows are incredibly pigmented and so buttery that they come off powdery. Some people kick up a fuss about powdery products, but when the color pay off and the blendability is so on point, I really could care less.

Favorite Luxury Palette

I have two favorite luxury palettes. First, is the Star Palette by Natasha Denona. Just a stunning palette with beautiful shades and pigmentation that reaches to the moon. Just the best eyeshadows I have ever experienced. Coming in at a very close second, in the Marc Jacobs Limited Edition Siren Palette. I got this palette for a steal off of Poshmark from a woman who was purging her entire collection. It had little use, excellent pigmentation. The clasp was broken but I talked her down to $7, which is just criminal. I told you I was a thief!

Favorite Drugstore Palette

If you live on this planet and you don't know about Wet N Wild's Comfort Zone, then I just have no words for you. No words.... This $5 palette gives you two defined looks, including neutral & warm shades, and a duochrome that rivals MAC's blue/brown pigment.

Palette I Regret Buying/Least Favorite

Ok, I know I am going to catch hell for this one. The palette that I regret purchasing and therefore, is my least favorite palette is the Modern Renaissance. I know, I get it. Everyone loves this palette. Everyone but me. I just don't get it. It's not that damn good. People complain about palettes that are powdery, for example, the Lorac Pro Palettes, however, this palette is equally if not more powdery. Next item that bugs me is that the shadows do not blend well. I think both the Tarlette in Bloom & the Tarteist Pro blend better than the Modern Renaissance. Real talk. I seriously feel like I have to blend FOREVER and that the shadow does not even disperse or distribute in my crease.I tried this palette for two weeks straight. I mean, I really tried, but it's just a no go for this beauty blogger. I know I am definitely the lone wolf on this one, and I am ok with that.

Favorite Palette Brand

I have three in this category. First up, yep, you know it....Natasha Denona. I admittedly have all of Natasha's 28 pan palettes, the 10 pan palette, the Star Palette, the Sunset Palette, and 9/12 of her 5 pan palettes.When I like a brand/company, I go all in! The second favorite brand is definitely Juvia's place. I have all of their eyeshadow palettes, including both the mini and large Masquerade Palettes, and I also own all of her individual eyeshadows. This brand is POC-friendly because it's rooted in the desire to extend the concept of beauty beyond monochromatic ideas, beliefs & values. The palette's are high quality for an excellent price and it's marketed especially for people like myself. Love this brand. The last brand that I adore is, of course, Lorac. Lorac makes an amazing Pro formula that cannot be beaten, along with its equally impressive sister formula in the form of the unzipped series. I own all the Lorac Pro regular palettes (1,2,3), both the unzipped palettes, 3 limited edition palettes, and a foundation and face powder. This was the first high-end brand I was introduced to and I have been very pleased with the consistency of this brand.

Honorable Mention

One brand that I really have been digging for a couple of months is Devinah Cosmetics. This company is amazing and I really like their pressed pigments. I have quite a collection of their products and I am more than impressed. These products are handmade and gorgeous, which I appreciate because you know I like my shimmer and foil shades. Definitely, check them out if you want a good indie brand that produces excellent quality products at a reasonable price.