Palette love: Youngblood Artiste
I've been checking out Youngblood, a mineral makeup brand, at Beauty Bar for a few years now. However, I never got around to buying anything because their stuff are too expensive! Think about it, ~P2,500 for foundation? That's a no deal for me. Sure, the products are high quality, but I still can't bring myself to spend when there are better and cheaper alternatives out there.
Just imagine my shock when last Tuesday, upon visiting Beauty Bar at the Podium, I saw a Youngblood makeup palette that only costs P995!
Whoaaa
I stilled my heart for a couple of minutes as I calmly swatched each of the two blushes, three eyeshadows, and three lip glosses. It was LOVE at first swatch. I immediately bought the palette without batting another eyelash.
Before I begin my review, allow me to emphasize a few points. If you're looking for loud makeup, this isn't for you. This palette is quite conservative; the colors don't break new ground. It is, however, an extremely handy palette to have around when you want a no-makeup, safe-for-work, "prime" look. It's also perfect for people who travel a lot and need to apply makeup on the go.
Why this is a must-have:
- The blushes and eyeshadows are super pigmented. They're reminiscent of my favorite brands - NARS for blushes and Urban Decay for eyeshadows!
- I love the color selection. I've been wearing a lot of neutrals lately because I want to look pretty rather than "interesting" (might be old age lol) so this palette fits right in my book. It's perfect for my light-medium skin, but I reckon it will work for fair and medium tones as well.
- It takes convenience quite literally! Each pan can be removed and replaced with colors you want, while the columns can be snapped off. Everything in the metal palette is attached using a strong magnet.
- The blushes and eyeshadows are full-sized. You won't be running out for a long time!
- Classy packaging. The whole thing doesn't look and feel like it only costs P995. It's the right size for a purse and has a bit of heft to it.
- The price! P995 for everything is such a steal. I'm glad I bought this without pussyfooting (as I am wont to do whenever I buy something).
- It's cruelty-free. Nice detail. I love animals.
Sherbet is similar to NARS Orgasm with its peach-pink, shimmery color while Blossom is a matte warm pink. The staying power of these blushes is amazing. I wore Sherbet in my TV guesting yesterday and it stayed on under the hot, glaring lights of the studio and a heat stroke-inducing walk to a restaurant for lunch. I applied the blush at 9am and was back home by 2pm - it was still there, with very minimal fading.
Satin-finish eyeshadows: Alabaster, Golden Beryl, Penny
Nude lip glosses: Brilliance, Glorious, Mesmerize
Blossom, Sherbet, Alabaster, Goldern Beryl, Penny
Brilliance has tacky copper glitter, Glorious has a pink tint and fine gold shimmer while Mesmerize is the most pigmented out of the three glosses, its texture close to being a lipstick. The color on my lips is a nude brown.
Has the right size for traveling with a huge mirror
Check out the detachable columns! You can remove the color pans by poking through that hole underneath. The shade name is printed on the bottom of the pan. If you want to travel light(er), you can just remove one column and place it in a smaller case its size.
What I don't like
- The palette can be difficult to open. I haven't gotten the knack of opening it on the first try! Boo.
- While the blushes and eyeshadows exceeded my expectations, the lip glosses are a downer. They're not bad, actually, since they give my lips a nice tint, but they're nothing special. They're not something I'd use everyday.
- This palette isn't really mineral makeup. Sadly. Check out the ingredients:
Verdict
If you ask me to recommend one item for a makeup beginner, I would definitely point her to the direction of this awesome palette. You can't beat the price for the quality and convenience that you're getting. Even if you're already a makeup maven, I would still recommend this because it's great for creating a prime or bridal look.
Run, don't walk! I only wish that Youngblood will also sell the Expressionism Collection, as I got the Romanticisim one. Hmm, I also wonder how much the refills cost. I'll check out Beauty Bar again.
