Review: Smashbox Cover Shot Palettes with Swatches

Excuse the broken piece in the above palette - when it arrived, it was smashed and sadly, I couldn't salvage it. *insert sad emoji face* However, a broken corner certainly didn't stop me from testing these newly released Cover Shot eyeshadow palettes from Smashbox. There were a handful of various ones released with this collection, but I naturally went for the ones with the most neutral and wearable tones. Most of the palettes were shimmer shades with a matte thrown in here and there, though as you can see from the below swatches they are a subtle shimmer. 

Golden Hour Eye Palette

Ablaze Eye Palette

Metallic Eye Palette

Out of all three, I found myself reaching for Ablaze the most simply because the color pay-off for that particular palette is much richer than the other two. The Metallic eye palette has many of the pale shades that I prefer to wear, but I did have to reapply a few times to build up the color. The Golden Hour Eye palette had a good selection of subtle lid colors, with the deeper shades being perfect as a liner or intense crease. They are quite compact and small so it makes them easier to tote or bring when traveling. I don't have too many Smashbox shadows (in fact, I don't think I have any) so I was definitely impressed by the quality and color payoff of each. 

*pr samples included

What are some of your favorite Smashbox products that you would recommend?

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Beauty Bits: My Favorite Alphabet Creams (BB and CC)

Alphabet creams - do we really understand them?  Do we really like them?  Well for awhile I was a little on the fence and a tad confused, but the longer they are around, the better they become and the more I fall in love.  BB or 'Blemish Balm' is designed to help perfect the skin and many have ingredients in them to help diminish break outs and treat the skin.  CC stands for 'color correct' and these creams are designed to help correct any discoloration and even out the skin tone.  I found myself drawn to them not only for their skincare/makeup hybrid formulations but for their finish, texture and way they made my skin feel.  Here is a look at the top 3 (and trust me, I have many more than that, so these are the cream of the crop) alphabet creams that, for me, stood out from the rest:

1. Cover FX CC Cream (c/o) - While this is the newest addition to my alphabet cream collection, it quickly rose through the ranks.  Great coverage, lightweight feel and a built in primer - I'm not sure this CC cream could be any more perfect.  An added bonus are the skincare properties that help to address and treat the signs of aging on the skin.  So while my night cream is helping me stay young forever while I sleep, now my makeup can do the same during my daily activities.

2. Loreal Magic Skin Beautifier BB Cream - This was my first BB/CC cream ever purchased and it still remains one of my favorites of all time.  The texture is unique to say the least, with a completely white cream that has a grainy-like feel that self adjusts to my skin tone.  The encapsulated pigments help to deliver the beautifying properties to hydrate, correct, even and perfect. And the finish on my skin is perfectly matte and can be worn either alone or under another foundation.  A super effective product at a drugstore/affordable price - is there anything better? I think not.  

3. Smashbox Camera Ready CC Cream - Once the CC creams began to emerge onto the beauty scene, this was the first one that I had the opportunity to try and fell in love with instantly.  The texture feels silky and when applied (for me) had an incredibly hydrating and refreshing feeling.  How it does that? I am not quite sure, and I know the color correcting, priming, neutralizing properties are worth mentioning but frankly the standout feature was the way it felt on my skin.  And with all that refreshment, you would think it may appear dewy or shiny but for my oily skin it dried down to a natural matte finish and helped to control oil throughout the day.  Not sure it gets any better than that. 

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