BareMinerals’ Wild Orchid

Rich metallic purple. Similar to TKB's Grape Pop, but a little more vivid and with a more definite metallic finish.

Silk Naturals’ Duct Tape

A very pale blue, almost a cool grey with blue tones and a very faint amount of shimmer. The finish is more like a roughened pearl. The color doesn't blend especially well, but makes a good near-neutral to offset richer shades.

BareMinerals’ Grand Illusion

Not the very best performer in this kit, and I've seen better matte soft blacks from other companies. But…not tons better. And I've certainly come across worse performers. If I use a primer and a mixing medium, it applies and stays in place very well. I don't have such...

Llarowe’s Show Off

This was my least favorite of the Show Me colors from Llarowe. It is a multichrome, but the colorshift isn't as pronounced as in the green/blue/purple polishes. Still, it's good to have warm-toned multichromes in the collection. Other than my liking the comparatively subtle colorshifts, this polish performs...

CND’s Vinylux Sunbleached (165)

I didn’t know if I’d like this color. The shade looked nice, but I haven’t had the very best luck with yellow polishes. I bought this one, though, and gave it a shot. It’s a nicer bleached-bright (not quite pale enough to be a pastel, but...

Shiro Cosmetics’ Team Blue and Black

Maybe a bit too saturated/blackened for some folks’ comfort. But it makes an absolutely gorgeous rich blue smoked-eye. Reminds me a bit of Aromaleigh v1’s Drama Blue, but with a bit more blue and less emphasis on the blackening. (And not quite as metallic a finish.)

Sephora’s Colorful Shadow & Liner collection

Vaguely similar to the Contour Shadow Liners - just broader, and not always quite as opaque. They apply well, and set very nicely…though if you have oily lids, you’ll definitely want to use a primer underneath to keep them in place. The collection started with just over 20 colors,...

BareMinerals’ The Incredible Mixologist kit

Where most of the BE kits in the 2014 holiday season don’t do much for me because I already own most or all of the colors…this one caught my attention. Six new loose-powder colors, at full size, sounded fairly good. The shades looked like a nice mix, too -...

MAC’s Mauvement pigment

Shiro Cosmetics’ When the Thrush Knocks