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NARS Narsissist Loaded Eyeshadow Palette Review

June 29, 2017

By now the NARSissist Loaded Eyeshadow Palette ($59 for 12 x 0.04 oz/ 1.4 g, made in USA) is old news but with this one I say better late than never. It’s a limited-edition eyeshadow palette that launched in the spring back in March. My first thoughts were that the colors would be too warm and dark for my taste – but every single time I went to Sephora (which was quite often) I couldn’t help but give it another look. This went on for months and I finally decided to cave and buy it. Overall it’s one of the darkest and warmest palettes I own but the pigment and texture is by far the best one I’ve tried in a long time, definitely one of the best from NARS.

The palette has a mix of mattes and shimmers. The mattes are incredibly soft and smooth. To date the best matte palettes I own are the Urban Decay Naked Basics and Naked2 Basics (both swatched here). The mattes in this palette are just as good but with warmer colors. Colors have a really good mix of light, medium and dark. The entire second row has colors I thought would be too warm for me but since I’m tan right now I find they work perfectly, especially when layered with the other shades in the palette.

Pigment is excellent for all the colors, except one. Montaillou (bottom brown matte) is the only one that goes on chalky with a regular eyeshadow brush. For me this one is best applied with a detail brush as a smokey line.

It comes in a sturdy mirrored compact with a gold mirrored lid on top (looks just like the packaging). The only complaint I have is that these lids show all the fingerprints, but it’s not a deal breaker and the packaging is actually really quite nice.

Colors and swatches:

Newbury Street is a pale white gold shimmer
Windsor is a matte cream, it’s perfect to even out my lids
Privilege is a shimmering gold
Dover is a matte taupe
Foix is a matte warm beige
Castille is a matte warm brown
Alnwick is a shimmering auburn
Beaumaris is a shimmering cool brown
Splendor is a metallic silvery taupe
Versailles is a shimmering bronze
Montaillou is a matte bark brown
Reale is a deep shimmering black

Quick look with Windsor, Privilege, Castille, Versailles, Montaillou layered and blended. Foundation is MAC Studio Fix Fluid in NC37. On the cheeks is NARS Orgasm Blush. On the lips is Bite Beauty Meringue Amuse Bouche with NARS Sweet Revenge Lip Gloss on top.

Bottom line love and I’m glad I bought it. It’s one of the best warm smokey palettes I’ve tried and one that will definitely be wearable year round. At $59 I feel it’s reasonably priced for a luxury palette. 100% worth the splurge and one I find every color one I would wear (even the warm ones!).

You can find the NARSissist Loaded Palette at most counters now. I bought mine at Sephora. Also available at NARS, Neiman Marcus, Nordstrom and Saks Fifth Avenue.

Have you tried this one yet? What’s your favorite warm smokey eyeshadow palette to date?

P.S. The Nordstrom Anniversary Sale is approaching and the catalog has been released! A sneak peek at some of the Beauty Exclusives on this page here. There will be a really cute NARS mini multiple set! Will be updating as I find out more information.

23 Comments

Becca Bronzer + Blush Highlighters

Becca x Chrissy Teigen Glow Face Palette Review + Swatches

May 19, 2017

Becca launched a new palette with Chrissy Teigen called the Becca x Chrissy Teigen Glow Face Palette ($46 for 15 g/0.53 oz) and it’s absolutely stunning. It has four colors for the face including two highlighters, a bronzer and a blush – I have loved them on both the face and eyes. For a palette I think the price point is fairly reasonable – it comes in a pretty girly rose gold compact with a glossy pink exterior.

A closer look at the palette and descriptions of the colors. All the shades have excellent pigment, smooth finish and blend beautifully on the skin. The color is easy to control for either a sheerer wash or pigmented color. All the shades look like they will be universally flattering. The shimmer is visible but not over the top.

Rose Gold Highlighter is peachy rose with gold shimmer
Hibiscus Bloom Blush is a soft warm pink with a hint of gold glow
Malibu Soleil Bronzer is a medium warm bronze
Beach Nectar is a pretty champagne peach

I did a quick look a few posts back with the Tatcha Cherry Blossom lips, I’ll repost here so you can see it:

A closer look, the shimmer is just so pretty!

If you think this palette looks similar to a lot of other highlighters or palettes you’re right. There are similarities so if you already own a lot of Becca products and don’t want duplicates you may want to shop your stash. That being said I do think this one is quite stunning.

Three sets of comparison swatches for you! Set 1 includes the Becca x Chrissy Teigen vs Becca x Jaclyn Hill (from last year):

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Set 2:

Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector Pressed in Champagne Pop (individual, review here)
Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector Pressed in Rose Gold (individual) – the Rose Gold in the palette seems a tiny bit darker than the individual one you can buy separately
Tom Ford Reflects Gilt (review here)

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Set 3:

NARS Banc de Sable Highlighter Palette (also reviewed here)
Becca Sunlit Bronzer in Bronzed Bondi (review here)
Becca Luminous Blush in Snapdragon (review here)

Bottom line, dupeable but still gorgeous. I see a lot of similarities between last year’s Becca collaboration with Jaclyn Hill and also with individual colors from the line. You can definitely get a similar look with other products but the convenience of having these in a single palette will be very handy for upcoming spring to summer travels. I ordered mine and have no regrets even though I have a few other Becca items. The quality and pigment is on point – it really is very very good. Also I think the price point makes this a reasonable buy.

The colors are perfect to brighten the face with a lovely flush of color and glow without being overdone or too frosty. I love that the shimmers aren’t harsh and that there is no yellow gold in them (they tend to look super harsh on my olive skin). I highly recommend this.

You can find the Becca x Chrissy Teigen Glow Face Palette now online and in stores at Sephora, Ulta Beauty, QVC and Becca Cosmetics. Have you checked this one out? What did you think?

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Charlotte Tilbury

Charlotte Tilbury Instant Look In a Palette Beauty Glow

May 12, 2017

Charlotte Tilbury’s latest in beauty is a new Instant Look In A Palette called Beauty Glow ($75, made in Italy). This is the darkest option of the three that have been released to date. Natural Beauty (reviewed here) was one that looked so pretty swatched on my arm but was too sheer to show up on my face. I ended up gifting it away. Seductive Beauty was launched last year with deeper options (review here) but I have not reached for it very often as I’ve found I still prefer her individual products, palette-wise I’ve found myself using the By Terry Sun Designer Palette #2 or Tom Ford Winter Soleil Palettes instead. The latest one in Beauty Glow is the best one yet. At first glance I suspected it would be too warm with the warm browns and rose gold shades but it’s actually just perfect. Quality wise everything is excellent, however I have mixed feelings about the face products. The pigment isn’t bad – just by comparison her individual Filmstar Bronze and Glows and her Cheek to Chic Blushes are so much better in terms of pigment and texture leaving me wanting a bit more for the palette. In general I feel the face products in her palettes are on the sheer side with a slightly powdery feel.

A closer look at the palette and color descriptions. These palettes are truly for the person on-the-go. It’s designed for a quick and easy look or for touch ups. It’s goof proof, simple in concept and super easy to use. If you’re into a super natural look, want as few steps as possible, but still want to look like you have some makeup on these palettes are definitely worth a look.

There are 3 eyeshadows with labeled numbers so you know what order to apply. The colors can be applied as a wash or gradient as they go from light to dark. Cheek options include bronzer/contour, two blush shades and a highlighter.

1 Eyeshadow is to brighten, it’s a shimmery peachy champagne color, I love this one!
2 Eyeshadow is a stunning shimmering copper shade, I want this in a larger pan, it has the right amount of warmth to be coppery-rose but doesn’t give me a red pink-eye look
3 Eyeshadow is a matte warm brown, pigment is excellent
4 Face is a bronze shade, it has a slight hint of shimmer but applies more like a matte
5 Cheek is a brown terracotta like blush, it looks scary in the pan but applies with a semi sheer finish and is easy to blend out
6 Cheek is a sheer coral pink with a hint of shimmer
7 Highlight is a pale off-white shimmer on my skin

Swatches with a medium hand:

Swatches with a heavier hand:

Quick five-minute face (if you exclude foundation and base application because that usually takes me a while):

Foundation is Diorskin Forever Perfect Foundation in 30 Medium Beige (I’m experimenting with both 30 and 31 as I’m changing color by the day, even 5 minutes of sun here is pretty intense but if I stay out of the sun for a couple days then I lose color just as fast as I darken)
Powder is Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless Finish #2 Medium
Cheeks and Eyes is the Palette in Beauty Glow
Brows have the Diorshow Brow Styler in Universal Brown + Charlotte Tilbury Legendary Brows in Super Model to keep them in place
Lip color combo is Charlotte Tilbury Lip Cheat in Iconic Nude and KISSING Lipstick in Hepburn Honey
Top by Caslon (for sizing reference I went with a PXS)

A quick look at Seductive Beauty vs Beauty Glow. For some reason this round I couldn’t fit all the swatches on one arm. I’ve done it before so I don’t know why I had so much trouble this round. You can see Seductive Beauty review in this post here.

One last look:

Overall thoughts are this is a good palette. I think that it is the best one she has launched to date. I love the shadows in this palette and wish I could buy them all separately. I’m going to have to hunt for a good dupe on the Eye #2 color because it’s just perfect. The cheek colors are smooth and have sheer to medium color payoff. Again I don’t think they are bad, it’s just that her individual face products are far superior in quality and texture (at least in my opinion) so by comparison they’re just ok. I think the entire set is worth the $75 price point for a combination of factors: color selection, pigment, convenience, ease of use and quality. That being said if there are only a handful of shades you like then I’d say pass and buy something you think you’ll use more of.

You can find the Charlotte Tilbury Instant Look in a Palette in Beauty Glow online at Charlotte Tilbury. Have you tried this yet? What did you think? If you have any rose-gold shadow favorites let me know! So far I still have and love the Urban Decay Naked3 which has some amazing rose shades but doesn’t have warm options. Always on the hunt for wearable rose-gold copper ones – they are hard to come by for me!

Beauty Glow Palette and Legendary Brows featured were press samples.

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Eye Makeup Sephora

Viseart Petite Pro Palette

April 17, 2017

Earlier in the year Viseart launched a new eyeshadow palette called the Petite Pro Palette ($30 for 8 x 0.026 oz/ powder-based shades). The packaging is similar to that of the Theory Palettes (reviewed here) with the magnetic cardboard casing and removable magnetic pans. The Petite Pro has mini pans of eyeshadow with a mix of matte and shimmer shades. I received in a gift bag at The Makeup Show Orlando last month and literally squealed when I saw this inside because I die for minis. I had passed on it when it first came out because I felt Minx and Honeymoon would be too similar to justify purchasing. After swatching it and playing with it, I confirmed these thoughts so if you own either of those you may want to shop your stash. (On the nails above is OPI Be There in a Prosecco.)

The Petite Pro Palette has four mattes and four shimmers. The quality, texture and pigment is excellent. I normally don’t gravitate towards really warm coppers or reddish purples because they tend to pull too warm on my olive skin, but the color mix in the Petite Pro is really good. Part of me looks at the palette and thinks this is really similar to what I already own, another part of me thinks it’s just really good for the color selection and convenience. If I had purchased it I don’t think I would have regretted it.

Colors inside the palette include a matte bone, matte medium brown, matte warm reddish plum brown, matte bark brown with grey tones, shimmering taupe, shimmering warm gold, shimmering copper, shimmering red plum. I think every color in the palette is wearable and gorgeous.

A look a the Petite Pro Palette compared to the Theory Palette in Minx below. The packaging is the same style, but the shape and dimensions are slightly different:

Petite Pro Palette on the left vs. Theory Palette in Minx on the right:

Swatch comparisons: Viseart Petite Pro vs Minx vs Honeymoon (previous reviews linked)

As you can see above I don’t really have exact dupes but both Minx and Honeymoon have very similar vibes. My heart belongs to Tom Ford Honeymoon although I do think either of the Viseart Palettes are nice because they have the matte options which offer more combinations.

Quick take on the Viseart Petite Pro is that it’s an excellent palette you can use for any occasion. It’s versatile and has a good mix of neutrals and some brighter/warmer shades to be more interesting than something like Urban Decay Naked2 (which I still really adore). That being said if you can’t do warm shades on the eyes because of your skintone or color preference, I would say opt for something like Viseart Cashmere Palette (swatched here), Urban Decay Naked2 (review here) or the MAC In the Flesh Palette (swatched here). I really like it but based on the number of palettes and shadows I own, I do think it’s similar to other palettes I have.

You can find the Viseart Petite Pro Palette at Sephora. Have you tried this yet or the Theory Palettes? What did you think?

Palette gifted from The Makeup Show.

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Bronzer + Blush By Terry Highlighters

By Terry Sun Designer Palette Savannah Love

April 1, 2017

Happy Saturday! I have a weekend post for you today because I don’t want you to miss out on a new launch from By Terry. Today Beautylish is launching two new Sun Designer Palettes ($82 for 15 g/0.53 oz, made in Italy) from the By Terry Tropical Break collection and they have a 2-week early exclusive. If you signed up for their early access page the palettes will be available at 9:00 AM PST and 11:00 AM for the public. I have one of the new ones to feature today, Savannah Love #4 and it’s stunning. A quick look at their early access page shows that Savannah Love is the lighter option of the two new ones and I’m grateful that Beautylish sent one for me to preview.

I previously featured the first two Sun Designer Palettes #1 Tan and Flash Cruise and #2 Light and Tan Vibes last year (how time flies!). You can see swatches and a review in my original post. The new palettes this year have the same size packaging and pans but the embossed texture has a more summery vibe to resemble a palm print. Also the dividers in this season’s launch are gold-colored versus the black dividers. If you’re looking for a really pretty summer glow Savannah Love #4 will give you a natural flush of color. It has a mix of textures and shades to be versatile for eyes and cheeks.

Colors:

Shimmering soft pink
Shimmering warm gold
Berry satin (shimmer is very subtle)
Satiny-matte light nude cool pink (love this color)
Satiny-matte nude warm pink
Soft shimmering cool bronze

Pigment is medium-rich but soft and buildable. Textures are similar to that of the first two in the sense they are extremely soft and smooth powders that feel of high quality. Since they are powders there will be some powder kick up but there’s very minimal fall out once you apply to the face. They meld with the skin nicely, blend smoothly, don’t emphasize pores and last all day without fading.

Close ups and swatches:

Because I know so many of you will ask, I swatched the three I have side by side. There are six colors per palette so I had a hard time getting them to all fit on the arm in larger swatches. I do think that Savannah Love #4 is different enough for both sides to justify buying even if you already own #1 and #2. I will say that the Light and Tan Vibes is my favorite out of the three. Also a quick note that I’ve been out in the sun so my body is already at least 1 maybe 2 shades darker as I’ve been experimenting with different sunscreens while outside. My face is still the same color as I’ve been using SPF50. I didn’t have time to photograph a beauty look this round – it was a toss up between swatching and photographing comparisons + brushes or a look. I felt that comparisons would be more helpful this round.

My favorite is #2 and I think it will suit a wide range of skin tones. If you have medium-tan to deep I think you’ll find that #1, #4 or even #3 (not featured) will be more up your alley for a pretty summery look!

Another note since many of you have asked about pan size. Yes it’s inevitable that you’ll mix colors with a face brush. You can still dip a smaller brush into an individual color without mixing if you’re careful. The beauty of these palettes is that even if you mix the result is still pretty. I personally like to swirl my brush in either the right half or left half and then apply on the face. If you’re in search for some smaller detail brushes I hope this helps.

Shown above includes: Chanel Blush Brush, Wayne Goss Brush 02, MAC Duo Fiber 188, Wayne Goss Holiday 2016 (discontinued), Wayne Goss #14 (part of his new Face Set, sold out but they will restock), Charlotte Tilbury Powder and Sculpt Brush.

A few more thoughts on Savannah Love. Out of the three I have, the new Savannah Love does feel like it has more variety in color and texture. You can swirl 2 or more the colors together. If I take a smaller brush I can separate the colors for individual application. I like that the lighter shades help to blend or soften harsh edges while still adding color. The darkest bronze shade is a little bit dark to wear on the face alone for me but if I swirl it with other shades it works for the cheeks. I find it really subtle on the eyes as eyeshadow. If you like color but don’t want something super bright go with #4 Savannah Love. If you want more pop and color go with #1 Tan and Flash Cruise. If you want something more natural go with #2 Light and Tan Vibes (love love love this one!). There’s no detectable scent.

Bottom line another solid launch from By Terry. I haven’t explored much of recent launches since I’m still working my way through a lot of her products, in particular the tinted Baume de Rose (I love Coral Stellar and Fig Fiction). The prices are very high but worth the splurge.

You can find the new By Terry Sun Designer Palettes on Beautylish (launching today!). If you’ve tried these what did you think? If not what are you wearing for a summery cheek look right now? Or are you waiting for summer launches?

Many thanks to Beautylish for sending Savannah Love for review.

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Bronzer + Blush NARS Sephora

NARSissist Unfiltered Cheek Palettes I and II

December 21, 2016

NARS has two new cheek palettes called the NARSissist Unfiltered Cheek Palettes I and II ($59 each for 0.12 oz / 3.5g x6). These launched early at Sephora for as a Cyber Monday sneak preview for spring launches and I ordered them sight unseen. Update: back in stock now at Sephora but you can enter your email for notification for when they are back in stock. Right now you can find both online at NARS Cosmetics. They launch officially at other counters starting February 1st.

I’ve been a long time NARS fan and I love blush and highlighters. Both of these palettes have good-sized pans, pigment and texture is very good across all colors, and the color options in each are excellent. That being said NARS has released quite a few cheek palettes this year so if you already own other palettes or individual shades I suspect you will have a lot of similar colors or dupes and may want to shop your stash. Each palette has a mix of matte and shimmers shades for blush along with a few lighter colors that can be used as highlighters. These have a colorful tinted cover and come in a very sturdy mirrored compact.

Unfiltered I has deeper and darker tones with a bold vibe. The top three shades in the palette are easy for me to wear for my medium-toned olive skin (for reference I mix NARS Velvet Matte Skin Tints in Groenland and St. Moritz). The bottom three colors are really dark and bold on my skin and I have to use with a super light hand or blend like crazy otherwise they are too dark for my complexion. Colors include:

Watch Me a shimmering light gold
Me First a shimmering soft peach
Takeover a gorgeous bronze nude shimmer (can they please make this in a single?!)
Out There is a matte deep reddish brown
Chic is a matte plum
Exhibit A is a bright vibrant red

Unfiltered II has lighter cooler tones. Pigment is good but if you are tan to deep these may not show up on you as the colors pull on the lighter side. For me this palette is easier to wear for everyday. Colors are:

Conquest a matte baby pink that darkens after it sets
Undefeated looks like a medium babydoll pink in the pan, on my skin it applies more like a highlighter
Power Play is a medium matte cool pink
Hot Sand is a champagne shimmer highlighter (also reviewed here)
Fame is a satiny peach
Candid is a raspberry shimmer

For size comparison, here is a full size blush pan shown below from the Pro Palette Format, the NARSissist Cheek Studio Palette from Spring 2016, a Chanel Blush Brush and Charlotte Tilbury Powder Sculpt Brush.

Two quick looks:

Foundation is NARS Velvet Matte Skin Tint in Groenland and St. Moritz mixed
Powder is Laura Mercier Candleglow #2
Concealer is Laura Mercier Candleglow #1 and #2 mixed
Brows are the Diorshow Browstyler
Right Look = Unfiltered I Palette with the top three shades mixed in Watch Me, Me First and Takeover with Exhibit A on top, lips are Tom Ford Moisturecore Lip Color in Pipa (reviewed here and here)
Left look is Unfiltered II with Conquest + Power Play on the cheeks, Chanel Rouge Allure Gloss in Sensible on the Lips

One last look:

Bottom line both are solid performers. In previously released NARS palettes the texture can be hit or miss with some shades, but with both of the Unfiltered Cheek Palettes colors and highlighters have consistent quality, pigment and are easy to layer/blend. If you already splurged on other NARS palettes this year you may want to shop your stash. My personal favorite this year is still the NARSissist Dual Intensity Cheek Palette (you can still find it at Nordstrom reviewed and swatched in this post here). Still both of these new launches from NARS have a good mix of colors and finishes in a palette which make them convenient for travel.

Both are limited-edition. I ordered mine from Sephora but you can find them now at NARS Cosmetics. Launching everywhere else later this spring starting February.

Did you try these yet? What did you think?

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Highlighters Hourglass Cosmetics

Hourglass Ambient Strobe Lighting Blush Palette

December 9, 2016

For holiday Hourglass Cosmetics launched a new limited-edition palette called the Ambient Strobe Lighting Blush Palette ($62 for 3 x 0.09 oz/ 2.55 g). It launched as a Sephora VIB Rouge Exclusive on Cyber Monday and I ordered it as soon as it popped up online. This palette combines the illuminating particles from the Strobe Lighting Powders mixed with Blush Pigments for a radiant glow. Those familiar with Hourglass powders from the Ambient Lighting Line already know the powders are hand made with a special mixing technique which makes every powder different and unique. The colors in each palette will all similar to each other based on the formula but there will be slight variations in depth of color depending on how much highlighter your palette has versus blush pigment.

I’ve acquired almost all of the Hourglass Ambient Lighting Palettes (all except for holiday 2015) and a number of individual colors. The latest Ambient Strobe Lighting Blush Palette is the most glowy out of all the palettes and powders I’ve tested, even more so than the Ambient Strobe Lighting Powders (reviewed here).

Texture and pigment in this palette is ultra smooth and glowy without being frosty. There are three colors, Incandescent Electra is supposed to be the same as the one available individually, but the ones I have from the original 2014 blush palette and one I have in individual form are different from this season’s palette. The Incandescent Electra in my Ambient Strobe Lighting Blush Palette is significantly more glowy but the color is the same if that makes sense. Descriptions per Hourglass’s website:

INCANDESCENT ELECTRA: A cool peach blush blended with Incandescent Strobe Light for a celestial glow.
BRILLIANT NUDE (NEW): A deep amber blush blended with Brilliant Strobe Light for a lustrous glow.
EUPHORIC FUSION (NEW): A soft lilac blush blended with Euphoric Strobe Light for a resplendent glow.

On my medium complexion, the colors in the palette I purchased are all more like highlighters on my skin versus blushes. Yours may vary depending on the swirl you have and also differ if you have different skintone. Close up and swatches:

Comparisons to the other two palettes I have:

Top – the Ambient Lighting Blush Palette (review from 2014)
Middle – the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale 2016 exclusive (review here)
Bottom – Holiday 2016 Ambient Strobe Lighting Blush Palette

Comparison swatches:

Overall a lovely addition to the Hourglass Ambient Lighting line. Even though I already own Incandescent Electra the one in this palette has more glow and shimmer compared to previous versions that I own. It is on the glowy side so the colors are more highlighter than blush on my skin. I wasn’t able to swatch comparisons to the other holiday launch Ambient Lighting Edit Palette in Surreal Light (review here) before I left for my trip however I will say that between the two I prefer the larger one for the colors. Both palettes are different enough to justify both if you don’t mind having a lot of blush or highlighter.

Bottom line I love it and the glimmer in each of the powders is perfect for adding a bit of a nice holiday glow on the eyes or cheeks. They layer well with other blushes (both powders and creams), meld nicely with the skin and don’t emphasize my pores like some highlighters can do if they have lots of shimmer. Whether or not you’ll like this will most likely depend on your skintone. On fair to light skins the colors will most likely show up more. On my medium olive toned skin the color shows up o arm swatches but once on my face, Brilliant Nude and Euphoric Fusion are more highlighter-like and almost nude in the sense that they give a glow rather than a tint like blush. My MAC shade right now is about an NC30 in the MAC Studio Fix Fluid Foundation (swatched here with other foundation shades). Note that since I tan easily I fluctuate in color by a few shades on a regular basis depending on how much sun I’ve been exposed to. How this palette shows up your skin will also depend on how much pigment your palette has swirled in compared to strobe powders.

You can find the Hourglass Ambient Strobe Lighting Blush Palette now online exclusively at Sephora. I ordered mine online. At this time I’m not sure if will launch at other retailers.

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