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?
Viseart launched three new eyeshadow palettes called Theory Palettes ($45 each for 0.42 oz, available at Muse Beauty Pro and Sephora). I was able to get a preview of these at The Makeup Show back in March. I had high hopes that I could purchase them at the show but they only had testers to play with so I pre-ordered them and was excited when they finally arrived for me to play with. There are three color options and I ordered all three. Each option comes in a compact cardboard flip top packaging with a magnetic closure. Each palette has 6 colors (3 matte finish, 3 shimmers) with removable magnetic pans. Shown below from left to right:
Chroma is the cool-toned option with a pale sheer white, medium-dark charcoal, deep matte black, shimmering cool silver-taupe, shimmering cool steel, shimmering gunmetal
Cashmere is the neutral palette with a light-medium cream beige, medium coffee brown, deep matte brown, shimmering champagne, shimmering soft neutral-cool tan, shimmering medium cool-taupe
Minx is the warmest option with a matte camel, warm sienna brown, warm deep reddish brown matte, shimmering golden sand, shimmering orange, shimmering plum red
All three have extremely good pigment. Finishes and textures are similar to that of the shadows in the 12 Pan Palettes (Neutral Matte and Sultry Muse reviewed here). The mattes are on the hard side but apply smoothly and blend easily. The shimmers are buttery soft and powdery but blend with incredible ease. All the colors are easy to work with and layer together – you can mix shades between palettes or for convenience stick with the shades in a single palette.
A quick look at the packaging – at the show, Viseart founder Anastasia Van Dusen demonstrated how the packaging is designed with certain folds and closures so you can hold them in your hand like an artists palette (as shown in the top photograph) which I found quite clever. Below the new Theory Palettes next to the 12 Pan Palettes.
A closer look at the palettes plus a few comparison swatches. First a look at the palettes in different lighting, first is without flash but in direct sunlight:
In natural indoor light:
Chroma is the cool-toned option perfect for that traditional gunmetal smokey eye look.
Swatched below next to Tom Ford Titanium Smoke which I find similar in color. I’ve found Titanium Smoke to be a staple as far as traditional smokey eye palettes go. For my coloring I find it hard to wear cool-toned whites, greys and silvers all over the eye because they end up looking ashy on my skin. Viseart Chroma has a more conservative feel while the shades in Tom Ford’s have more glitz (two of the shades are very sparkly/almost glitters).
Chroma works on my skin as long as I use the two lightest shades with a light hand. I prefer a warmer base for the lighter colors and like to work the darker cool-tones on top. Chroma performs really well – I just can’t wear cool-tones easily. Out of the two, I can’t pick a favorite.
Cashmere is the neutral option, but on my skintone it actually pulls more cool-toned. Many neutral palettes look simply that – neutral on most skintones, but when I apply them on mine they pull cool. Out of the three this is my favorite option.
Below compared to Urban Decay Naked Basics (one of my top 2 matte palettes, the other being Naked2 Basics) and Tom Ford Nude Dip (one of my top picks for neutral shimmers). My heart still belongs to both the UD and TF ones – they work perfectly with my coloring and as you can see they really pull more neutral on my skintone while the Viseart Cashmere pulls a bit more cool-toned in the swatches.
Although Cashmere may seem like a repeat of other shades, I do think if there’s any out of the three I would call a must, Cashmere would be it. It offers the best of both worlds in terms of mattes and shimmers. It has enough color to show up on the lids and there is enough difference in the colors that they won’t all look the same if you apply all 6 on the eyes.
Minx is the most stunning option out of the three – the colors are absolutely breathtaking. I’m learning to wear orange shadows so this one has taken me a bit of work to learn how to use. I really like it so far though.
Below compared to Tom Ford Honeymoon and Charlotte Tilbury The Dolce Vita. By comparing all three, there are 2 shades in Viseart Minx that are almost identical to Tom Ford Honeymoon. I think Viseart Minx is very different from the Charlotte Tilbury Dolce Vita but the overall color theme seems to have a similar vibe.
One final look at the palette packaging:
I think all three are solid performers. The colors are well coordinated for an easy look depending on your color preferences, cool, neutral or warm. I like that they each offer a wide range from light to medium to deep colors and especially like the fact they each have 3 mattes and 3 shimmers. It makes it very convenient to create a wide range of looks without being overwhelming like palettes with more than 6 shades can be. Out of all the Viseart Palettes I’ve tried (which is 5 to date), I still think Sultry Muse has the most special place in my heart. As mentioned in my previous review, if you have been wanting to try Viseart Palettes but get overwhelmed with eyeshadow palettes that have more than 6 shades, these are the perfect way to start.
I’ve been playing with the shades in each of the palettes – sticking to combinations within each palette. I’ve found that they work best when layered over a creamy base like Laura Mercier Caviar Sticks or Edward Bess Illuminating Eye Base. They work well with a dry or slightly damp brush on the eyes. Lasting power is excellent – they last all day without fall out or fading. As with most powder shadows there will be a tiny bit of fall out when you apply them – but it’s easy to clean up.
As shown above in the comparison swatches you may find similar shades in your collection (even if you don’t have the palettes shown) so you may want to shop your stash. I hope the swatches and reviews help you make your ordering decisions since at this time I think you can only find these online. Even though I have dupes I have no regrets buying any. If I had to do it over again, I would have skipped Chroma, but I knew after swatching it at The Makeup Show there would be a really good chance it would pull very cool-toned on my skin.
You can find the Viseart Theory Palettes online now exclusively at Muse Beauty Pro and Sephora. I hope they will be available at more locations soon.
Have you tried these yet? If so what did you think?
I’ve been curious about Viseart Eyeshadow Palettes ($80 each for 24 g/0.84 oz, made in France) for quite some time (probably for a few years now) and finally splurged on my first in Sultry Muse and Neutral Matte two last month at The Makeup Show from the Muse Beauty Pro booth (haul + recap of the 2016 show in this post here). I purchased mine at a discount (most booths offer some kind of discount at these shows) and have been thrilled with both. Each palette has 12 eyeshadows which are extremely pigmented and smooth in finish. For quick reference you can find these palettes at a number of retailers online, the main ones I’ve shopped from include Beautylish, Sephora and Muse Beauty.Pro.
It took me a long time to splurge on these because of a few factors. I didn’t have in person access to these and although there are a number of excellent reviews online I wanted to test in person before splurging. I played with them for the first time at IMATS earlier this year but decided to wait and think about them. To date my favorite eyeshadow palettes are the Urban Decay Naked Eyeshadow Palettes for color, pigment and convenience – they have my favorite easy to wear neutrals and I feel they are priced reasonably. The Viseart Eyeshadow Palettes by comparison are a lot more expensive and the color palettes seem to be more for professional use for the pro makeup artist rather than for an everyday consumer like myself. The colors are beautiful but there are a few of the warmer tones I was hesitant about wearing. I decided to give these a chance and have no regrets. They are really quite amazing.
Up first is Viseart Neutral Matte. This has all matte neutrals with the exception of one burnt orange shade. I’m not one to wear anything orange makeup-wise but this particular color does amazing things when layered. I’ve learned from using a few of the Le Metier de Beaute Kaleidoscopes that the colors I consider odd look really amazing when layered over other shades. The shadows in the Netural Matte palette have a slightly harder texture than most other shadows I use but the pigment is excellent and they apply smoothly on the skin and blend flawlessly. By comparison the Urban Decay Naked Basics and Naked2 Basics are a lot softer in texture and are more on the neutral-cool side while the Viseart Neutral Matte. A look at the palette in two different light settings:
In direct sun, no flash:
Indoor natural light:
Descriptions by row, Top Row:
Medium caramel beige
Medium vanilla cream
Light beige with a slight pink tone
Pale white
Middle Row:
Cool bark brown
Burnt sienna orange
Medium warm brown
Neutral cool brown
Bottom Row:
Matte cool toned black
Dove blue grey
Cool grey
Cool-toned taupe
Swatches:
Texture and blendability are excellent – there are a lot of colors to choose from. I’ve been playing with this using 4-5 shades max at any given time. Long time readers know I’m not a fan of matte eyeshadows in general but these perform really well. I’ve found they work well over the Laura Mercier Caviar Eye Sticks (I love Rose Gold) or Edward Bess Illuminating Eyeshadow Base. They aren’t the kind I can use on a bare eye – there has to be some kind of prep or dewy primer to help the colors adhere but that is usually the case with any matte eyeshadow for me. Lasting power is excellent – they stay put from morning to late evening without fading or fall out.
Next up is Sultry Muse. This one has all shimmer eyeshadows – some are a tiny bit glittery while others are more of a frost. There were a few plum and warm pink tones I didn’t think I could pull off but when they are are layered with the other cooler tones the result is really quite pretty. Layering can create a wide range of looks. A look at the palette + descriptions and a quick eye look.
In direct sun + flash you can see the sparkle and glow:
Indoor natural light, no flash you can see the base and undertone better:
Top Row:
Shimmering white pearl
Shimmering medium tan beige
Pale champagne beige with tiny silver glitters
Sandy gold champagne with gold flecks
Middle Row:
Warm pink shimmer
Bronze shimmer
Shimmering orange
Warm plum rose shimmer
Bottom Row:
Sparkling cool silver
Shimmering soft rose
Gunmetal black shimmer
Shimmering soft yellow gold
Since some of these these have complex shimmers – colors can look different depending on how the light reflects. This palette looks different in so many different review posts – I think this shows how incredibly versatile it is because it works with a wide range of skintones to create truly unique looks. I have swatches with flash and without to show the complexity.
With flash:
No flash, natural light:
Quick eye look, no flash, in natural light. Shades used include the four shades in the middle row and the two middle shades from the top row to blend:
I give both of these a thumbs up and even though they have that professional makeup artist feel they are still wearable for everyday. That being said if you find 12 colors in a palette overwhelming or find any of the combinations have a few colors you might not wear at all, you might want to consider trying out the new Viseart Theory Palettes ($45 each) instead (online now at Muse Beauty.Pro, coming soon to Sephora). They have 6-pans each with 3 mattes and 3 shimmers, they come in a slightly different packaging, and the color themes make them more wearable for everyday. I just received mine that I pre-ordered at The Makeup Show and will have a review in the next week or so, but the texture is phenomenal, colors are on point, and they perform really well – but if you want to know right now if I prefer the 6 pan or the 12 pans, I will say right now that I prefer the packaging style of the 12 pans, but for the color selection if I had to pick, I prefer the 6 pans. I still think Sultry Muse is excellent though.
For application I tested a number of brushes and found natural hair brushes work the best, at least for me. Synthetics work on the shimmers if you dip the brush and pat on the lids, but if you apply in sweeping motions the natural hair brushes pick up pigment the best. Ones I really like include the MAC 239, Wayne Goss 18, Wayne Goss 6 and Wayne Goss 30.
Both the Sultry Muse and Neutral Matte offer a good mix of colors to create a wide variety of wearable looks for day or night. If you’re looking for a palette of eyeshadows that aren’t too neutral but at the same time aren’t too bold, these offer a good in-between option. Each offers a good mix of warm and cool shades which I think makes these extremely versatile to wear with a number of lip and cheek combinations. If I had to pick one I would say since I prefer shimmer eyeshadows Sultry Muse wins as my favorite.
You can find the Viseart Eyeshadow Palettes for $80 each at a number of retailers online, including Beautylish, Sephora and Muse Beauty.Pro. Have you tried Viseart Eyeshadow Palettes before? If so which ones have you tried and what did you think?
I attended The Makeup Show LA last weekend and it was one of the best makeup events I’ve attended. This year they had over 150 brands at the show – I love events like these that support beauty professionals in so many aspects. If are able to attend one I highly recommend you do. In recent years they’ve expanded their stops to some additional cities with pop-ups. Full calendar and list of upcoming shows on their website The Makeup Show. This was my second year attending although they’ve been making an appearance in LA for ten years now.
Urban Decay Cosmetics made an appearance this year with their full line available (items were offered at a 30% pro discount). Most of the brands offered generous discounts during the show for professionals to stock their makeup kits or explore new launches (some like Kevyn Aucoin offered discounts of 40% off). In the excitement of being able to swatch and play with so many things I neglected to take as many photos of the show as I had hoped, but here are a few I hope you will enjoy.
In the morning I attended the Press Preview where The Makeup Show Director of Artist Relations and Education James Vincent gave us an overview of show highlights, new product launches along with some inspirational thoughts about the business of beauty, building your own brand and the importance of knowing how to merging art and commerce.
A look at some of the booths, first is Kevyn Aucoin. They had the new Featherlight Collection for spring available along with the full line of makeup and brushes. I had their Sensual Skin foundation on my wishlist to try out but did not want to wait to get matched at the show.
Inglot booth:
Sephora Collection booth was very busy with lots to explore, pro discount offered at the show was 30% off so I picked up another of my favorite foundation brush and a few of the matte lip products:
Scott Barnes was showcasing their new Multi Media Liquid makeup, based on the raves from several of you, I did get a color match and picked up the shade Creme Fraiche. I haven’t tested it yet, but will have to see in natural light if the match was indeed correct. They also had mini Body Blings which I wish I had picked up one to try out, but since I don’t usually use body shimmers, it’s probably not a huge miss.
I’ve been a huge fan of the MustaeV Lustrous Cream Base and Skinny Tint Foundation. They are expanding their color selection for the foundation since it only comes in three colors right now. I was hoping they would have the new shades available at the show, but they won’t be launched for a few more months. If you’d like a review now of what I do have – let me know in the comments.
Nigel’s Beauty Emporium is a beauty supply store – at the show they had some of the best values and discounts. I stocked up on beautyblenders last year and did again. They had a Beautyblender Propack of 6 pink (or white) beautyblenders + the solid cleanser for $64 at the show (listed price on their website is $80). Individual blenders were on discount for $16 each. They also had a large number of mixed sets. If you’re in the LA area they have a store in West Hollywood and carry a wide range of brands like Anastasia, Ben Nye, Artis, Becca, Black Up, Make Up For Ever etc.
NARS also had their own booth with the full line. The Laguna Tahiti Collection was available for purchase at the show so I picked up several of the new items as they were available at a pro discount (I can’t locate my receipt at the moment but it was either 30 or 40%).
Kat Von D Beauty had amazing bundles at discounted prices on their Shade + Light collection, but the line was insanely long, I took a few photos from outside the line area:
Viseart has three new eyeshadow palettes launching exclusively at MUSE Beauty Pro at the end of the month called Theory Palettes ($45 each). I was hoping they would have these available for purchase at the show, but they only had the testers to play with. The texture and pigment is amazing. You can pre-order them from their website now (estimated ship date is end of March). MUSE Beauty Pro has the exclusive for 3 months on these palettes. I’ve never tried any of the Viseart palettes before – the pro discount at the show was 30% off so I was thrilled to buy my first two last weekend.
Beautylish had some of the Natasha Denona items on display. I was hoping they would have the entire line available to play with like they did at IMATS Los Angeles, however the selection was a bit more limited this round. A look at all the Natasha Denona Blush Duos.
For those curious about what I hauled, here is the loot. I did haul more than I had planned – some of the 30% to 40% off discounts were just too good to pass!
Items shown above listed below, items purchased by me except for a few press samples noted:
Beautyblender Pro Pack from Nigel’s Beauty Emporium – my friend and I are splitting up the 6 pack
London Brush Company Vegan Brush Shampoo and Goat Milk Brush Shampoo – I’ve never tried either, the reps said the Vegan is better suited for synthetic brushes and the Goat Milk is best for natural hair brushes
I’ll be reviewing items as I work my way through testing them. I did pre-order the new Viseart Palettes at the show and will be swatching as soon as they arrive (estimated ship date is 3/30). I’m always looking to try new brush cleansers so I’m excited to try some of the ones I picked up at the show – I know many of you love baby shampoo, I used to use it, but I feel like these days it just leaves a film on my brushes that I cannot rinse off properly.
Did you visit The Makeup Show LA last weekend? Or do you have plans to attend on in another city later this year?
