Pure Anada Loose Mineral Shadows Review

I've seriously fallen in love with Pure Anada makeup. I think that it's fantastic value for money, Canadian made, clean ingredients, and pigmented. Their *Luminous Mineral Powder Eye Shadows are no exception to this.

L to R: Caribbean & Pearl

Description: Finely milled micas impart an illuminating glow. Apply them dry for soft, subtle color, or wet for more vibrant intensity. Have fun! Be creative! Deep shades can be used as shadows or eye liners. Shades are marked as neutral, cool, and warm to help you find the ones that best suit you.

Caribbean is a beautiful vibrant blue that I'd likely use as a liner for a fun look. I'm not very adventurous with my eye shadow, but I'm sure there are a variety of looks that you can create using this fierce blue. Pearl is my absolute favourite of the two. I use it in my inner corner, brow bone, cheeks, cupids bow, etc. It's basically my all over highlighter. Both are very pigmented, apply beautifully, and last most of the day depending on where you put it. If you have oily lids, and apply it there, it likely won't last all day without creasing. The texture is buttery and light, yet is easily built up or sheered out and can be applied dry or wet. The jars are pretty big and will last forever. Not much else to say about these beauties! I highly recommend checking them out if you're a fan of loose shadows.

Retails for $8 CAN for a 1g sifter jar. Can be purchased through Pure Anada or any of their retailers.

Do you prefer pressed or loose shadows?

Top to Bottom: Peal & Caribbean

Ingredients: Mica, Iron Oxides, Ultramarines, May contain: Titanium Dioxide
*Product sent for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

Rave Review: Pure Anada Pressed Eye Colour & Pressed Cheek Colour

If you've read my reviews on the Pure Anada *Sheer Matte Pressed Foundation and *African Gold, then you'll already know that they are a Canadian brand and that I'm beyond impressed with their products. That being said, it comes as no surprise that I'm head over heels for their *Pressed Eye Colour and *Pressed Cheek Colour as well. Shall we just get on with the review? I think so!

Cheek Colour Description: We’re pleased to bring you a lovely selection of convenient pressed mineral colours! You’ll love the silky texture and longevity of our 7 wearable cheek colours. Mineral pigments and organic Jojoba are pressed together to create a natural makeup product. You can have confidence that you are making a beautiful, healthy choice! I received Bronzed Clove. 

Eye Colour Description: We’re pleased to bring you a lovely selection of convenient pressed mineral colours! You’ll love the silky texture and longevity of our 20 wearable shades. Mineral pigments and organic Jojoba are pressed together to create a natural makeup product. You can have confidence that you are making a beautiful, healthy choice! I received Whisper, Mirage, Blackberry & Onyx. 

• Demi-Matte shadows are a combination of opaque matte minerals and luminous satin mica. This provides both true colour and a light-reflecting finish.
• Matte shadows are soft, silky shadows that do not exude any sheen whatsoever.

Both products come in the same cardboard sleeves as the foundation, which is recyclable, practical and not bulky whatsoever. You can then put the individual pans in the Pure Anada magnetic palette or your own (ex. Zpalette). I personally like that idea, however, some may not so keep that in mind when purchasing. On the plus side, their magnetic palette is quite compact which is great for travelling. It fits 1 cheek colour and 1 foundation, OR 1 cheek colour and 4 shadows, OR 8 shadows.

Cardboard Sleeve

Magnetic Palette

Bronzed Clove is a really pretty pigmented bronzed, almost copper shade. I haven't played much with it on my cheeks and I can't see it being the best of contour shades, however, I have used it as a shadow and love it all over the lid and in the crease. My lids are oily and so it doesn't wear that long without a primer. I will try wearing Bronzed Clove on my cheeks while on vacation and report back on longevity. If you're a bronzed cheek gal, I think you'll really love this! If you're not, then there's 6 other beautiful shades to choose from. Totally eyeing Day Lily, just saying.

These pressed shadows are so pretty and I'm in love with the shades that I received. They're all demi-matte which "are a combination of opaque matte minerals and luminous satin mica", have great pigmentation, are buttery soft, and apply like a dream. Whisper is a fantastic highlight and all over lid colour, I tend to wear this one most often because it just brightens up my eyes. Mirage is lovely all over the lid and as a crease colour. Blackberry is just beautiful! I mean, who doesn't love a rich, true purple? I enjoy wearing this on my lash line for a pop of colour, in the crease, and to smoke out and tone down a smokey eye. Onyx isn't as pigmented as the others, however, I do like to use it to set my liner (whenever I actually wear liner). Again, my lids are oily and therefore wear time isn't that long. With a primer it lasts pretty much all day (7 hours or so), without a primer it lasts maybe a couple of hours. Pressed shadows are my favourite because they're easy to travel with, less messy, can be easily applied with fingers or brushes, and can be stored in a palette (less clutter). I highly, highly recommend these affordable shadows and already have my eye on a couple more shades.

The Pressed Cheek Colour retails for $12 CAN,  Pressed Eye Colour retails for $8 CAN, & the reusable palette retails for $5 CAN. You can purchase them through Pure Anada, Serenity on the Humber Day Spa, and any one of their retailers.

Will you be trying any of Pure Anada's makeup? What would you like to try most?

Left, top to bottom: Bronzed Clove, Whisper, Mirage, Blackberry, & Onyx

Left, top to bottom: Bronzed Clove, Whisper, Mirage, Blackberry, & Onyx

Left to right: Bronzed Clove, Whisper, Mirage, Blackberry, & Onyx

Bottom to top: Bronzed Clove, Whisper, Mirage, Blackberry, & Onyx

Bottom to top: Bronzed Clove, Whisper, Mirage, Blackberry, & Onyx

Left to right: Bronzed Clove, Whisper, Mirage, Blackberry, & Onyx

Cheek Colour Ingredients: Mica (CI 77019), Iron Oxides (CI 77492, CI 77499) Calcium Carbonate, Caprylic Triglyceride *Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba seed oil) Ultramarines (CI 77007), Titanium Dioxide (CI 77891) * Certified Organic Ingredient

Eye Colour Ingredients: Mica (CI 77019), Iron Oxides (CI 77492, CI 77499) Calcium Carbonate, Caprylic Triglyceride *Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba seed oil) Ultramarines (CI 77007), Titanium Dioxide (CI 77891) * Certified Organic Ingredient

*Product sent for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

Youngblood Pressed Mineral Eyeshadow Quad in Eternity

I much prefer pressed shadows over loose. I think they're easier to travel with, less messy, less fall out, and just all around easier to use. I've always heard about and seen Youngblood products online, but never got to physically swatch and play with them until...CHATTERS.  Chatters is a store, as well as salon, that sells a bunch of different brands. Sort of like a beauty supply store but more expensive. Anyway, I was browsing the store and saw a small section of Youngblood cosmetics. I immediately started swatching the quads that were available and fell in love with practically all of them.  I decided to go with Eternity because it's the perfect (for me) combo of shades for everyday eye looks.

Description: Use your eye-magination! Four complementary shades come in a sleek, mirrored compact for limitless looks. The formula sweeps on like silk and wears for hours. Each compact includes matte, pearl and shimmery finishes that blend together easily. (.14 oz/4 g)

The Good:

• pigmented
• smooth & buttery
• easy to travel with
• cruelty free, fragrance free, paraben free, gluten free, nano free, talc free
• gorgeous colour quad selections
• little to no fall out
• sleek black compact with mirror
• fairly long wear time

The Bad:

• expensive
• no matte shades

Verdict: These shadow shades are perfect and gorgeous. I like neutral looks on a daily basis, unless I'm going out at night or a special event. The compact is really small and light weight, which is great for travelling with. The entire top part of the compact is a mirror, large one at that. If you're always near or around a mirror, then that may not sway you in any way, but if you're not always able to get to one, it's a fantastic size for doing your entire eye look. The shadows apply so smoothly, while not super opaque, definitely buildable. They blend so easily, no harsh lines ladies! The most disappointing (but not a deal breaker) was that there weren't any matte shades. I wish my pictures would clearly translate the finish of each, but they all definitely have a pearl or shimmery finish. I don't really experience any fall out with these, maybe a tiny bit with the brown shade. I find they wear really well with or without a primer, although my lids get oily and my shadows tend to crease without a primer. All in all, I'm very pleased with this palette and highly recommend. I would repurchase.

Retails for approx. $45 CAN. Not sure where it can be purchased, check out Youngblood for more info.

What are some of your favourite shadow palettes?

Shades from top L to R: Quartz & Mink. Bottom L to R: Silken & Spice

L to R: Silken, Quartz, Spice & Mink.
Silken is a nice soft white/champagne highlight; Quartz is a pink champagne; Spice is a gold; Mink is a bronzed chocolate brown

same as above 

Ingredients

Ingredients: Mica (CI 77019), Zinc Stearate, Caprylic/ Capric Triglyceride, Lauroyl Lysine, Oryza Sativa (Rice) Starch, Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil, Lonicera Caprifolium (Honeysuckle) Flower Extract, Lonicera Japonica (Honeysuckle) Flower Extract. May Contain: Titanium Dioxide (CI 77891), Iron Oxides (CI 77491, CI 77492, CI 77499), Carmine (CI 75470), Ultramarines (CI 77007), Chromium Oxide Greens (CI 77288), Manganese Violet (CI 77742), Bismuth Oxychloride (CI 77163), Ferric Ferrocyanide (CI 77510), Blue 1 Lake (CI 42090), Yellow 5 Lake (CI 42090).

Stila In The Light Palette Review and Swatches

I long to find a natural/organic eye shadow palette with great colours and colour payoff for a decent price.  I have never had a palette nor have I ever had more than a couple of shadows at once.  Yes, I am a real girl...I was never big into makeup.  Don't judge! I usually find a colour and stick to it, then I play with my lips and cheeks.  I'm a simple kinda gal but am branching out more each day and this palette has definitely helped me.  I wanted a good mix of matte and shimmer shadows to play with.  This palette is wonderful and although it isn't natural, it is cruelty free.

Description: The new In the Light palette is a beautiful collection of Stila's award-winning eye shadows in (10) wearable, neutral shades for every skintone that can be worn wet or dry.  The palette also includes an exclusive Smudge Stick Waterproof Eye Liner in Damsel, a matte chocolate brown, and a 6-page look book with detailed how-to tips and tricks.

For starters, I don't particularly like the packaging.  I find it sorta of cheap since it's a cardboard box type thing and the shadows are glued in (I believe).  I'm scared the palette will fall apart while traveling or just from constant use.  There's also no mirror, which I normally wouldn't mind but I sometimes find myself looking at where the mirror should be to see how my shadow looks.  The look book is great for someone like me, who's not a makeup guru, because it allows me to try a bunch of looks I otherwise wouldn't.  I used one of the looks for a wedding I attended and got so many compliments on my makeup.  I now create looks without the look book and will try to do some faces of the day soon :).

The shadows are nicely pigmented, for the most part.  There are a couple that I find disappointing, such as Gilded Gold, Luster, Night Sky and Ebony.  They aren't very pigmented when you first apply them but are buildable.  I just find them disappointing because I don't want to have to build up the colour, I want them to apply evenly without having to work too hard to create a look. There is some fallout with these shadows, but it's easy to work with. I tend to use Bare, Kitten, Sunset and Bubbly all over my lid (not all at once) with bliss and sandstone in the crease on a daily basis.  I also use Sandstone to fill in my brows sometimes. I absolutely love all of these colours and this palette in general.   

Top row from left to right: Bare (matte ivory), Kitten (shimmering nude pink), Bliss (matte nude), Sunset (copper shimmer), Sandstone (matte neutral brown)
Bottom row from left to right: Champagne (pale gold shimmer), Gilded Gold (bronze with gold shimmer), Luster (deep gray with gold shimmer), Night Sky (slate blue with silver shimmer), Ebony (matte black)

Left to Right: Bare, Kitten, Bliss, Sunset, & Sandstone

Left to Right: Bubbly, Gilded Gold, Luster, Night Sky, & Ebony
Below Shadows is the smudge stick in Dasel

All of the colours as listed above

I haven't really used the smudge stick very much but it is very creamy and doesn't budge once it's on.  I use it along my upper lash line just to make my lashes look thicker but liner isn't something I use regularly.

This is a better swatch of Damsel, it's a matte chocolate brown but when you apply more than one "coat" (can't think of a better word at the moment), it almost looks black as you can see from the top swatch 

All in all, I'd highly recommend this palette.  The great combo of neutral matte and shimmer shades (although some have chunky glitter) got my attention and why I picked it over the Urban Decay Naked palettes. Go check it out!

Retails for approx. $50 CAN and can be purchased at Sephora.  I had a store credit and only ended up paying like $20 CAN, good deal eh!?

What's your favourite shadow palette (natural or not)?