Smashbox Treats!

So recently I went to Cheshire Oaks Outlet Mall and of course I checked out The Cosmetics Company store- filled with all the best high-end make-up brands with huge discounts- impossible to resist! As usual I had to tear myself away from buying everything in store, but above all, I was drawn to the Smashbox stand; a brand that I had heard fantastic things about but never actually tried myself. Smashbox is also a brand that I have never been able to get hold of here in the UK, although I do believe Boots now stock it and you can order online. So anyway, the first thing which alluded me was this Eye Enhancing Shadow Palette especially for blue eyes. I absolutely adore neutral based eye-shadows; I live by my trusty Urban Decay Naked palette and basically anything with neutral tones, which I find to really accentuate blue eyes, hence this palette had me written all over it. What I love about this handy little palette is that it consists of six shades, three mild shades to create a soft, wearable everyday look, and then three darker shadows to create that perfect smokey eye. This looks like the perfect ingredients for an extremely captivating smokey eye; I much prefer to do this using brown tones as opposed to heavy black shadow which can be a little overbearing- with this palette you can look sexy and sultry yet still subtle. 

As you can see, the top row consists of shimmery light shadows. The first is a gorgeous off-white shadow which is perfect for highlighting the inner corner of the eye and brow bone. I love the bottom trio most, particularly the middle brown shadow which I have found to be a perfect match for my brows to create a soft brow look which shows how versatile this palette can be. The dark brown is also a great brow colour if you have much darker brows like me; it does have a slight shimmer however which is not desirable for brows as obviously it isn't natural looking, but this is actually barely distinguishable, hence it is passable if you mix the two together which create a perfect brow colour.

(Soft Trio)

(Smoky Trio)

Another great thing about this palette is how it includes these easy to understand application tips, perfect for girls who are only just starting to explore make-up. It has the easiest tips for creating the perfect eye look, guiding you on where to apply the highlight and crease etc.

The other item I reluctantly picked up from Smashbox was this cream shadow in Amethyst- which is the most beautiful deep purple with vivid shimmer and pink undertones. Initially I  resisted buying this item, I swatched it on my hand, loved it, and then somehow found the willpower to walk away. It wasn't until after a few hours when I realised that the swatch on my hand hadn't budged at all- this was after washing my hands a few times and trying to rub it off- yet this beut refused to budge AT ALL. All the many other swatches on my hands had vanished throughout the day, yet this baby stayed and for that, I obviously couldn't resist a product with such unbelievable staying power as the pigmentation is incredible. As I have often said, I have seriously oily eyelids which often results in unsightly creasing and smudging which means I tend to struggle finding eye products that stay put, which meant that this gem would be perfect for me. It claims to have limitless 15 hour wear which makes is the best cream shadow I have ever come across in terms of longevity, and what's more the colour is absolutely divine and will make any eyes pop instantly. This stuff is literally bullet-proof, so get your hands on one if you are looking for a great cream shadow which will actually stay put all day, especially perfect for the summer heat!

Seen as I purchased these products at a discount store, I got these considerably cheaper, but if these catch your eye you can purchase these on the Smashbox website or Boots:

http://www.smashbox.co.uk/product/6029/23643/Eyes/Eye-Shadow/PHOTO-OP-EYE-ENHANCING-PALETTE-BLUE-EYES/index.tmpl

http://www.smashbox.co.uk/products/6029/Eyes/Eye-Shadow/index.tmpl

Have you guys tried any products from Smashbox recently?

ps. I'm sure everybody has heard the rumors about GFC shutting down, so please follow me on Bloglovin'!

xxxx