♕ Autumn 2016 Most Played ♕

Winter is just begun, which means it's Most Played time! To be more precise, it's time I show you my Autumn most used products!

Must say, I don't have a huge bunch of products to show you - I didn't buy anything new in terms of skincare, so this post is going to be pretty short I guess. And quite mono-thematic, since is all makeup stuff. 

As you can see, all these products are by MAC Cosmetics and NABLA Cosmetics, mainly the latter. 

Let's start with the eyeshadows, the pressed ones (guess what, all by NABLA). I gathered the ones I used the most during autumn in a Liberty Twelve and here's the full list (from top to bottom row, left to right):

- Frozen: after one year I still think it is the perfect silver eyeshadow I could wish for. Seems like metal, for real. It's stunning used wet as eyeliner! 

- Cleo: one of my favourite shadows from the Mermaid Collection. So gold, so bright *_* Perfect in every season, but especially fitting for autumn looks!

- Eternity: bright blue, still one of my favourite eyeshadows ever...

- Baltic:...along with is darker brother, Baltic. Which is so deep and intense that is a must to add depth in every blue-toned look.

- Calypso*: my favourite eyeshadow from the Mermaid Collection (on a tie with the next one). It's Super-Bright texture is the best ever, we need more and more shadows with this texture!

- Selfish*: it's unreal how much I love it. It's so sparkly, breathtaking. The kind of groundbreaking shade I tend to expect from NABLA. 

- Babylon: long-time favourite, a must have for every green/teal-toned look. (And you can tell I use Baltic and Babylon a lot, since I've hit pan on them!)

- Under Pressure*: lovely mermaid shade! A deep teal, like the depths of the sea *_* 

- Sensuelle*: my most loved highlighting colour for my inner corners, since day 1. So delicate but filled with tons of sparkles, so far it's my favourite from the Celestial range - along with Selfish.

- Antique White: thanks to the reflection on the pan you can't see the huuuge hole XD It was the first eyeshadow I hit pan on. I always use it on my brow bones - it's just the perfect shade.  

- Narciso: same as above, except that it is my favourite and most used transition shade ♥

- Mimesis: last but not least, the shade that solve problems like Mr. Wolfe XD

(In case you're wondering, I left out the newest shades from the Goldust Collection since they're, well, new XD I'm sure they'll be in the Winter Most Played though! ;D)

In terms of cream eyeshadows, I had the chance to try the Potion Paradise Collection (by NABLA, again) and Morning Glory, Petite Mélodie and Rea are the ones I used way the most. 

Morning Glory* is a nice eye base alternative to my usual eyeprimer (Shadow Insurance by Too Faced). I was worried it could interfere with the blending process, but it doesn't: blending is as easy as always. I'm very happy with it and I used it a LOT as eyeprimer.

Petite Mélodie* is my favourite in terms of colour but my least favourite in terms of application. I used it a lot, trying to figure out the proper way to apply it... Which, to me, seems to be by using a flat brush, building up the product very patiently. Not impossible, just hard and very time-consuming.

Rea*: I used it a lot as eyeliner. L-O-V-E it, seriously ♥

Lastly, I used non-stop the Brow Pot in Mars* - still not the most fitting shade for a redhead (unless you have auburn hair, and I don't)... And that's a huge shame because the more I use this product, the more I love it. 

Moving to face powders, leaving aside all the usual stuff (i.e. mineral foundation, finishing powder...). My most used blush is Impulse, from the Blossom Blush range by NABLA; my most used highlighter was Baby Glow and my most used sculpting shade was Gotham - both from the Shade & Glow range. 

Last but not least: lipsticks! That's where MAC comes in. Across the Universe was my most played NABLA Diva Crime, but I also used a lot two shades from MAC: one is the only Viva Glam I currently own, the Miley Cyrus I. The other has been my obsession lately, I got it in my last Back2MAC and I'm sooo happy with my choice: Chatterbox is so pretty! 80% of the time I would use it, with every look. 

That's it for my not-reallyexciting and very short autumn most played! 

What products did you use the most during the past season?

XOXO

Disclaimer: i prodotti contrassegnati dall'asterisco mi sono stati inviati gratuitamente a scopo valutativo dall'azienda / Starred products are press samples, sent by respective brands for me to test and review.

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♕ Pantone Inspired ~ Rose Quartz & Serenity MakeUp ♕{Feat. Nabla Cosmetics ~ Potion Paradise Collection}

Third look I made using the Potion Paradise Collection by NABLA Cosmetics - just in part this time though! I've always wanted to do a makeup look using the Rose Quartz and Serenity Pantone colours, and I felt like this was the time to try it! I used both Crème Shadows and pressed eyeshadows by NABLA to achieve this look! 

Since Petite Mélodie looks cooler on me (and this is enhanced by the ring light) I thought it could easily play the role of Serenity for this makeup - while for the Rose Quartz role I decided to use Christine, another Crème Shadow released about one year ago. I think hey both worked pretty well, it's such a nice and sweet colour combination... Let me now what you think! ♥

The other Crème Shadow used were Morning Glory (since I'm still testing it as eyeprimer - and so far I'm loving it) and Rea as eyeliner. The remaining shades were all pressed eyeshadows (a handful from the Mermaid Collection), which really completed the all look so wonderfully. 

I started off by applying Morning Glory all over my lids as eye base (the Shadow Insurance eyeprimer is happily enjoying a small holiday XD) and, once it dried, I applied Christine on about two/thirds of the lid. On the remaining part I applied Petite Mélodie, gently blending it into Christine is an oblique way.
I did the same on the lower lid - the only difference being that I used less of Christine and more of Petite Mélodie, kind of reversing what I did on the upper lid. On the inner corner I applied Sensuelle - haven't been using it for a while and I was really, really missing it! On the lashline I applied a soft, barely noticeable touch of Juno Moon - which ended up being overcame by the black eye kohl. Whoops.

On the crease area I applied Lilac Wonder first, and then Selfish over it (such an adorable mix, let me tell you). I gently blended them outwards, creating a soft C shape on the outer corner. I used Narciso (yes, as always) as transition shade, paired with Antique White on the brow bone.

After that, I applied Rea as eyeliner, using the same old (and discontinued) fine-pointed eyeliner brush. I was about to use black, to be honest, but it thought the result would be a little too harsh... And I wanted this to be a dainty, delicate make up - so I went for Rea, which is dark but not as mush as a pure black shade. 100% happy with my choice!

I applied a black eyepencil on my waterline/lashline (probably a purple eyepencil would look better though), then I completed the look by applying false lashes and mascara, and by defining my eyebrows. And we are done!

I know it's a bit late for a Rose Quartz + Serenity inspired look (since these shade were revealed to be 2016 Colour(s) of the Year, like, one year ago) but... Better late than never, I guess! ;D 

Personally, I love how pretty this look turned out - even better than how I pictured it in my mind! I was a little afraid to combine cream eyeshadows with powder ones - worrying that they would not get along (I mean, because of my skills, since I'm more versed and used to work with powders). But I had no problem at all, actually, so if you have the same fear... Don't worry and go ahead, give it a try!

Eyes

- NABLA Cosmetics Crème Shadow in "Morning Glory"* (as eye base)

- NABLA Cosmetics EyeShadow in "Sensuelle"* (inner corner)
- NABLA Cosmetics Crème Shadow in "Christine" (upper and lower lid)
- NABLA Cosmetics Crème Shadow in "Petite Melodie"* (upper and lower lid)
- NABLA Cosmetics Crème Shadow in "Lilac Wonder" (crease, outer corner)

- NABLA Cosmetics Eyeshadow in "Selfish"* (crease, outer corner)
- NABLA Cosmetics Eyeshadow in "Narciso" (transition colour)
- NABLA Cosmetics Eyeshadow in "Antique White" (brow bone)

- NABLA Cosmetics Crème Shadow in "Rea"* (used as eyeliner)

- MAC Kohl Power Eye Pencil in "Feline" 

- NABLA Cosmetics "Le Film Noir" Mascara

- MAC Cosmetics False Eyelashes n° 34

Eyebrows

- NABLA Cosmetics Brow Pot in "Mars"*

Brushes

- 239 ~ MAC Cosmetics
- 217 ~ MAC Cosmetics
- 213 ~ MAC Cosmetics
- 224 ~ MAC Cosmetics

- Fluffy Pencil (A12)* ~ Spectrum Collections (Marbleous Set)

- Large Fluffy Shader (A06) ~ Spectrum Collections (Siren Set)

- Colour Applicator (A07)* ~ Spectrum Collections (Bombshell Set)

- Short Smudge (A13)* x2 ~ Spectrum Collections (Marbleous Set, Bombshell Set)

- Tall Tapered Blender (B06) ~ Spectrum Collections (Siren Set)

- Lip Liner (A15)* ~ Spectrum Collections (BombShell Set)

- Glossy Liner ~ Neve Cosmetics *discontinued*

- London Blending ~ Neve Cosmetics *discontinued*

- London Detail ~ Neve Cosmetics *discontinued*

I hope you like this look!

Do you like these shades? Which one do you prefer: Rose Quartz or Serenity?

*Disclaimer: Starred products are press samples, sent by respective brands for me to test and review.

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♕ Periwinkle in Autumn ♕{Feat. Nabla Cosmetics ~ Potion Paradise Collection}

Here is the second look I made using the new Potion Paradise Collection by NABLA Cosmetics! This time I wanted to use as much of the new shades as I could - and I ended up using 5 out of 6. I was about to use the sixth too, but gave up because I thought it was  a little too much (plus I didn't know were to place it XD).

Overall it's a pretty autumn-like look, so many warm tones, muted shades - with a touch of periwinkle that brings some spring vibes to the whole look! 

I didn't have any particular inspiration for this look, I just wanted to use as much colours I could - which happens all the time honestly, I'm such an eyeshadow-oholic XD I kept the colour scheme pretty basic, with some small twists here and there... After all, attention to details makes all the difference ;D

First of all, no Primer Potion - again. This time I wanted to try Morning Glory as eye primer, so I applied it all over my lids with my fingers. It has some coverage, so it's good to even out the skin and hide small capillaries, imperfections - things like that. On my lids looks pink - no beige. Hallelujah. And feels weightless also!

I waited for it to dry, then I applied Petite Mélodie on my inner corner - this time I used a thick, dense brush and the application was waaay better. After that, I applied Entropy on the first half of the lid - and please appreciate the effort, I was so tempted to skip it XD
On the rest of the lid I applied Utopia, which as you can see looks a little muted on me - more like a soft bronze than a pure copper. On the crease I applied Rea (alone this time, no black base beneath), not blending it with Utopia and so creating a sharp line - especially towards the end. I quickly blended it out by using a stiff pencil brush, then I added an hint of Juno Moon to soften the blending. Narciso is the usual transition shade and Antique White, on the other hand, is the usual brow bone colour.

(Notice the double wing? The lashes covered it ç_ç)

I did pretty much the same on the lower lid - same colour scheme: Entropy, Utopia, Rea... But I wanted to add a little detail, so I drew a thin line with Rea, basically creating a second eyeliner wing. Then I applied my black eyeliner and, to add definition and clearness to the space between the two wings, I applied Morning Glory again (this time using a small lip brush). Being matte and so light, it's perfect to clean up shapes and highlight negative spaces.

I completed the look by applying false lashes, mascara, a black eyepencil on my waterline and lashine... And by defining my eyebrows (still using NABLA's Brow Pot in Mars!).

So which shade did I leave out? Well, it's Hyperspace! I got very, very close to add it, just for the fun of using all of them... But, as I said at the beginning of the post, I decided not to. I was afraid to overdo, plus the make up already looked nice... Your thoughts? 

Personally I liked the look, even though half of the shades used are not my cup of tea. Petite Mélodie really added a lovely touch to the whole make up, while Rea gave that nice depth and definition to the outer corner. I only wish the double wing detail was more noticeable in picture, it was so cool in person! (I'll try a different angle next time, I promise!)

Eyes

- NABLA Cosmetics Crème Shadow in "Morning Glory"* (as eye base)

- NABLA Cosmetics Crème Shadow in "Petite Mèlodie"* (inner corner)
- NABLA Cosmetics Crème Shadow in "Entropy"* (upper and lower lid)
- NABLA Cosmetics Crème Shadow in "Utopia"* upper and lower lid)
- NABLA Cosmetics Crème Shadow in "Rea"* (crease, outer corner, lower lid)

- NABLA Cosmetics Eyeshadow in "Juno Moon"* (crease)
- NABLA Cosmetics Eyeshadow in "Narciso" (transition colour)
- NABLA Cosmetics Eyeshadow in "Antique White" (brow bone)

- Jade Minerals Mineral Eyeshadow in "Black" (used wet as eyeliner) *discontinued*

- MAC Kohl Power Eye Pencil in "Feline" 

- NABLA Cosmetics "Le Film Noir" Mascara

- MAC Cosmetics False Eyelashes n° 34

Eyebrows

- NABLA Cosmetics Brow Pot in "Mars"*

Brushes

- 239 ~ MAC Cosmetics
- 217 ~ MAC Cosmetics
- 213 ~ MAC Cosmetics

- Fluffy Pencil (A12)* ~ Spectrum Collections (Marbleous Set)

- Large Fluffy Shader (A06) ~ Spectrum Collections (Siren Set)

- Colour Applicator (A07)* ~ Spectrum Collections (Bombshell Set)

- Short Smudge (A13)* ~ Spectrum Collections

- Tall Tapered Blender (B06) ~ Spectrum Collections (Siren Set)

- Glossy Liner ~ Neve Cosmetics *discontinued*

- London Blending ~ Neve Cosmetics *discontinued*
- Lip Liner (A15)* ~ Spectrum Collections x2 (BombShell Set, Siren Set)

Hope you liked this look! ;D

What's your most used Crème Shadow so far? Also including the old ones?

*Disclaimer: Starred products are press samples, sent by respective brands for me to test and review.

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♕ Nabla Cosmetics ~ Potion Paradise Collection ♕{Overview, Swatches, First Impressions}

{Disclaimer: this post is a first impressions/preview about a product I got for free as press sample. I'd like to thank NABLA Cosmetics for the opportunity, anyway my evaluation policy doesn't change and is always based on real use and in-depth testing of the product(s)}

It's been a while since NABLA Cosmetics launched new colours for their Crème Shadow range. It debuted about one year ago with six shades, then three new ones were added with the winter Artika collection and one more, shortly after, was introduced to celebrate NABLA's birthday in December. No new adds since then - until now.

The Potion Paradise Collection features six new shades, five of them being shimmery and just one completely matte. One of them is actually the cream version of a preexisting eyeshadow, but the other five are completely new, original colours! 

I'm sorry I wasn't able to post this overview earlier, I always try to post close to the launch day (usually slightly after)... Sadly, this time the weather has been really inclement (and still is, honestly), making nearly impossible for me to take any good pictures for several days in a row. Which is a problem, when you're a beauty blogger and you rely on natural light alone.
Anyway, I finally made it! Just in time - the traditional launching promo ends tonight, but hopefully this overview could still be useful to some of you, for future purchasing! 

Potion Paradise 
A collection where the Apollonian meets the Dionysian in a retro-futuristic pastel-shaded scenario.

Where the past runs towards the future in a rush that encodes a new concept of equilibrium.

A post-modern collection stating new codes in the name of freedom of expression. 

Are you ready to discover all the secrets of these new 6 Crème Shadow?

Can we take a second to appreciate this Special Box that contains all the new shades? *___* NABLA is doing an amazing job with their limited edition boxes! Remember the Brow Universe one? This one is smaller, with this cute girlish style - I think I'm going to store my Crème Shadow in there forever! The magnetic closure is a touch of class, for sure ♥

As I said previously, this new collection features six new shades - which you can buy individually or together in this cool box (which is a limited edition and website exclusive, mind you!). I am so excited to get to try them - as I always say I'm a pressed/powder eyeshadow kind of lady, but I've always been curious about creamy eyeshadows! 

In case you're wondering, these are not my very first Crème Shadows - I already own Christine, which I adore (here's a look I made using it a while back!) especially when it comes to quick, everyday looks!

Time to see each new colour in detail!

Let's start with the first shade I noticed, the one that totally stole my heart: Petite Mélodie! 
"Duochrome light lilac with pink-blue and wisteria sheen. Bright."
I'd say it is kind of a periwinkle shade, so cute and fairy-like *_*
But... It doesn't give an even application (at least on my skin), it tends to streak and create spots - if you now what I mean. 
The key is to find the right brush: I experimented a bit with fingers and a couple of different brushes and, for now, I found that a thick, stiff brush guarantees a nice application. I suggest to layer, start with a thin coat and then build up the colour. Make sure you don't overdo though! 


The second colour I noticed is Rea, the darkest one in this new range - and also the only satin shade!
"Dark amethyst with plum and ruby red reflects. Satin."
Lovely. Deep and intense - the more you layer it, the best it will get.
Its base is really dark, but it's filled with purple and red sparkles - resulting in such an unique shade!
I was a little afraid it would be hard to blend, but it isn't - you just need to be quick. You may also want to use a transition shade - such as another purple - to perfect the blending, but Rea itself won't be an huge deal.
I've already tried it as eyeliner too - and it's superb! *_*


Hyperspace
"Light platinum gold. Bright."
I don't know why, but Hyperspace reminds me of another Créme Shadow, Husky. Well, kind of. I don't own Husky, I just tried it once (and I was not enough convinced so I ended up not buying it), but I had this feeling when I first saw Hyperspace. I really wish I had Husky to compare them!
Anyway, Hyperspace is such a weird shade - in a positive way. A couple of friends of mine referred to it as the "green shade of the collection" - which is hilarious, but I must admit that Hyperspace has some green in it that tends to show up once applied (especially on the eyes). I have yet to find a real platinum shade, honestly, that doesn't contain any green in it.
That being said, though, I'm liking this shade more than I anticipated! Its texture is so good - not streaky at all, easy to work with, nicely pigmented.

Utopia
"Copper antique bronze. Bright."
A beautiful, bright copper shade. So pigmented and rich - I'm not an huge fan of copper/bronze colour but this one is just too pretty!
It's probably the one with the best texture of all: easy to apply, to blend, no streaks, no spots... No need to layer and layer to obtain an intense result. (I wish Petite Mélodie had this texture!)I need to try it as eyeliner, I have a feeling it'll look so good! *_*

Morning Glory - the only matte shade in this collection!
"Nude beige-rose. Matte."
This shade is meant to be used as an eye base, plus is supposed to be Underpainting's pink counterpart, I guess. 
I tried it as eyeprimer and I was very pleased with the result! First of all, it's a very soft pink that makes the lid even (covering small blemishes and imperfections) and gives a very fresh look. I was afraid it would cause blending troubles (meaning, making eyeshadows harder to blend) but it doesn't, at all. It's weightless and, once dried, almost impalpable. 
Also nice to use to "clean the edges" aka if you want to perfect/correct an eyeliner wing, negative spaces, things like that. 

Finally, Entropy aka one of NABLA best selling eyeshadow, now available as Créme Shadow.
"Medium hazelnut-mauve. Bright."
Looks like almost everyone raves about this colour... And then there's me, totally unimpressed XD
I own the eyeshadow version, I bought it one year ago more or less... When I swatched it on my hand it looked interesting, but once I tried it on my lids I immediately realized it was a big nope. (And this is why I don't rely on hand swatches only. The best way to evaluate a product is by applying it on where it belongs to!)
Same goes with this version of Entropy, looks cute on my arm - but not as cute on my eyes ^^" But I'm sure a lot of you will love this shade, being very discreet and neutral! If you need a natural shade, easy to apply, for quick everyday look - go for it!

I've been using these cuties for about one week now - still too early for a proper review, so I'll give you my very first, general impressions, keep an eye on my upcoming makeup looks for more details and thoughts!

So far, I noticed that they effortlessly last a long - they stay in place and don't move around, the colours don't fade and still look bright and deep after hours. I haven't had the chance to test their waterproof quality, I'll keep you updated on that.
Regarding the texture(s), well, I think I've cleared out already how different are from each other XD For now, the worst seems to be Petite Mélodie (sigh ç_ç), the best Utopia. Rea needs quite some layering, to achieve that beautiful deep purple shade, while Hyperspace, Utopia and Entropy are nicely pigmented on their own. 
They all dry pretty quickly, and after that they're set and will stay on for hours. To remove them, I tried both wipes and micellar solution to remove them - and both worked. I'll just stick with the micellar solution because it makes the removing process a little easier. 

I only wish this collection featured more brand new shades - such a bright blue, for example, or an aqua green. I feel like Hyperspace is a bit redundant (being chromatically close to Husky) and Entropy... Well, it's not a new shade. I feel like these two spots in the collection could have been filled differently, with more unique shades. Weirdly enough, I'm glad they included Morning Glory - a pink matte base is crucial for cool-toned people like me. Underpainting is too yellowish to properly work on us, so I'm very very happy with the new Morning Glory shade!

The PAO (aka expiring date) is about 6 months - but my Christine is almost one year old and still 100% perfect. Creamy and pigmented as day 1. Make sure you always close the cap after each use, and store the jar adequately. The more you'll take care of them, the more they're going to last!

Isododecane · mica · polyethylene · cyclopentasiloxane · trimethylsiloxysilicate · disteardimonium hectorite · cyclohexasiloxane · quaternium-90 bentonite · polyester-4 · vp/va copolymer · pentylene glycol · boron nitride · sorbitan sesquioleate · synthetic beeswax · acacia decurrens/jojoba/sunflower seed wax polyglyceryl-3 esters · bis-diglyceryl polyacyladipate-2 · trihydroxystearin · propylene carbonate · calcium aluminum borosiilcate · silica · syntethic fluorphlogopite · calcium sodium borosilicate · [+/− (may contain): ci 77891 (titanium dioxide), ci 77491 - ci 77492 - ci 77499 (iron oxides), ci 77510 (ferric ferrocyanide), ci 77163 (bismuth oxychloride), ci 77861 (tin oxide)]

Definitely not a natural formula for these cream eyeshadows - no wonder though, they're made to be long lasting and waterproof! Personally I didn't get any kind of reaction, even though they are silicone based. No itchiness, no pink/watery/weeping eyes, no irritations - nothing. If you have sensitive eyes, I recommend trying them one before buying - better safe than sorry. That's what I did last year, to see if my eyes could stand the formula ;D

(Click to enlarge :D)

Here are my very, very rushed swatches. Seriously. A pale sun came out for literally five minutes today, I just had the time to grab the box, quickly swatch each shade and took a couple of pictures... And it was already gone. So this picture will have to do, sorry everyone T_T

As usual - natural light, no primer used. You can tell each shadow has a different texture - and you can see how problematic Petite Mélodie is. I feel like it doesn't want to adhere to my skin... Shame on your cow T_T

Petite Mélodie VS Lilac Wonder: I don't know why, but they looked very similar in the jar/pan, but once swatched you can tell they're worlds apart. I can't stress enough how much I love Petite Mélodie shades, and how much painful is its texture on my skin ç____ç Thankfully I was able to use it with a nice result (here's the look) - I just wish it was easier to apply. 

Hyperspace is a platinum, not gold nor silver... So I thought I'd compare it with a gold and a silver to enhance the differences! 

Citron is a pure lime gold, beyond beautiful. Frozen, on the other hand, is the purest silver ever, while Aurum is a classic antique gold, with a strong green undertone. Hyperspace looks like a mix between Frozen and Aurum, not really platinum - but not really green at all. 

Sadly I don't own the right shades for a proper Utopia comparison - no Rust, no Aphrodite. I need to go shopping asap!! Time to fill the gap in my NABLA's eyeshadow stash!

Anyway, I compared it to Glitz (a lovely amber bronze) and to Unrestricted (a burgundy filled up with golden sparlkes - a friend asked for this comparison ♥). You can tell how copper-ish Utopia is - with no brown undertones, also. 

I compared Rea to Mimesis (a matte purple) and Juno Moon (a lighter purple with a strong reddish base). Rea looks almost cool on my skin, but it is not - thanks to it's red sparkles, impossible for me to capture in picture... But very noticeable in real life. 

Lastly, Entropy - both eyeshadow and Crème Shadow versions. The eyeshadow one looks paler and somehow softer, while the creamy one seems darker and more brown. In both case the mauve disappears on me. I added Chemical Bond, another neutral shade - very, very close to Entropy in my opinion. Less brown and a tad more silver perhaps... Nothing groundbreaking in both cases, honestly.

Name: Crème Shadow / Potion Paradise Collection
Brand: NABLA Cosmetics
What is it?: Long-lasting waterproof cream eyeshadows;
Prices: € 11,50 each
             € 65,00 Potion Paradise Special Box (Limited Edition)
Quantity: 5 ml / 0.17 fl. oz.
PAO: 6 M
Where to buy it: Website - Various E-commerce websites - Various stores.
Other: Cruelty Free & Vegan; Made in Italy.

I really hope this overview may be useful for you ♥

What's you favourite Potion Paradise Crème Shadow? 

Which one(s) have you purchased?

XOXO

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♕ Fairy Wings ♕ Feat. Nabla Cosmetics ~ Potion Paradise Collection ♕

When it comes to new make up collections (or just new entries in my stash) I like to write a full overview first, and then I go on and post my makeup looks featuring said products. Well, things didn't go as I planned this time with the new Potion Paradise Collection by NABLA Cosmetics.

Wondering what went wrong? Nothing serious, just a full week of bad, awful weather. And I mean AWFUL. Rain, rain, rain, non stop since last Sunday. Mind you, I usually enjoy rain - it relaxes me a lot - but this time it really felt unwelcome. Being a blogger, I have to relay on sun & natural light - which are crucial to capture the colours of the products and to get the best swatches possible.
I waited and waited, but the weather forecast is pretty depressing right now: no sun for the next few days or even for the whole week. This will drive me crazy -.-

Anyway, I have all the new Crème Shadows here, patiently awaiting to be introduced to you... Since I managed to use some of them in a look a couple of days ago (with poor lighting results though) I thought I could start by posting this makeup first, while I wait for the sun to come back ç_ç I'll write my first impressions here and there, since I am at it. 

This look was quite of a challenge for me, because I'm waaay more used to powder eyeshadows (both loose and pressed), but I wanted to step out of my comfort zone and try to focus on the new cream eyeshadows. Meaning I tried to use only the new Créme Shadows  - but I had to add a couple of pressed shadows in the process.

I used three of them (Petite Mélodie, Rea and Hyperspace), with no eyeprimer. Which is really new for me, must say. I never ever skip the eyeprimer step, it is simply essential to me... But this time I needed to, for testing reasons, and I'm still impressed: they all stayed in place for hours! 

The first Crème Shadow I applied is Petite Mélodie, the one I immediately I fell in love with. The shade is sooo cute and pretty, fairy-like, but it's a little rebellious in terms of application, so to speak. It's hard and time-consuming to get a smooth and even layer of colour - so I tried with different brushes, and for now the one I feel works the best with it is a thick application brush by Spectrum Collection (the kind I don't normally use for eyeshadows, being so thick and dense... But I must admit that it's a nice choice for cream eyeshadows!).

I applied it all over the lids - both upper and lower - patiently building the colour. Then it was Rea's turn, which I decided to use both on my crease/outer corner and as eyeliner. I applied a thin layer of Feline Eye Kohl by MAC Cosmetics first on the outer corner and into the crease, blended it with my fingers, then I applied Rea over it. I used a sturdy pencil brush, perfect to both apply the colour and then blend it. I used Narciso as transition shade, to perfect the blending (I wanted it to be as soft and smooth as possible). I added a touch of Rea on my lower lid too, while on my brow bone I applied the irreplaceable Antique White.

I applied Rea as eyeliner by using a fine brush, packing the product where needed with a lip brush (especially the wing, that is pretty bold!). Overall, I like Rea's texture more than Petite Mélodie's.

For my inner corner highlight I used Hyperspace (which has such a lovely texture!), then - since I really loved the colour - I decided to use it to add a little twist to the eyeliner. Using that very same fine eyeliner brush (cleaned, of course XD) I drew a thin line above the wing. Love this little detail *_*

Final steps: black eyepencil on my waterline and lashline, false lashes, mascara and eyebrows. 

Please note that the colours are cooler than they were on real life - sadly, it was due to the total lack of natural light, so I had to rely on my mini ring light only... Which features a really cold light. Petite Mélodie is not such a light blue, it's more a lilac/lavender - and Rea is warmer, way warmer. 

I was and still am pretty satisfied with the result: I successfully managed to focus the look on the Crème Shadow, using just a couple of pressed eyeshadows for minor purposes. The makeup itself felt magical, I felt like a fairy - hence the title, Fairy Wings. 

Eyes

- NABLA Cosmetics Crème Shadow in "Hyperspace"* (inner corner, eyeliner detail)

- NABLA Cosmetics Crème Shadow in "Petite Melodie"* (upper and lower lid)
- NABLA Cosmetics Crème Shadow in "Rea"* (crease, outer corner, lower lid, eyeliner)

- NABLA Cosmetics Eyeshadow in "Narciso" (transition colour)
- Nabla Cosmetics Eyeshadow in "Antique White" (brow bone)

- MAC Kohl Power Eye Pencil in "Feline" (waterliner, black base)

- Nabla Cosmetics "Le Film Noir" Mascara

- MAC Cosmetics False Eyelashes n° 34

Eyebrows

- NABLA Cosmetics Brow Pot in "Mars"*

Brushes

- 239 ~ MAC Cosmetics
- 217 ~ MAC Cosmetics
- 213 ~ MAC Cosmetics
- 224 ~ MAC Cosmetics

- Large Fluffy Shader ~ Spectrum Collections (Siren Set)
- Colour Applicator (A07)* ~ Spectrum Collections (Bombshell Set)

- Short Smudge (A13)* ~ Spectrum Collections

- Tall Tapered Blender ~ Spectrum Collections (Siren Set)

- Glossy Liner ~ Neve Cosmetics *discontinued*

- London Blending ~ Neve Cosmetics *discontinued*
- Lip Liner (A15)* ~ Spectrum Collections x2 (BombShell Set, Siren Set)

I hope you liked this look!

Have you already bought the new Crème Shadow from the Potion Paradise Collection?
If so, which shades did you choose?

XOXO

*Disclaimer: i prodotti contrassegnati dall'asterisco mi sono stati inviati gratuitamente a scopo valutativo dall'azienda / Starred products are press samples, sent by respective brands for me to test and review.

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