Every week, the makeup community is bombarded with new releases, and I feel like as time goes on, it’s getting more and more over saturated. I am a makeup lover and love trying new things, but I think it’s important to step back and see what I really want/need, and maybe help you to realize the same thing! I’ll be including things I’m anti-hauling (not buying) and things I’m either interested in/on the fence about, and two things that I’ve already purchased. All of the images are taken from trendmood on instagram, her account is how I see and keep up on all of the new makeup releases. If there’s anything you see that you’re also not buying or you are interested/have already bought it, be sure to let me know and start a discussion!

Urban Decay Aphrodisiac Collection

What it includes:

1. An eyeshadow palette with 6 shades
2. 3 new Hi-Fi lipglosses
3. 2 repromoted 24/7 eye pencils

(no prices released yet)

My thoughts: this is the first collection on the list that I’m definitely anti-hauling. I love urban decay, and enjoy a majority of their products. But their new releases lately seem repetitive and lacking creativity or spark. I have all of the shades in that palette in probably most of the other palettes/eyeshadows I already own, so that’s just a definite pass. I’ve never tried their hi-fi lipglosses, but those shades are definitely not my cup of tea and something I would never wear. I do enjoy their 24/7 eye pencils a lot, but those shades look like a black and akaline (a burgundy-purpleish shade), which I own both of already. This collection honestly seems like it was slapped together with absolute no thought or creativity, and looks almost identical to many of urban decay’s recent past releases. It’s just not cohesive. The palette is neutral with a pop of purple, so it’s for more everyday wear. But then there’s these glosses with shades that a majority of people would not wear on a day to day basis. They don’t go together and it just doesn’t make sense. I hope that in the future they release something more appealing to both makeup lovers and everyday people.

Coloured Raine 16 new vivid pigments

What it includes:

bundle with all 16 shades $55

individual shades $6.99

magnetic palette with a mirror $11.99

My thoughts: Now this is a release that immediately caught my attention. I have a love affair with colorful shadows, and I absolutely love the queen of hearts palette from coloured raine, so I’ve been wanting to try more of their shadows and formulas. I don’t think I will be purchasing the bundle since I truly don’t need all of those shades, but I have my eye on the purples, pinks, and blues. I’m going to hold off for now since I do have other colorful shadows and palettes, but once I save up some money I will definitely be picking a few of these shades up and will keep you updated! From what I’ve tried from coloured raine, their formula is fantastic and definitely worth trying out.

KKW Beauty Classic Collection

What it includes:

1. the Classic eyeshadow palette $45
2. 4 Peach Creme lipsticks $18 each
3. 4 Peach Creme lipliners $12 each
4. Bundle $150

My thoughts: I’ve never bought anything from KKW Beauty. There’s been some things like the eyeshadow palette with Mario and the concealers that caught my eye, but I never saw the need to go through and spend that much money on her products, and I feel the same with this collection. The eyeshadow palette is stunning and definitely made me do a double take, but I have so many neutral palettes and all of those shades in my collection already. It may be nice for beginners or people who don’t have many palettes but I have no need or great want for it. The lipsticks are cute, but really don’t do anything for me and I wish the packaging was a little less cheap looking, especially for the price.

Colourpop X Kathleen Lights Zodiac Collection

What it includes:

The Zodiac Eyeshadow Palette $18

2 Lux Lipsticks $7 each

2 SuperShock Highlighters $8 each

2 SuperNova Shadows $7 each

The Zodiac Collection Bundle $59

My thoughts: This is one of the items I mentioned earlier that I had already purchased; I couldn’t resist. I didn’t buy the entire bundle, but instead only the eyeshadow palette and the lipstick in the shade scorpio moon (the mauve toned one), which just arrived as I’m typing this. I absolutely love colourpop’s pressed eyeshadow formula as well as their lux lipstick formula, so those were the two things I immediately wanted to check out. Kathleen’s first colourpop palette, Dream St, is one of my favorites in my collection, and I love this whole zodiac theme and color story, so that was a no brainer. I’m a sucker for mauve toned lipsticks, but not really for nudes, so scorpio moon was another must have. I’m not crazy about colourpop’s SuperNova shadow formula, and the colors weren’t anything new, so those were an easy pass. Their SuperShock highlighter formula is fine but not my favorite and those shades didn’t jump out at me so I saw no reason to get those either. Overall, I think the collection is really cute and unique, and at a great price as always with colourpop. I will be doing a review on the palette and lipstick which I’m super excited to play with so stay tuned!

Dose of Colors x iluvsarahii Collection

What it includes:

1. an eyeshadow palette $35
2. 2 highlighters $28 each
3. 4 matte liquid lipsticks $18 each
4. 2 lipglosses $17 each

My thoughts: Dose of colors is probably my favorite brand of all time. They make some of my favorite formulas, and the entire aesthetic of the brand just really speaks to me. I also love Karen (iluvsarahii) and have been watching/following her for a long time, so I was really excited for this collection. But I have decided not to purchase anything from this collection except maybe one lipstick or one gloss. It is a very beautiful and well done collection, but not something I need or even truly want. I have all of those shades in the eyeshadow palette x500, as well as the highlighters. At first I thought they would be too dark for me, but I have swatched them and they could work nicely, but I have super similar shades already. In fact, the dose of colors desi x katy fuego highlighter (which I own) is very similar to sol mate from the iluvsarahii collection. The lipsticks and glosses are nice, but are mostly nudes, and I’m not a huge nudes fan and I certainly don’t need anymore. The lipstick in the shade aesthetic caught my eye so I may eventually get that, and maybe a gloss since I love the formula, but everything else is a pass, especially for the price.

Natasha Denona Mini Lila Palette $25

My thoughts: This is the second item that I have already purchased. I have never tried anything from Natasha Denona before due to the overpriced eyeshadow palettes, and nothing else in her line has ever really interested me. But I still have been curious about her formula, and purple eyeshadow is my favorite, so when I saw this mini for a much lower price, I knew it was time. This was a perfect opportunity to see what all of the hype was about without paying the same price as a phone bill. If you’d like to see a review on the mini, let me know! I just got it a couple days ago and have only tried it once so I’m still playing with it and getting a feel for it, but I’d be more than happy to do a full review if anyone would be interested.

Kylie Cosmetics 21st Birthday Collection

What it includes:

Hello 21 mini lip collection (6 mini liquid lipsticks) $36

3 lip kits (matte liquid lipstick) $30 each

21 lip collection – 6 new matte lipsticks – $17 each, $90 for the bundle

Sipping Pretty eyeshadow palette $65

The birthday lip trio (one matte, one velvet, one gloss) $36

Champagne showers highlighter $28

3 liquid eyeshadows $20 each

Birthday bag $32

My thoughts: This is the final collection I’ll be discussing in this post, and the last one I’ll be completely anti-hauling. I’ve tried a few products from Kylie before and I’ve mostly liked them, the loose highlighter is incredible, and the velvet and gloss lip formulas are fantastic. But this collection does absolutely nothing for me, especially at how overpriced it is. The eyeshadow palette has some fun shades, but it still looks a bit bland from the packaging and the overall color story. It just doesn’t make sense, especially for $65. The highlighter looks like literally every other highlight on the market (champagne pop anyone?) and her pressed highlighter formula is nothing to run home about in the first place. I’ve never tried her liquid eyeshadows because I hardly ever like liquid eyeshadows from any brand, so that’s another pass. The lipsticks are cute, but nothing I need. I was considering maybe the mini lip set, but I it’s mostly mattes, and I’ve heard nothing but negative things about her matte formula. Her collections over the past year have just been huge let downs for the makeup lover in me. Be sure to let me know any of your thoughts on this collection and anything else I mentioned!!!

Thank you for reading and stopping by!💓

Summer is all about bright colors and fun in the sun, so colorful eyeshadow is definitely becoming the trend with this weather. But these are palettes that are not only ideal for summer, but are versatile and can be used year round. This is a round up of my 5 favorite palettes for the summer time, from higher end to more inexpensive. Also don’t worry, these are not just the typical warm tone palettes with a pop of blue that’s been featured a bit too frequently lately. I will be featuring some more bright palettes than others and with a variety of color stories and options, so there will hopefully be something for everyone on the hunt for that perfect summer palette!

Violet Voss Flamingo Palette – $45 – available on shopvioletvoss.com and in store/online at Sephora

 In my humble opinion, this is arguabely the most talked and buzzed about summer palette of the season. As soon as I saw the pictures, like many others, I was immediately drawn in and intrigued. I had never purchased anything from Violet Voss before this palette, but this color story really spoke to me personally and just absolutely screams summer. There’s a lot of variety with this palette, which I think is one of the biggest selling points. It’s not a neutral or a warm tone palette with a pop of blue or purple. It’s 20 shades of oranges, corals, purples, blues, reds, etc., with a good mix of both mattes and shimmers. You can get many different types of looks with it, and they’re almost all going to bright, fun, and colorful. But these shades are not as vibrant and rich on the eyes as they are in the pans, such as Anastasia Beverly Hills or Sugarpill shadows. They don’t lack pigment, but they definitely translate more as a wash of color rather than super intense color. Because of that, I think this is perfect for anyone who wants to experiment with color but is a bit intimidated or not sure where to start. These shadows are easy to work with, blend very easily, and are build-able while still having a good color payoff. I was especially impressed by the intensity and beautiful reflects of the metallic shades, and find the colors so easy to pair with the mattes, and don’t have to think much when wanting to create a summer look, whether it be easy and quick, or creative and bold. If you’re only looking for super intense, rich, colorful mattes, then this may not be the palette for you. But if any of the other pros I mentioned appeal to you, as well as the color story, then I cannot recommend this palette to you enough!

Juvia’s Place Zulu Palette – $20 – available on juviasplace.com and ulta.com

Just from looking at this palette, it’s easy to conclude that it’s a bright, colorful, semi-rainbow palette. Which is true, but it’s actually quite versatile. With its richly pigmented matte formula and insane metallic payoff, and especially at its price point, it’s easy to use on its own but also in conjunction with other palettes, making the possibilities endless. When I first got this palette, I was a little unsure as to where to where to start. But the more I experiment with color and expand my horizons with eye looks, this palette has been a huge asset. It can be used by itself for a bold summer look, or used to add a pop of color to a more neutral look. Juvia’s shadow formula is already one of my favorites, but this palette just makes me fall in love even more. The orange is probably the most pigmented, bright shade of orange I’ve ever tried, the pink blends better than most colorful shadows I own, and the metallics require no base or setting spray to truly pop. Whether you’re looking for a go-to color palette, or something to brighten up your summer looks, this is the palette for you!

Colourpop Yes Please Palette – $16 – available on colourpop.com and at Ulta in store and online

If you follow or love makeup at all, you’ve most likely seen this palette all over, for good reason. It’s filled with rich, warm shades that are interchangeable for simple day looks to bright yellow and orange looks, mixed with deep reds and browns. The mattes are quite pigmented and blend almost effortlessly. The shimmers are a bit unique color story, but pair perfectly with the matte shades. You don’t have to wet them, but they work best applied with a finger or under a glitter glue/sticky base. But for the price point, it is more than worth it, and it’s incredibly easy to come up with a beautiful summer look. If you’re looking for a warm toned palette with colors that truly pop, for the summer, fall, any season, then you should check out this palette!

Juvia’s Place Douce Palette – $20 – available on juviasplace.com and ulta.com

When first looking at this palette, it may not seem cohesive, but even more so, you might not consider it a “summer palette”. But these shades create some of the most beautiful, unique looks, filled with bright colors, and tones that compliment each other almost perfectly. The pink and purple mattes with the metallic greens and duochrome shimmers are perfect for summer days and nights, but this palette can also be used for every day neutral looks with the warm tone mattes and lighter shimmers. It has juvia’s classic formula, the insane pigment and easy blendability. There’s no reason to be intimidated once you pair these shades together and see what it can create. If you’re looking for something different and new to add to your collection and summer style, I strongly recommend this palette!

Urban Decay Beached Palette – $34 – available at ubran decay online and in store and ulta in store and online

Is this a warm toned palette with a pop of blue? Yes. Does it only have one matte, which might seem impractical? Yes. But is it a great quality palette perfect for summer? Oh absolutely. I was definitely hesitant at first to pick up this palette since these aren’t exactly unique, never before done shades, and I normally prefer a good range of matte shades. But this is definitely an exception. The one matte works perfect with all of the shimmers, because of how great the formula is. The shimmers are insanely pigmented and buttery, with the most beautiful metallic shine and undertones. It’s easy to get cohesive, summery looks, whether it be easy everyday looks or a pop of blue on the lid or lower lash line. The shade wedge is a shimmer, but I have used it in the crease and outer corner to deepen up a look and it blends so beautifully. If these shades call to you, and you like urban decay’s shadow formula, this is definitely a hit and a great option!