ANASTASIA BEVERLY HILLS - LIMITED EDITION GLEAM GLOW KIT

Someday's I give serious consideration to buying shares in Anastasia Beverly Hills. I feel like I'm forever buying new products from the range or in awe over new products that have dropped.

Having never really plaayed with highlighters before, I decided to be impulsive and purchase my very first highlighter kit from Anastasia Beverly Hills and picked up the limited edition Gleam Glow Kit.

As you can see from the pictures below, I couldn't really resist. Those shades are calling out to my pale skin.

 Packaging

The Gleam Glow Kit has a reflective cardboard sleeve, with the name of the product and brand etched into  it. The sleeve also which hugs the palette tight when applied, offering your highlighters some protection from being dropped. Having dropped mine, I can attest to the sleeve offering some protection - no breakages, heck yes!

The actual palette mimicks the look of the sleeve and carries on with the reflective cardboard theme and etched lettering, while the back of the palette features the colours and names of the highlighters within the palette.

The palette has a flip top lid, however whats missing from this packaging is an oversized mirror. On a positive note though, all of the highlighters can be removed from the packaging and placed into a z-palette. Who would really want to take apart this beauty though?

 Shades & Finishes

The Gleam Glow kit contains four beautiful shades of highlight:

• Hard Candy - peach with pink pearl
• Mimosa - peachy highlighter with pearl
• Starburst - soft pink with gold pearl
• Crushed Pearl - nude with pearl

Formula & Pigmentation

I've found the highlighters in my palette difficult to apply when compared to how easily they seem to apply to Youtubers. Comparison to Youtubers aside, they do apply well and give off a beautiful glow. 

Depending on how much highlighter you like to use, you can be as light or heavy handed as you please to achieve your desired effect. I prefer to be light handed as I feel these highlighters can carry a lot of pigment in just one swipe of my fan brush.

Affordability & Retailers

While the Gleam Glow Kit is no longer available, you can purchase other glow kits directly from Anastasia Beverly Hills for $40 USD here.

Final Verdict

This was one-hundered percent an impulse buy for me, and although its beautiful and although i's beautiful when applied, I find the palette to be too big and too bulky in size for it to be pulled out and put away again every morning. Anastasia, I love you but I would love you even more if you were to make individual highlighters so I could glow everyday of the week. Until then, this baby is reserved for the weekends.

Stay Updated

New product reviews are uploaded each Saturday, while ProTips are uploaded on the first Sunday of each month.

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- beautyreporterb

ANASTASIA BEVERLY HILLS - MODERN RENAISSANCE PALETTE

Anastasia Beverly Hills Modern Renaissance palette has, arguably, been the biggest cosmetics sensation to come out of 2016. This permanent palette baffled beauties for some time as it was difficult to come across, with stock selling out almost instantly with each release. 

I managed to score my own Modern Renaissance palette through Beautylish and took the time to trial and test it out before writing this review. Here are my thoughts, and pictures, on the latest palette by Anastasia.

'A present-day take on Renaissance colours' - SEPHORA

Packaging

The Modern Renaissance palette is a made of a dense cardboard and is covered in a velvet material; how very 2016! Unfortunately the velvet packaging tends to attract heaps of makeup to it and can become quiet dirty so keep your micella water handy to give it a quick wipe down as needed. 

Inside the palette is a mirror that spans the length of the lid and 14 delectable eyeshadow shades.

The palette comes in an identical cardboard sleeve, which also displays the shades in the palette on the back of the packaging.

A dual-ended eyeshadow brush is included in the palette,with one end for application and the other for blending out eyeshadows.

'Use Anastasia Beverly Hills first permanent palette, Modern Renaissance to create endless looks for daytime and evening' - ANASTASIA BEVERLY HILLS

Shades & Finishes

The Modern Renaissance palette contains fourteen beautiful shades ranging from neutral to berry tones in either matte or metallic finishes. The shades in this palette, as described by ABH, include:

TOP ROW: Tempera, Golden Ochre, Vermeer, Buon Fresco, Antique Bronze, Love Letter & Cyprus Umber
BOTTOM ROW: Raw Sienna, Burnt Orange, Primavera, Red Ochre, Venetian Red, Warm Taupe, & Realgar

• Tempera - Velvety beige with an ultra-matte finish
• Golden Ochre - Erthy yellow with an ultra-matte finish
• Vermeer - Iridescent shell with a metallic finish
• Buon Fresco - Antique lavender with an ultra-matte finish
• Antique Bronze - Metallic sable with a satin finish
• Love Letter - Raspberry with an ultra-matte finish
• Cyprus Umber - Dark coffee with an ultra-matte finish
• Realgar - Brick with an ultra-matte finish
• Warm Taupe - Earthy gray with an ultra-matte finish
• Venetian Red - Crimson with an ultra-matte finish
• Red Ochre - Sienna with an ultra-matte finish
• Primvera - Shimmery gold dust with a metallic finish
• Burnt Orange - Deep Orange with an ultra-matte finish
• Raw Sienna - neutral amber with an ultra-matte finish

 'An essential eye shadow collection featuring 14 shades, including neutral and berry tones' - ANASTASIA BEVERLY HILLS

Formula & Pigmentation

The eyeshadows in this palette are buttery smooth to touch and apply. A little goes a long way so remember to tap the excess off of those brushes! My only complaint is that I found Cyprus Umber to appear a bit chalky when sswatched, otherwise all of the other colours in this palette swatched beautifully.

I found that when paired with my Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion, these shadows lasted all day on my eyelid and in the crease. 

'Each highly pigmented eyeshadow resists fading and creasing, bringing long-lasting modern elegance to your eye looks' - SEPHORA

Ingredients & Accolades

This paletts is free from parabens, sulfates and phlthalates.

Affordability & Retailers

You can buy your own Modern Renaissance palette directly from Anastasia Beverly Hills for $42.00 USD, or alternatively you can purchase one from Sephora AU for $75.00 AUD, or better yet from Beautylish (who offer free international shipping for all orders over $50 USD)  for $42.00 USD. 

Psst, Beautylish works out to be the better deal but be ready to have your trigger finger ready as they sell out of this palette quick!

Final Verdict

While I'll admit that this palette does put me a little out of my comfort zone with the reds and pinks, I don't regret this purchase at all. All of the shades shouw up on my skin exactly as they present in the palette, and the formula is the best that I've tried in a long time - yes it's better than Tarte and Urban Decay.

If you're wanting to get out of your comfort zone then this is a product to invest in. It still provides those lovable neutral colours for those tame work days, but also has that pop of outlandish colour perfect for the weekend.

And although it's often sold out quickly, just remember beauties that this palette is a permanent part of the ABH range so you'll have plenty of chances to try and snap one up for yourself.

Stay Updated

New product reviews are uploaded every Saturday, while Pro Tips are uploaded on the first Sunday of each month.

Follow me on Instagram to discuss your favourite products and be notified when new blog posts go live! instagram.com/beautyreporterb

- beautyreporterb

BEST OF 2016

2016, what a year! Although not everyone liked the year that was 2016, we can at least all agree that there were some pretty bomb products dropped by some of our favourite cosmetic brands, or in my case finally scooped up.

URBAN DECAY X GWEN STAFANI - EX GIRLFRIEND LIPSTICK

At the beginning of the year Urban Decay launched their entire range of limited edition Gwen Stefani cosmetics.Being a huge Gwen fan, I died and went to heaven.

Not only was the packaging on all of these products awe inspiring, again I died and went to heaven over this art deco styling, they released a beautiful shade known as 'Ex-Girlfriend'. I managed to buy one of everything from the collection however couldn't get my hands on another Ex-Girlfriend It sold our pretty much instantly and try as I may,  I couldn't get my hands on another one.

It has since been re-released as a Vice Lipstick, but it is again as rare of hens teeth to get your hands on. I did manage to snag one though, after arguing with Mecca staff that the product did exist in the Vice collection.

Anyway, Ex-Girlfriend is described as being the colour of nude lips but better. I would completely agree. It is a beautiful sheer pink colour that really is the colour of my lips but better!

Check out my review from 2016 here.

BLACK MOON COSMETICS LIQUID LIPSTICKS - LIBRA

I've spoken about my love for Black Moon so much this year and if you haven't gone out and purchased your own 'Libra' Liquid Lipstick then frankly you're an idiot. Pack away your Jeffree Star liquid lipsticks, because his products have nothing  on what Black Moon as to offer.

Superior feel, superior smell, superior longevity. That's what you get out of your liquid lipstick from Black Moon over all other liquid lipsticks.

Libra (dusty nude) & Harvest (pumpkin orange) are my absolute favourite shades from this range, and I am a firm believer that every girl needs to own Libra.

Check out my reviews from 2016 here and here.

ANASTASIA BEVERLY HILLS - MODERN RENAISSANCE PALETTE

After many months I finally managed to get my hands on the elusive Modern Renaissance palette. This pretty was well worth the wait. The eyeshadows are buttery smooth and well worth the money. The pinks and red shades in this palette will surely make any babes with green eyes pop!

If you haven't got your hands on this palette yet beauties then keep trying. I promise it's worth it.

REAL TECHNIQUES - BOLD METALS BRUSHES

Although these brushes weren't new in 2016, they were new to my collection.

Real Techniques released this beautiful range of weighted, bold metals brushes that stand out amongst all the other brushes that.

Check out my review from 2016 here.

TARTE - TARTELETTE IN BLOOM PALETTE

If you don't have this palette already then you need to stop what you're doing and add it to your cart. The Tartelette In Bloom palette is an everyday wear palette that I have been choosing over all others. It has beautiful shimmery shades, a selection of nude mattes and the best part is that the eyeshadows last all day!

Check out my review from 2016 here.

- beautyreporterb

ANASTASIA BEVERLY HILLS - DIPBROW POMADE & #12 BROW BRUSH

Who would have ever thought that eyebrows would have become such a big thing? I never imagined in my wildest dreams that I would spend as much time working on my eyebrows as I do applying foundation and concealer. 

There are so many brow products on the market at the moment, and it can be really overwhelming trying to find one that works for you. I've used pencils and powders, wax and gel's and even an occasional tint. Out of everything that I've tried, I've never been in love with a brow product as much as I am with Anastasia Beverly Hills Dip Brow Pomade. 

Since there was a sale on I also went ahead and purchased the double ended #12 Brow Brush, which has both a angled brow brush and a brush to keep your brows well groomed. 

ABH claims that the Dipbrow Pomade is long-lasting, smudge-proof, and that colour shouldn't fade away throughout the day. The pomade is a waxy coloured substance that can be used to outline and fill brows and add colour to give them that stay-put all day look. 

'An award-winning waterproof, multitasking, and buildable matte pomade that stays put'.

Packaging

The packaging is very simple and understated, and totally ABH! Rose gold accents are featured on the cardboard packaging, bringing your attention straight to the Anastasia Beverly Hills logo. The cardboard packaging also outlines the colour of each product on the side with both the colour and name printed for easy reference.

The pomade is stored in a small glass container which allows you to see the colour of the product inside. It's a nice little container, and does have some weight to it due to being made out of glas. The container also features a screw on lid to keep the pomade moist and limit the product drying out. 

ASH brushes can be purchased separately and I do recommend trying one out if you haven't already. I preferred this brow brush to any that I had used previously due to the angle on the brush and density of the bristles. Besides, you can never have too many brushes. Right?

 'Apply and blend a small amount of Anastasia Beverly Hills Dipbrow Pomade with an angled brow brush to effortlessly outline, till, and texturize brows'.

Shades & Finishes

The ABH Dipbrow Pomade comes in eleven shades so you're surely to find one that closely-matches or matches your hair colour. I have brown hair and opted for taupe which has been an amazing fit for me.

I found that the Pomade lasted all day long and has become my new number one favourite for that same reason. The colour didn't fade and did not want to budge, which made correcting mistakes difficult at time.

What I also really enjoyed is that the Pomade allows you to overdraw your eyebrows without it looking drawn-on. Despite my best efforts and many bookings to correct it, my eyebrows just don't match. My right eyebrow looks like a before picture of my left eyebrow before it lost weight. Honestly, my brows are refusing to look even semi-related. Thankfully with the Dipbrow Pomade I am about to slightly overdraw my left eyebrow to match my right. Thank you Anastasia for making my brow dreams come true!

Formula & Pigmentation

The Dipbrow Pomade formula is divine. The product is creamy and applies smoothly and with ease onto the brows. I found that once it was applied it dried within a few minutes and stayed on all day long. 

As for pigmentation? Oh my wow. There is no other brow product that I have tried that has with the same level as pigmentation and offers 100% coverage. If you're brows are sparse then this is a product that you need to try out.

'The creamy formula doubles as a primer, glides on skin and hair smoothly and won't fade. Plus, it's waterproof and stays put even on oily skin or in humidity'.

Ingredients & Accolades

Despite the official Anastasia Beverly Hills website claiming that the Dipbrow Pomade is award-winning, I was able to find very little other information about this on the internet. Unfortunately I was not able to determine what award the Dipbrow Pomade received or who it was issued by.

Affordability & Retailers

You can purchase your own Dipbrow Pomade directly from the Anastasia Beverly Hills website for $18.00 USD, or from Sephora for $32.00 AUD. 

Final Verdict

I absolutely love, love, love this brow product! If you're wanting to try out an ABH brow product but feeling overwhelmed by the choices then go with the pomade, you won't be disappointed! This product really is an all -in-one as it outlines and fills brows, keeps brows in place as a gel would, and allows for natural looking brows to be altered and created. I am one-hundred-percent behind this product and will be repurchasing over and over again. 

Stay Updated

New product reviews are uploaded every Saturday in Australia, while Pro Tips are uploaded on the first Sunday of each month.

- B xo

ANASTASIA BEVERLY HILLS - CONTOUR CREAM KIT

Oh my wow! What have I been doing with my life up until this point. This is my new best friend, and her name is Cream Contour.

Anastasia Beverly Hills  - Cream Contour Kit in 'Fair'.

Again, what have I been doing with my life? About six months ago I decided to try contouring for the first time in my life. Why? After a discussion with a lovely MAC employee, we both agreed that there are sixteen year olds out there in the world who have skipped the awkward stage of blue eye-shadow and spider lashes, and gone straight to perfecting contouring. What the hell is with that? So I figured if a sixteen year old can do it, why can't I? 

And that's how my contouring adventure began. Skip ahead past having to buy a contour brush, asking friends for contouring advice, watching endless tutorials, buying powdered contours, and crying over how much I suck. After lots of practice, I finally started to get a bit better at this whole contouring thing. Around that time, the ABH brand blew up over Instagram and I was exposed to the wonderful world of the ABH cream contour. I knew that I had to have one.

'This best-selling palette sculpts and defines your features with six highly blendable shades - three for highlighting, three for contouring'.

Packaging

Let's take an up-close and personal look at the contour cream kit.

Contour Kit in 'Fair'

I love ABH packaging. The Contour Kit comes in a black cardboard case, which has the brand and product name labelled on the front of the packaging in rose gold lettering. The cardboard cases also identify what colour kit is inside. 

The actual product case is durable plastic packaging, with a clear plastic top, which also has the company logo printed in rose gold. The clear plastic top also allows you to view the product when the case is closed.

Best part? The pans are replacable! So when you run out of your favourite contouring shades you can order replacements and slip them straight in. Personally, I'm interested in taking out the shades that I don't use and putting in extra's of the shades that I do use.

Textures & Shades

The Contour Cream Kit comes in four different shades to suit different skin tones: Fair, Light, Medium & Deep.

Contour Cream Kit in 'Fair'

'Use Anastasia Beverly Hills Contour Cream Kit to sculpt, define and enhance bone structure and features'.

Formula & Pigmentation

Previous to using the Contour Cream Kit  had been a Contour Powder kind of gal. After trying this beauty, I'm never going back to powder. Wow, what have I been missing out on!

The highlighting an contouring creams are as smooth as butter and just as very easy to blend in. A lot of people assume that you need to be a pro to be able to use a cream contour successfully. Rest assured, you don't need to be pro level. I actually found using the cream contour a lot easier than the powder. Whilst the powder allows you to gradually build your contour, cream contour gives you the opportunity to blend it out if it's too dark and heavy. It should be noted that the contouring colours in the pans do become a lot softer once blended in.

I have been using this kit daily with all of my looks and it leaves me looking and feeling fabulous. 

'Emphasise eyes, cheekbones, nose and jawline with smooth, velvety formulas that impart a subtle, dewy sheen'.

Ingredients

The ABH Contour Cream Kit is free from:

• Parabens
• Sulfates
• Phthalates
  

Affordability & Retailers

Being as pale as I am comes with pro's and con's. CON: as I child I was constantly asked if I was feeling well because I looked really sick. Thanks teachers and peers, appreciate it. PRO: as an adult I am constantly being complimented on how beautiful my skin looks. CON: no one in Australia stocks the cream contour shade 'Fair'. 

Sephora and Hairhouse Warehouse are both stockists of all things ABH, so if you don't require the 'Fair' Contour kit, head to either of these websites. You'll find that the contour kit also retails for around $70.00 AUD.

Final Verdict

Simply, what it all comes down to is one single question: do you need this kit in your life? The answer is a BIG FAT YES!  No matter what your skill level or your age, it's never too late to learn to contour.

- B xo