Thursday 5 December 2013

Christmas Countdown: bareMinerals The Mix Master READY Convertible Eyeshadow Palette (& swatches)

I normally try to feature makeup on Mondays here on Skin Deep but I couldn't wait a moment longer to share today's Christmas Countdown gift idea with you. bareMinerals READY Convertible Eyeshadow Palette is pure genius- the sort of product that makes you wonder why no one thought of it before and it's certainly a gift that you'll struggle to part with (the Christmas shopping tactic of "one for them, one for me" is perfectly justified in this instance!).
 
 



Presented in a black plastic case, the palette contains twelve powder eyeshadows and there's not one which I wouldn't use, as can sometimes be the case with eyeshadow palettes.

However, what makes this palette pure genius and sets it apart is the fact that it's "convertible". The mid section, which holds three eyeshadows, a dual ended brush and generous mirror, can be removed and used as a mini palette. It's the ideal solution for girls on the go & jet setters alike.


What's more, bareMinerals didn't stop at that. Each of the twelve shadows within the palette can be popped in & out of position in the palette so you can choose the three colours that you want to carry with you in the mini palette, making it perfectly personal.



The plastic overlay recommends different uses for each shadow e.g. base, liner or crease and there's a corresponding "tutorial" in diagram on the back of the palette. For this reason, I think the palette would be ideal for beginners and makeup addicts alike.



Predominately comprised of shimmery eyeshadows, there are also three shadows with a matte finish.
There's quite a few paler, neutral shades which would work well as a base, for an all over colour wash for those days when you need to get out the door in a hurry, or used as transition colours. Additionally, there's darker shades which can be used as liner or for a classic smokey eye, as well as opulent metallic and rich jewel tones for a modern twist on the classic smokey eye. Each shadow is 1.5g.

I've swatched each of the shadows, going from left to right from the top row downwards (as the palette came) and the photos below show the shadows in natural lighting, unless otherwise stated.



First up, we have Stealth which is a soft peach with satin finish. bareMinerals state that this is ideal for using as a base, which I'd agree with.
Second from left is Daydream, a matte fleshtone. Again, bareMinerals state this as being ideal for using as a base and whilst I agree, I also feel that it's the sort of highly versatile shade that everyone should have in their eyeshadow collection. Mattes are so often disappointingly chalky but I was impressed with the quality of this one, which is on a par with the high quality of the other shadows in the palette.
Next is Embellish, an absolutely gorgeous bronze with gold shimmer particles that would be ideal for creating a festive bronze smokey eye. bareMinerals recommend using this in the crease. I've also taken a photo of this swatch with flash to demonstrate that the shimmer is a grown-up glitter and there are no chunky particles.

 
Then we have Perspective which is a deep espresso brown with a satin finish. Again, a wonderful neutral which would be a welcomed addition to any eyeshadow collection. bareMinerals suggest using this as a liner colour which I agree with and also feel that it would be useful to darken up the outer "v".



The final colour on the top row of the palette (and first in my second row of swatches- no, I don't know why I swatched the shadows that way either!) is Panorama, a very pretty dark slate colour with subtle purple undertones & a satin finish.
I needed to apply a couple of layers to get a full pigmentation but it was still relatively effortless. Again, bareMinerals suggest this as a liner colour.

Next up is Mixologist, a shimmery pink champagne colour that would be ideal for using as a one shadow colour wash. bareMinerals suggest using this as a base colour, which I agree with and also think that it would be pretty used as a one shadow colour wash paired with Panorama as a liner.

Maven is essentially the matte version of Panorama. Again, I needed a couple of layers for full opacity but I remained impressed. bareMinerals state this as being ideal as a liner colour.
Muse is a shimmery, icy pale pink and another shade which bareMinerals advise using as a base, and this is most likely how I use this shade.
Next up is Max Volume, which I'd describe as blackened emerald (apologies- my picture doesn't really capture the green tones of this very well- I'm thinking of investing in a new camera in the new year so please bear with me!).
I like the incorporation of colour into the palette and particularly like that the pretty emerald has a blackened quality to it which makes it more wearable. Therefore, unlike many colours which remain untouched in palettes, I'd be more inclined to use this, either as a liner or for a colourful twist on the classic smokey eye. bareMinerals suggest using this in the crease.


Hot Commodity is a highly pigmented, bronze copper metallic. The photo above is taken in natural daylight whilst I used a flash for the photo below to try to capture the high shine effect. bareMinerals suggest using this in the crease and I think it would also make a fantastic base colour for a dramatic smokey eye.
Custom Made is another high shine shade, this time a pale pink. Again, bareMinerals suggest using this in the crease.

 
Last but not least is In Vogue which is a matte, muted purple. As with some of the other deeper shades in the palette, I had to apply a couple of layers of this for full pigmentation but still found it to be relatively effortless. Again, bareMinerals suggest using this in the crease and I think it would also be a gorgeous liner shade.

I was very impressed with the pigmentation and soft texture of the eyeshadows. I was also impressed with how easy to blend the shadows are. I noticed a little fall-out with some of the colours but taken on the whole, I have no complaints and think that the innovative packaging makes READY Convertible Eyeshadow Palette worth the £45 it costs. I have to say that of all the beauty gifts which I've seen whilst preparing my various festive gift guides this year, this palette has been one of the standouts.

Overall, I'd highly recommend this and can't think of any recipient would wouldn't be happy to receive this. Actually, scratch that- don't buy it as a gift, add it to your own Christmas wish list- it's worth ending up on Santa's naughty list for!

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