Review on Studio Gear Holiday Palette + FOTD

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"Be radiant on any occasion with this sultry, shimmery palette of dramatic shades – perfect for creating a classic smoky eye look, with a hint of unexpected golden glimmer. This collection of four complimentary eye shadows with matching blush deliver several day to night options that are both seductive and wearable. With pure color, pigment-rich formulations, you’ll be sure to smolder all night!"

Quick info here about Studio Gear from their Facebook Page:

"Studio Gear was founded in 1996 by longtime industry professionals, John Avolio and Steve Rohr, with the goal of providing high-quality cosmetics with a reasonable price tag. We have since stayed on the cutting edge of ingredients, formulations, and pigments, and work with the best chemists, laboratories, and manufacturers in the business. Our main focus is to listen to our consumers, gain information, address concerns, and provide solutions that can fit any woman's daily routine. 

Our world-class cosmetic and skincare products are available at Ulta Beauty locations, select Dillard's locations, and online at www.studiogearcosmetics.com. "

I have never really heard of this brand before and am really excited that I am able to try this awesome  Holiday Smokey Eye Palette from them and BrandBacker. Do check out Studio Gear's website as they sell more than makeup! They have makeup brushes, kits and skin care products!

Packaging:

• The palette came with a nice cardboard sleeve packaging with it's name, "Studio Gear Holiday" (see picture in the beginning of the post).
• The palette is a square shaped, sleek palette. It's almost the exact same size as the Urban Decay Ammo Palette (just a few centimeters difference!).
• It has a magnetic closure as well so this will be good for traveling.
• I love how the step-by-step instructions on how to achieve a smokey eye with the palette is on the inside cover instead of a piece of paper that I usually throw away.

Quick run down of the shades here for you in the best that I can describe this as I could!

• Coal - the darkest shade in the palette with silver shimmers
• Glimmer - is like a light gold shimmery shade
• Frost - this is going to be your white highlighting shade that has silver shimmers in it
• Platinum - this I would say is a true silver shimmery color

Quality:

• the eyeshadows is on the shimmery side so this is definitely for an Evening or Special Events use.
• I would use the Frost shade for highlighting the inner corners of my eyes and the center of my lids BUT to use the palette as a whole, I would use it for special occasions only.
• an Eye Primer is very well needed for the colors to pop more. You can see in the picture above, without a primer all you see is the shimmer.
• I do love the blush! Snowy Glow! This is more on the peachy-pink shimmery side which is what I would pair myself for a smokey eye! Use a light hand and build up the color from there as this has good pigmentation to it.
• My favorite of all the shadows is Platinum and Frost. 
• Glimmer I had a hard time showing on my skin tone but that shade is just so beautiful to use all over the lid! I may have to try a white- or cream base eye shadow for it to show more.

And here's my FOTD that I came up with for this palette. . .

My lamp light makes me pale (I wish I am!) but I am really darker than that and since this is taken with an iPhone5, quality will not be the greatest. The sun had set early on me so my lighting was just ok that day. . I did not follow the step-by-step in the palette because I want to show another way of using it! 

I wanted to see how this will work with a nice smokey cat eye (yes, another smokey cat eye version!)

As you can see in this picture I did a gradient effect with the eyeshadows to do a dramatic smokey cat eye

Face:

• Urban Decay Naked Foundation in 8.0
• Inglot AMC Cream Concealer in 70 + Maybelline Highlighter Dream Lumi in Honey
• NYX Set It Don't Fret It Mattifying Powder
• PopBeauty Bronzer
• I used a little bit of Glimmer as my highlighter on my cheekbones.  *It is too shimmery for my liking so I won't be using this for regular face highlighting at all!

Eyebrows

• NYX Taupe eye pencil
• Anastasia Brow Wiz in Ebony
• Benefit Gimme Brow in light-medium

Eyes

• Urban Decay Eye Primer in original
• Glimmer all over the lid 
• Frost inner corners of the eyes 
• Platinum 1/3 outer corner of the eye and a little bit on the crease; all over the lower lash line
• Coal - with an angled brush I used this to winged out my outer "V" to have a more dramatic cat eye; a little bit in the 1/3 outer corner of the lower lash line as well
• used theBalm Schwing liquid eyeliner + MUFA eye pencil in Kohl to define the wing more
• for my waterline I used Mally Beauty's eye pencil in gunmetal
• L'oreal Butterfly Voluminous Mascara in blackest black

Lips

• Milani Colorstatement lipstick in Black Cherry
• Jordana Retractable lip liner in Cabernet

And if you are interested to get this palette for that makeup-lover in your life and maybe for you and more, here's a discount code that they, StudioGear and BrandBacker have given me to share with all of you!

http://studiogearcosmetics.com/shop/eye-make-up/holiday-smokey-eye-palette/
Using the code: SGHOLIDAY will get you a 10% off discount!!!

I hope you enjoyed this quick post about Studio Gear's Holiday Smokey Palette and my FOTD Look! Thank you to Studio Gear and BrandBacker for this opportunity!