My Sephora Friends and Family Experience

For the past 2 weeks Sephora had been having their Friends and Family Sale :) 20% off! Unfortunately it was only valid online, which was completely ridiculous. However, I ordered The Makeup Forever HD Foundation and Smashbox's Photofinish Light Primer, and avoided the shipping costs. When I got my Sephora package in the mail I was so excited. But I was disappointed just minutes later. If you can believe this- I didn't like either of them.

I really didn't like the Makeup Forever HD Foundation because even though it blended really smoothly and seamlessly, when I finished applying it the fun was over. My favorite part of the foundation was the application, because the product was smooth and creamy but not heavy. However, the finish was very lackluster for me. Medium-full coverage, but it left my face looking really dull and just not attractive. It was very eh. The finish wasn't semi-matte, it was really more matte, which surprised me because I had heard it was dewy. Maybe it depends on the type of skin you have. Also my face actually had a bad reaction to the makeup and the sensitive spots I got a few months ago from the Estee Lauder Doublewear Foundation flared up all over again. My skin got terribly itchy and uncomfortable. So I ended up returning it. :(

The Smashbox Photofinish I didn't give too much of a chance, because it didn't do much for my face or makeup and it was too expensive for me to keep experimenting with. So I returned that too.

ANYWAY, getting to the point, on the last day of the Sephora Friends and Family Sale a friend from class who knew I liked makeup asked me if I wanted this postcard-type coupon she had from Sephora offering the Friends and Family Discount IN-STORE! Omg I was so happy! I didn't want to buy online again because I knew I wouldn't be spending over $50 and would have to pay shipping, which would basically cancel out any money I would have saved with the sale.

So I rushed to Sephora, and being economically-minded, bought just one thing :) Stila's In the Light Palette.

What I think: I abolutely adore it. I love this palette SOOO much and it, and my Urban Decay Naked Palette are pretty much my life right now :D <3 I was not disappointed at all by this palette, it met and even exceeded my expectations. There are four matte colors and six shimmers. Three of the matte colors I'll call matte-ish, because they look matte to me but there are a couple tiny shimmers in them. I can't tell if this is part of the formula or if some of the shimmer from the other colors got into them haha. I think they are matte though. The colors are so beautiful, and I actually gasped a couple months back when I first saw this palette in Sephora and swatched a few colors on my hand. The pigmentation was AMAZING! The colors were so soft and creamy and absolutely stunning. I actually really love the eyeliner included with the palette! It is beautiful. I had no clue what I was missing out on, but Stila Eyeliners look and apply phenomenally. It, like the shadows, is soft and creamy. It glides wonderfully and the color is a rich dark brown. I would have preferred black, but this makes me go outside my comfort zone a little, which I welcome.
Swatches:

Note- I feel like these swatches aren't doing the palette justice :( I may try and do some more and replace these with   better ones, but it may just look better in person.

Downsides: I noticed in the store that the shadows were somewhat crumbly, and you do have to be mindful of that when you're using the palette, because it wasn't just bad handling at the store. Some of the shadows are really soft, and with one gentle tap of the shadow with your brush they can crumble a little where you patted. So just be gentle. Also, one of the shadows, the most beautiful one to me, gilded gold, came out warmer then I expected, which I was a little disappointed by. It's probably still my favorite shadow though. It's just so beautiful! Rich brown with gold shimmer :) You can't go wrong.

Other Stuff: I do feel that this palette has a somewhat limited range of combinations, and is somewhat similar to the Naked Palette. What I mean by limited range is that it would just be weird for me to combine Night Sky with Gilded Gold or sandstone. I think so at least. So sometimes I'll scan the palette and mentally conjure up looks I can do and feel all of them already. I'm not the most creative outside-the-box makeup lover though, so that could be my own personal shortcomings. Also the palette, as I said, is somewhat similar to the Naked Palette. Basically the whole bottom row is somewhat Naked Palette-y but I wouldn't say they're dupes and I don't feel I wasted my money. The colors Bliss and Sandstone also remind me slightly of Naked and Buck. The light shimmery colors in this palette, namely Kitten, Champagne, and Gilded Gold are AMAZING. They are the most beautiful highlight, lid color, and inner tear duct colors ever. They are gorgeous.

I definitely am glad I got this palette and I would recommend it to anyone.

An FOTD with the Stila In the Light Palette :) It was my friend's 21st Birthday! Happy Birthday Mikell you big lug :)

Face: Graftobian HD Glamour Creme Foundation Palette
NARS Madly
Tarte Park Ave. Princess Bronzer
Clinique Up Light Illuminator in Natural
Laura Gellar Portofino Highlight
Laura Mercier Translucent Setting Powder

Eyes: Stila in the Light Palette in Night Sky, Ebony, Bare, Kitten
Buxom Lash Mascara
Maybelline Colossal Volume Mascara
Ardell Demi Wispies False Lashes
Urban Decay Zero Eyeliner Pencil
Eve Pearl Salmon Concealer

Brows: Shiseido Brow Pencil

Lips: MAC Brave Lipstick
Vaseline! Looks like gloss ;) and much more comfortable and conditioning

The birthday boy :) Isn't he handsome?! Unfortunately he has a girlfriend! Sorry girls :)

Happy Birthday again Mikell <3