Front cover of outer box.
Back cover of box.
You are probably aware by now that Maybelline has released two palettes for the Holidays. This is exciting because you don't see many drugstore brands releasing kits that have everything for a full look. But is it any good? I have tried the palette, but I did not take any pictures of me wearing it. I had all intentions of doing an FOTD, but I woke up with a terrible allergic reaction yesterday. My face was the color of a beet, on top of itching really badly, and the only way I was able to get any relief was to take a Benadryl and apply anti-itch cream all over my face. It is a lot better, but my skin is still red and I can feel a little bit of heat coming from it. The only thing I can think of that would have caused it is the Clinique Acne Solutions benzoyl peroxide treatment, which is odd because it has never bothered me before and I did not have problems before going to bed. Anywho, all of that is beside the point.
The Gilded in Gold Makeup Kit comes with almost everything you need to form a neutral, golden eye look complete with beautiful red lips.
What's Included:
- 4 Eyeshadows that are 0.053 oz. You get a shimmery pinky beige, shimmery deep brown, light gold, and a "true" gold shade.
- Dual ended sponge. Yay! *rolls eyes*
- a neutral matte blush that is 0.141 oz
- One of those crappy blush brushes that we all just love and adore. Yes, I am being sarcastic.
- Red lipgloss, 0.088 oz.
- Black eye-liner, 0.056 oz
- Highlighter that is 0.229 oz.
- A sponge to apply the highlighter.
This palette is not perfect, but it is better than I expected. Texture wise, the eyeshadows are great. They are very smooth and soft. I would actually say they are better quality than Maybelline's Nude and Blushed Nude palettes, and I dislike both of them. As for pigment, they do leave a little to be desired. Especially when it comes to the gold shade. It is more chunky than the other shades, and there is little color pay off. However, I did use the gold over M.A.C's Painterly Paint Pot, and it performed better than I expected. It still isn't a 'boom..in your face" kind of gold, but it is pretty for an everyday look.
The included blush is surprisingly pretty, and has decent color payoff. You also want to consider that I am not a blush person and I don't like heavily pigmented blushes. Therefore, my definition of decent color payoff might be different than yours. It is a bit chalky and patchy, which resulted in having to really focus on blending more so than a high quality blush.
The highlighter is usable, but it isn't great. It is white with a golden sheen, and when blended out, it has a very subtle (and I do mean subtle) sheen to it. I can see it on my arm, but barely. This one is even more chalky than the blush, but it was pretty easy to blend out on my arm. I used a little bit on my cheekbones, but I couldn't really see much of anything. For someone who is a beginner to makeup, this would make a decent introduction to makeup. But if you are on a budget and want a good highlighter, I highly recommend Wet n Wild's Hollywood Boulevard. It is a lot more golden, but it is of beautiful quality.
Blush, highlighter, lip gloss, eyeliner
Lip glosses are not a favorite of mine, but this one appears to be really good. It is a gorgeous, semi-opaque red. In some lighting, I detect a hint of pink. On the lips, it felt very lightweight and non-sticky. It is probably the best product out of the kit.
Finally, the eyeliner. Right of the bat I do not like how chunky the pencil is. It was difficult to line my lower lash line without looking like a raccoon. I had to take some tissue to clean it up. I was able to line my waterline fairly well with it, and it caused no irritation.
I am a fan of the packaging. It is made out of really sturdy plastic, and is simple. It is all black with a little bit of writing in gold. When you open it, you will see the hinged mirror (thank you!), the eyeshadows, lip gloss, eyeliner, and blush. Each side slides to reveal the highlighter and sponge underneath. It is not heavy, so you can hold it easily while applying. It should be fine for traveling, but I would still be careful with it. Maybelline also included a look card. And it is also on the back of the box. On the front is a model showing how everything looks together. She looks fabulous, and to be honest, I just don't see the products giving that result.
By the way, does anyone else find the face diagram on the back a little creepy? Or is it just me?
I think this kit will be great for someone who is new to makeup. The quality is not bad, but there are definitely other things in my collection that I will reach for over this. If you need a budget friendly gift for someone, Maybelline's Gilded in Gold kit might be worth looking into. It is $12.99 at Ulta, but I wouldn't pay full price for it. I would wait for one of their $3.50 off of $10 coupons and/or for Maybelline products to be BOGO 50% off.
