Sunday, November 25, 2012

Lingering Spring

When I first heard about the Laura Mercier Lingerie Eye & Cheek Palette from Pixiwoo all the way in February, I didn't really think anything much. It wasn't until months later, when I saw it pop up on Emma Bovary Beauty, that I started to take notice. By the time my casual interest had turned into full blown obsession, it had sold out everywhere (Myer, DJs, even Adore Beauty). I was just about to give up on it ever being mine, when Mishelle thoughtfully notified me that it was available on StrawberryNet (thank you, Mishelle!). It was meant to be after all. And to hell with my spending ban.






Despite how thrilled I was to finally have this in my possession, I'm starting to wonder whether I should order from StrawberryNet again. This is the second consecutive purchase where one of the pans had detached completely (the first being the Stila Bronzing Powder). To make things worse, I think someone botched an attempt to affix the loose pan to the palette, because there was a blob of semi-dried glue at the base which did absolutely nothing. If anything, it made it harder to try and squeeze the pan snugly into the empty slot, because the glue created an uneven surface at the bottom. It meant the pan protruded out and would fall out again at the slightest movement.




Packaging issues aside, this palette pretty much represents everything I'm drawn to in makeup (at least for eyeshadow and blush). I wouldn't want lip products to be in there anyway, as mixing powders with creams in one palette often gets messy and unhygienic. There's more mattes than I'd normally like, but the matte shades here (especially the brown and the blue) are so well done, that I don't even mind. If there was a shimmery olive shade and a bronze (probably replacing the peach and the light pink), you'd have all my go-to eyeshadows in one place.

l-r: Buff Pearl, Tawny Apricot, Rich Cocoa, Pale Pink, African Violet, Black Plum

Buff Pearl (Luster) Shimmery, whitish beige with a touch of iridescent pink. Very similar to Urban Decay Bootycall (from the Naked2 palette), though Bootycall is a bit more peach.

Tawny Apricot (Sateen) Muted, light burnt orange, like a dusty peach colour. One of the less pigmented shades. Can't see myself wearing this much.

Rich Cocoa (Matte) Dark chocolate colour. Not much red in it, but not greyish. Kind of like a bark colour. One of the most pigmented mattes I've come across, blends beautifully with other shades as well.

Pale Pink (Matte) As the name suggests, slightly dusty, very light matte pink. This one was a bit powdery and chalky in texture compared to the other two mattes, but still quite pigmented. I don't think Pale Pink shows up on my skin very well, so maybe this could be more of a blending shade.

African Violet (Luster) The stunner of the palette and the main reason I wanted to get it, though I know you can buy this colour separately. Pinkish violet with gold shimmer. The shimmer is pronounced enough that it's almost like a duochrome, but rather than overtaking the colour, it just seems to imbue it with fine gold sparkle. It's a sophisticated and wearable shade that still remains soft despite the shimmer. I love that there's no fallout with it either. My new favourite eyeshadow combination is African Violet over the lid, with Rich Cocoa applied closer to the upper lashline and blended upwards slightly to give definition and a hint of smokiness. The two surprisingly work really well together.

Black Plum (Matte) Dark, blackish eggplant but without any red. Like navy, but purple. Great for lining the eyes as an alternative to black, and something softer than a gel or liquid liner.



l-r: Rose Desire, Fresh Peach

Rose Desire Bright rosy shade with a touch of coral.

Fresh Peach Looks bright in pan but applies quite softly to my cheeks. Doesn't look red at all, but isn't overwhelmingly orange. My favourite of the two blushes.

This is a limited edition palette, so if you're keen on it, it's still available on StrawberryNet for a bit over the retail price of $60 (though if you're a regular StrawberryNet shopper, you'll have extra loyalty discounts). It's a bit steeper than what I'd normally shell out for in a palette (it's actually my most expensive single makeup purchase to date, trumping the Urban Decay Naked palettes), but it's so versatile, soft and classic that I know I'll get plenty of wear from it. I don't have two really good quality, dark mattes like Rich Cocoa and Black Plum either, so I'm pleased with the inclusion of them, and African Violet is an eyeshadow must-have.

73 comments:

  1. I'll admit that when I saw you and Mishelle talking about this on twitter I was VERY tempted to purchase this as it's just gorgeous. But I do already have similar colours and I'm trying hard to cut down on buying makeup haha. Such a beautiful palette though!

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  2. So pretty! African Violette and Rose Desire look gorgeous! That's a real bummer that it came broken, but super lovely regardless!

    www.dressingroomdiaries.com

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  3. The eyeshadow I was drawn to immediately here was African Violet! Glad that it doesn't have fallout -- it looks and sounds wonderful. :D

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  4. This looks so gorgeous. I've had my eye on it for some time as well, but so far managed to resist, although its getting harder and harder!

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  5. I'm glad you picked it up :D I am tempted to grab it myself now!
    x

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  6. Beautiful colors. New follower!

    Lots of bloggy love from Ashton:
    Over at, http://lovelifeandtruthtells.blogspot.com

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  7. I agree with you about mixing creams with powders! A few of my favorite have cream lip products in them and it just makes it messier to me! This palette looks really nice though. I enjoy having multiple types of products in one palette, so this one seems great

    http://www.eyeshadoweyeliner.blogspot.com

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  8. This looks like such a great palette, the colours are gorgeous! x

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  9. The palette looks great, the colors are nice. I really like Laura Mercier products in general, I use the face primer everyday, but that packaging issue is strange. Maybe you should write to them about that!

    -Lisa
    The Lovely Memoir

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  10. It looks really pretty, the swatches are nice :) I swear you always have really good swatches that show off the colours and the finishes really well!

    "To hell with my spending ban". BEST QUOTE EVER!

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    1. LOL, I'm so hopeless at spending bans, I can hardly call it one when I've never adhered to it :p

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  11. African violet is soo pretty, looks a teeny bit like toasted from Naked palette. The dark matte brown is just soo pigmented xx

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  12. I bought this palette a few months ago at Myer and I love it!

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  13. very nice colors :D

    visit my blog ^^
    www.luchluchcraft.blogspot.com

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  14. I've not seen this in stores or on blogs yet but want it! Looks like the perfect colors and selection for a quick look!

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  15. What a great palette. I like the color choices. x

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  16. It's beautiful! I saw it cropping up but it didn't captivate me as much as it did you! It's gorgeous! I agree with what you said about African Violet- it's stunning- though my favourite part would have to be the Second Skin Cheek Colours! I've been wanting Lush Nectarine for months! :) x

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    1. Captivated is the word :p I don't know how I got stuck on it - I was relatively indifferent up until the last moment, and then BAM! Obsession. The cheek colours are lovely though I haven't gotten much wear from them. I've become very blush happy of late, which is why I haven't been reaching for LM blushes as much as I would be if I didn't have all these new blushes to use :p Hopefully you get your hands on Lush Nectarine if it's been on your wishlist for so long :)

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  17. Ooh that's beautiful! Strawberrynet took AGES to deliver my order so I'm not too keen with them, too!

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  18. I love this palette I saw Emma's post a while ago and thought about buying it but decided to give it a miss. Shame about the packaging but it's such a beautiful palette, and your photos of it are lovely!

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  19. African Violet looks like a MAC shadow I saw previously.. perhaps Stars and Rockets? But apart from that individual, I'm not too impressed with this palette. I think I'll stick to Naked hehe :D x

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    1. I don't have that shade but just from Google Images they do seem similar. The Naked palettes are better value in my opinion, and definitely a must-have for eyeshadow lovers :)

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  20. I'm normally not a fan of palettes that have more than one type of product but this one is a beauty! The blush colours are gorgeous and the eyeshadows are all wearable xx

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  21. I want this palette so badly now!
    S xx

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  22. Wow this is quite an expensive palette! The colours do look gorgeous though, and African Violet really stands out. The loose pan really makes StrawberryNet look dodgy- I recently purchased some Korres Lip Butters and the packaging was slightly between the different colours I had purchased! Shame that the Fresh Peach colour protrudes out though :(

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    1. The packaging isn't supposed to be identical on the Korres Lip Butters - do you mean the placement of the icons and typography and things like that? I've had better luck with Korres Lip Butters off SNet, I bought a set of 3 earlier in the year and they were all in perfect condition. But not too happy about the bronzer and this palette having loose pans!

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  23. I've just been thinking whether I should buy the Naked palette or not since it seems to have all the right shades. But I think this palette suit me so much better. The quality looks better and it's even got a rosey and peach colour in it! Would prefer if it wasn't SO matte - if you know what I mean.

    But having a pan fall out is completely unacceptable! Are you going to email them about it?

    Thanks for leaving a comment in my last post. I've always stubbornly believed that love is supposed to bring out a better version of ourselves. To me love, is facilitative and supportive. It makes us realise our dreams and potential as human beings. On the flip side, I don't think I'm comfortable with a love that 'completes' me. I'd rather be happy within myself first and then have someone that 'complements' me.

    But that's just me! I'm probably TOO stubborn considering how non-existent my love life is. LOL!

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    1. Totally overlooked that this was an eye and cheek palette! I honestly thought the peach and rose was for the eyes! LOL. Silly me!

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    2. I think you should still go for the Naked if you like eyeshadows :) I have both and they're my favourite eyeshadows, I marginally prefer Naked2 which I have a hunch you will prefer over the original a bit more.

      I didn't, I can't be bothered LOL. I managed to squeeze it back in by brute force (and pulling out the glue), so I kind of fixed it up myself :p

      You and I have the same issue with non-existent love life, so don't worry, you're far from alone. I totally get what you mean by love being facilitative and supportive. I think a person's definition of love does tend to go through certain revisions as they grow older. It's not just about the romantic/passionate love/infatuation that you see in movies. It's sometimes not even about satiating your desire to be with someone, as much as that factors in and counts. It's very difficult to discuss what "love" means to you and what it feels like to you without first asking the question about how someone feels about themselves and their own sense of self and self-worth as well, as the two are so inextricably connected. I like that you say you'd rather be happy with yourself first - I think this is an absolute must to have any kind of successful and healthy relationship anyway, but it is hard, and there are plenty of people who never get to that stage and become very dependent on their partners or a relationship to feel safe or bolster their self-esteem.

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  24. This is so gorgeous, I am rather jealous!
    I would be really annoyed about the pan though, especially as I'm rather OCD! Have you notified them or anything?


    xoxo

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    1. I did find it really annoying as well, but nope, I didn't notify them. I guess this post will be the closest to complaining I'll get :p

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  25. I'd normally never consider buying a palette for $60 but these colours are so gorgeous I may be changing my mind. Shame about the loose pan though!

    I'm a new here, give my blog a visit?
    http://makeupandmockmeat.blogspot.com.au/

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  26. The colours look gorgeous! Too bad about the pan falling out though :(


    Black&Vanilla
    xx

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  27. So jealous! I think this is one of the palettes that i would go for. I love all the eyeshadow colours, especially tawny apricot which is really pretty on the eyes during Autumn. The blush colours look really subtle and pretty too and they would be used quite alot if i had it. Such a shame about the packaging though, but i'm glad that you got it sorted out for now. I used to shop at StrawberryNet, but after i think my Bobbi Brown packaging was a bit off too when i bought the gel liners from them, so i never purchased anything from them again after! Thanks for sharing your lovely purchase and swatching all the beautiful colours. Have a nice day xxx

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    1. I'll have to try Tawny Apricot by itself on my lids and see how it goes :) I'm sure you will like this palette though it is a bit pricey and you probably have dupes of all the colours hehe. That sucks about the Bobbi Brown :( I'm a bit iffy about SNet, I love their super fast shipping and huge product range, but I'm a bit disappointed about all the loose pans! You have a wonderful day too Ying :)

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  28. So glad that my post tempted you into buying this, I use it all the time and find that even the shades I didn't think I would use (Tawny Apricot) still get reached for quite a bit. I use Pale Pink as a highlight, and African Violet is my favourite :) LM are the brand of the moment for me!

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    1. Yes I remember your post dedicated to Tawny Apricot :) I'm really enjoying Laura Mercier right now too, no doubt partly inspired by all the LM posts I've read on your blog of late!

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  29. I saw this on Emmas blog :) It's so pretty and the colours are so practical! Such a shame you have been receiving such bad luck with strawberrynet lately!

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  30. oh noooooooooo I want this one too!! I'll check it in my nearest laura mercier counter here.! hopefully the price wont be too high because laura mercier is usually more expensive here T__T

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    1. I wonder if it'll still be available there - I believe it was released in the US/UK in February as part of their Spring collection, but it was still in Australian Laura Mercier counters in October. Hopefully it'll still be there (or not, better for your wallet :p)

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  31. ah, i knew it was the african violet even before i scrolled it down.
    what a beautiful shade! i mean the whole palette is gorgeous but this makes me wanna get the single african violet so so bad!!!

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    1. I think you'd love it! But I'm sure you have similar-ish shades already so you could save your pennies (for now) ;)

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  32. ohhhh its wow... i will forget packaging issue for this beauty... its so classy... nice swatches..Rose Desire, Fresh Peach are such heart beating colors

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  33. Looks gorgeous, great choice, xoxo.

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  34. This is one of those things one can easily obsess over without guilt, I mean the palette looks fabulous and all the colours are 100% wearable, plus it has two blushes. Once in a while is nice to spoil oneself with such makeup treats, I tell myself 'I don't have "other" vices, I don't smoke, I don't drink, I don't splurge on anything else, so ok this is my one sickness: beauty products, it could be so much worse!' LOL and I then I type my credit card number and be done with it. I'm sure everytime you use this palette you're going to feel even more beautiful than if you were looking in the mirror of a crappy $7 palette, am I wrong? hehe xx

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    1. Haha, "sickness" is definitely one way to describe it ;) I agree that making more "investment" purchases is preferable to having a whole lot of junk yard, dirt cheap makeup that you buy just because it's cheap. Unfortunately I learnt that lesson a bit too late :p

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  35. I want this palette so much! The African violet looks so so gorgeous!! All a tiny bit out of my price range though :( Might have to go on a Christmas list... ;)
    http://shopaholiconashoestring.wordpress.com/

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  36. I love the African violet shade, Such a shame about the packaging
    Daniella x

    http://daniella-r.blogspot.co.uk

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  37. I've always loved this palette, the shades are perfect! But I had so many different products with similar colours that I never picked this one up. Now I'm regretting it again after seeing your swatches! It's too bad that one pan falls out though :(

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  38. I love this!

    -liv
    http://chocolivlovelaugh.blogspot.kr

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  39. Looks like a gorgeous and versatile palette! And I absolutely love the quality of LM products! <3

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  40. THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!!!
    i've been looking for this palette for nearly a year.. as you said, it was sold out everywhere... and I have just ordered mine, thanks to you! Its sooo beautiful, can't wait to received it! :) xxx

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    1. Awww, so glad to have finally led you to it! Yay! Do a post when it arrives :)

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  41. I adore this! And I adore the quality of your pictures- it definitely shows off the palette and colors gorgeously!

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  42. i think african violet looks idential to nars' strada... what do you think?

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    1. I don't have that shade but just from Google Images, it looks a bit cooler, more of a powdery lavender, while African Violet is more of a pinkish violet shade :)

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  43. I remember seeing this on Emmas blog, its a gorgeous palette :)

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  44. african violet looks so pretty! xx

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  45. Bummer about the packaging issue, but it's a lovely palette! All the colors are so soft and pretty. :-)

    ~ Yun

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  46. what a gorgeous palette! African Violet looks so pretty!!

    à la foliee

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  47. all the colors are beautifil and perfect, looks like palette perfect for me hehehe
    hugs!!

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  48. aww it sucks that the packaging is not sturdy enough, but luckily it's still usable. :) i adore the eyeshadow shades, especially the darker ones and the blushes are soo gorgeous! i really think it's worth the purchase :) thanks for the awesome swatches!

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  49. the colors included on the palette looks nice and wearable =)

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  50. Beautiful colours! Thank you for the review, swatches and a picture of ingredients' list. x

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  51. I ma following you now xx www.imitaitonisthegreatestformofflattery.blogspot.co.uk

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  52. I really shouldn't have read this! I now need it in my life!! My spending limit is really going out the window at the moment! :( haha

    Aimée X
    dress-it-up-6.blogspot.co.uk

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  53. Sucks about the pan/glue thing but my gosh, what a stunning palette! This is exactly what I like to use when it comes to makeup, as well.

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  54. Girl I love these colors! I will deff be giving her palette a go :)
    I agree about the mixing eye shadows and lip products together ! I'm not a fan of that :(
    XOXO

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  55. That's a gorgeous palette, I love those blush colours. Sorry to hear it came like that, though, but I would probably let them know! So nice when something is finally yours, hey!

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  56. I'm probably be purchasing this palette soon, it's everything I want!
    The colors are amazing and I'm sure the quality is great as well... ughh i want it so bad :((((

    xxxx

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