November 16, 2012

Bare Minerals Beautifully Brilliant Holiday Collection Review & Swatches

The Bare Minerals Beautifully Brilliant 8 Piece Holiday Collection is premiering today on QVC. This eight piece Holiday 2012 Collection includes an array of beautifully makeup packaged in festive compacts which makes it a perfect gift for mother’s, friends, or yourself *wink* *wink* *nudge* *nudge*!

Update: I mentioned I didn’t have details about future shipments in this post but information has become available. I now have images of the future shipments posted up and you can view them by following this link.

Five full size products plush brushes and a sparkling makeup clutch will set you back a mere $49.98 and you can lock in the savings for new seasonal color selections that will be auto delivered to you in April, July, and October 2013.

Take a look!

This is quite a value. It’s like paying $10 per full size item and getting free brushes and a clutch with your purchase. Seriously, where can you get a Bare Minerals Ready Eyeshadow Quad for ten bucks?

You get:

  • Perfect Light Mineral Veil

Ready Eyeshadow Quad in The Possibilities (0.17-oz each)
Shades:

  • Promise (creamy beige)
  • Future (sunset pink)
  • Destiny (warm gray matte)
  • Sign (a smoky purple haze)

Ready Liner Shadow Duo in The Horizon Line (0.1 oz each)
Shades:

  • Panorama (charcoal)
  • Perspective (a deep espresso)
  • Blush in Perfect Rose (warm rose)
  • Marvelous Moxie Lipgloss in Shining Star (dusty rose)
  • Flawless Application Face Brush
  • Double-Ended Defined Line & Crease Brush

This is quite a festive set as the compacts, brush handles, and lids on the jars are a metallic red. It just reeks beautiful Holiday makeup and will make a very lovely gift for someone who adores Bare Minerals makeup.

Here’s the low down on what I thought of the set.

First off, the shades are not very friendly…I hate to burst anyone’s bubble, my own included, since this is such a bargain. But…the Ready Eyeshadow Quad is a little tricky for many skin tones to pull off my own included. I sort of wish they kept with the theme of dusky rose considering the blush and gloss are that shade. I wouldn’t mind dusky shades of pink for my eyes to go along with that.

These shades are a little washed on me and I found it difficult to create a look using them. The funny thing is about Ready Eyeshadow is it always has a velvety thicker texture but never looks frosty. The shade Promise in this set is frost overload. I really don’t do well with frosts, it’s a very unflattering finish for me. The other shades have a satiny smooth texture and lean towards more of a semi-matte finish sans sparkle or glitter. These all apply beautifully however Promise was a little more challenging to work with.

Bare Minerals gives a step by step guide to create to looks using the palette. There recommendation for one look (the one I created for this review) was to use Promise as an all over lid shade and Sign in the crease. Mmmm Promise is described as a creamy beige but I get more peach beige from it and when used in conjunction with Sign (sorta a plummy purple) I get a little bit of a muddy look. Blame it on my application but I think the two shades together just aren’t something I’d personally use.

I guess what I’m trying to say is I find the quad a little mismatched and difficult to use.

Everything else seems a happy plus so far. So if you feel like maybe the Ready Eyeshadow is a game breaker I’d suggest concentrating on other items in the set and perhaps gifting that quad to someone else. This is particularly important if you want to get in on auto delivery. I don’t know the next seasonal shades but I hear some might be warmer….!

Ready Liner Shadow 2.0 is a brand new launch from Bare Minerals that probably won’t be available outside this set until Spring 2013. Cake/powder eyeliners seem to be trending for Spring 2013! My love of powder eyeliner goes back as far as high school. I’ve always found it easier to apply and use compared to pencils, gels, and liquids.

These are basically pressed powders which you can use wet or dry. Dry makes them easier to line eyes with in my opinion but using them wet produces a better color payoff. The set includes a dual sided blending and liner brush. The liner side has a precise sponge tip applicator that works beautifully with these liners! If you have issues getting an even line or just have a hard time with liner I believe these make it easy to line eyes like a boss. A few folks expressed an interest in using these shades as a shadow. I wouldn’t recommend it, the matte finish is a little dense and this will make for patchy application.

Perfect Light Mineral Veil seems exactly like the original Mineral Veil formula to me. This is a soft, silky nearly transparent finishing powder. There isn’t sparkle or shimmer here. I’m unsure exactly what’s different about this formula, it pretty much reminds of BE’s original Mineral Veil.

Perfect Rose Blush is a lovely dusky rose shade. This is a loose powder blush which has a soft, silky texture that blends easily. Matching perfectly with the blush is the gorgeous Moxie Gloss in Shining Star. This is a nicely opaque shade with a hint of golden sparkle in a dusky rose shade. It compliments the blush perfectly which brings me to the eyeshadow quad again…I feel like the shadows in the quad don’t really go particularly well with these very pretty shades of rose but I imagine if you avoid Promise and use some of the other colors you can get a nice smoked look with rose lips and cheeks!

Finally, Bare Minerals also includes a Flawless Face Brush as well as a dual ended blending/liner brush plus a sparkling clutch. The clutch has magnetic closure, red lining, and a rose gold cracked design. It’s a smaller clutch but roomy enough for a night out to stash a lipstick and powder.

The brushes were excellent. I was particularly impressed with the dual ended one as I think I’ll make a lot of use out of the sponge liner side! Both are shed free with soft bristles.

Overall, this set isn’t without its quirks. I think the colors are a little mismatched and the quad wasn’t exactly the finish I was hoping for. I love everything else though….! I’m happy I indulged but I really wish Bare Minerals had stuck with the lovely rose shade all around as it would make a different and unique holiday look in my opinion. This quad will be a deal breaker for some as it won’t work for tanned, medium, or darker skin tones. But you might wish to overlook it and haul anyway so you can get in on the auto delivery option.

Facts is facts this is a bargain set and will make a beautiful gift!

It’s available today at the intro price today only at QVC.com

Did you purchase it?

Please share your thoughts!

I purchased this item.

About the Muse

Isabella MuseIsabella is just an average everyday geeky girl who doesn’t blend her eyeshadow correctly, wears too much blush, and hopes she never finds her holy grail products because she likes the thrill of the chase so much. Her mission is to bring you super honest reviews on makeup, skincare, fragrance and all things beauty. She’s in no way an expert on the topic and she sure as hell isn’t a super model. But she’s passionate about makeup and is seeking like-minded individuals that like pina coladas, getting caught in the rain, and ones that enjoy spending hundreds of dollars at Sephora without feeling buyer’s remorse. If you’re that person feel free to reach out and leave a comment or follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Bloglovin‘.

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Comments

  • Tammie

    I don’t think I am going to get this set (unless somebody decides to get it FOR me) but I am BONKERS excited for the powder liner duo to come out for Spring (so like…in a couple months lol). I also find powder liner to be MUCH easier and faster to apply and I am not sure where to get powder cake liner like this other than paying a looot (and not getting brown IIRC) for the Chanel one…I am OK with a liquid pen w/ brush tip but it is still time consuming.

    • the Muse

      pssttt betcha can find it on ebay before that ;-D me too! I used to use in high school all the time, revlon had one! I have the chanel one myself and also trying Bobbi Brown’s this week and I LURVEEEEEEEE it!

  • corallista

    Thats quite a bargain! I wish the shades were more suitable for medium skin tones.

  • Kiss & Make-up

    I personally don’t like the metallic red packaging at all. But I do like what’s inside though 🙂

  • BLee

    Muse, if you go to the A-D you can see the “Check Out” next three sets next to Leslie picture to see them. And yes they are some warmer sets. I bit…lol 🙂

  • Kim

    Can’t wait to try mine out when I get home from work! The swatches look lovely. Thanks, Muse.

  • Eli Caroline

    When you did the sneak peak post of this earlier I loved everything about it except for the colors in the quad. Those steely colors wouldn’t look good on me. However, for the brushes, the blush, the gloss, and mineral veil this would be a set worth purchasing.
    I would have loved for the mineral veil to be the shimmer one. I can’t ever remember what the name of it is.
    Oh- those solid liners are awesome

  • shoppingaholic

    I liked it and love the packaging. i really like the addition of that brush with sharp point and a smudger, i guess. I also like the eyeshadows.

  • Laura

    I like the quad. And I heard Leslie say it helped with “crepey eyes” and I was like “SOLD!”, but then I really really don’t want the other stuff. (Maybe the liner)

    So I’m not indulging

  • Tammie

    Surprisingly I don’t see anything on eBay! I’ll have to be patient until they are released…I’d rather swatch them/see them in person first anyway.

    I looked at Bobbi’s but 1. it’s LE and 2. it’s only black…I’d rather have a duo and I think I’d use brown or a less intense black more frequently anyway.

    Sooooo flippin’ excited though, seriously. I’ve been coveting the Chanel one for ages but just couldn’t justify it.

  • Winni

    Like a BOSS!! Woot! Ordered it, I can use some of the shades for other looks, my love for these Ready eyeshadows is unwavering. Plus I had to lock in the auto delivery and I’m so excited for the liner brush thingy. 🙂

  • Diane

    Colors look pretty on u! I didnt get the tsv but im dying for that shadow quad! I wish theyd release it seperate, i really like the colors in it

  • Laurie

    I love the entire kit even the eye quad but I can see where it wouldn’t work for many skin tones. I’m a pale, blue eyed, golden blonde and the colors bring life to my face without looking overdone. Most eyeshadows are too dark and make me look over done and harsh but these look really pretty. I didn’t realize the liners were wet dry and I have only been using them dry and even then they last the entire day. I can’t wait to try them wet tomorrow.

    I ordered this on AD but am a little concerned that the future shipments might run too warm after seeing the colors but I’m loving this one.

  • Kathy A

    I received the quad and liner duo as an Easter gift. I live in FL and spend a lot of time outside, so I get very tan (BE Original Golden Tan, often with a bit of Golden dark added in), and surprisingly, the colors in the quad show up on me. They don’t get muddy as so many other Ready shades do.