The Lorac Unzipped Palette ($40) has been getting a lot of play as a smoother alternative to the Urban Decay Naked Palettes (1 and 2) ($50). Lorac has packed ten (10) warm and cool powder neutrals, together with a mini-primer, into a lovely, coordinated package.
Inside is a cardboard palette, together with the mini primer. Lorac’s is wider and shorter than Urban Decay’s:
Inside, ten (10) neutral shades that range from warm to cool, shimmery and matte, with a mirror in the lid:
Closer (click to enlarge). You can see the names better in this picture:
This palette is a great palette for a wide variety of looks. There’s a little girl in me that gets so excited to see a palette with this much choice, almost like opening a new box of crayons:
The top row has:
Undercover: A gentle cream color highlighter (a near-matte)
Unbelievable: A metallic bronze
Unattainable: A shimmery metallic gold
Unconditional: a matte malt color that makes a good base shade
Unbridled: a cool brown with a subtle sheen
The bottom row has:
Undiscovered: A warm metallic gold
Unreal: A metalllic rose gold/peach
Uncensored: A metallic brown
Unspoken: A soft matte brown
Untamed: A shimmery pearly brown
All shades in one:
Personally, I gravitate to the warm metallic shades. However, Megan’s first look with the palette used mostly the cool and the more matte shades (I’ve linked other blogger’s looks with the palette, below):
Closeup on closed lids:
Like some other bloggers who’ve reviewed the palette, we experienced a little fallout with some of the shades. I found the fallout far less than Urban Decay Naked 1. Megan and I both liked Lorac’s primer. The mini that comes in the package comes in a little squeeze tube. Although it comes out a skin toned shade, it dries clear after about a minute on the lids:
Overall, I would prefer Lorac’s Unizipped over the Urban Decay Naked Palettes, which I find a little too metallic and with more fallout that I’m willing to put up with. I find Lorac’s more wearable for my taste. Other reviews of the Lorac Unzipped are here:
Beauty Beginner, which has a really good close-up of the shimmery, metallic shades on her lids
Overall, a nice, versatile summer palette. Because it’s in cardboard, you would need to be careful about tossing this into a suitcase without protection. The eyeshadow quality was smooth, soft, and impressive. It’s a nice palette to gift, or to tuck into a drawer, at a comparatively low price point. Recommended, if you are in the market for some summer shimmer.
Lorac Unzipped Palette was sent to Cafe Makeup without charge for consideration for review.
Le Metier de Beaute’s Shades of Short Hills Kaleidoscope Eyeshadow Palette ($95) is a boutique limited release, sold at the Saks Fifth Avenue Counter in Short Hills, New Jersey. I’ve never been to Short Hills (I ordered mine by calling a counter there), but if the town is anything like this palette, I could be very, very happy there.
Shades of Short Hills is in the typical travel-friendly, packable cylinder that holds four generous pans. The lid holds a flip-up mirror.
Shades of Short hills has three shimmery shades with diamond-type shimmers, and one cool matte neutral malt shade to balance the sparkling texture of the rest of the palette.
Liz and I remain very busy in our non-blogging lives. Liz’s schedule is particularly busy over the next several weeks. Our family friend Megan, who loves makeup, dropped by to help me show my reading beauties some of the latest and greatest. Megan loves playing with gorgeous makeup as much, if not more, than we do! You’ll see Megan in some of the posts as we try to coordinate our busy schedules. Thank you Megan, and welcome to the Cafe!
Yesterday, I posted my first review of an Omorovicza product, the Omorovicza Deep Cleansing Mask, where I discussed some of the line’s origins and philosophy. I’ve also been using Omorovicza Gold Flash Firming Serum ($215). This lightweight, nourishing product is intended as an anti-aging product that uses gold and other active ingredients to re-texture and repair skin. Here is some of the line’s background about the ingredients in the product:
Gold, a powerful anti-inflammatory, repairs accumulated micro-damage to strengthen the skin.
Polypeptides (Palmitoyl Tripeptide and Caprooyl Tetrapeptide) to strengthen proteins such as collagen and elastin for renewed elasticity and vitality.
Vitamin C (Ascorbyl Tetraisopalmitate) to enhance skin tone and helps reduce the appearance of age spots; which also boosts the synthesis of collagen and elastin to help restore elasticity.
Watercress extract and zinc promote brighter, more even, skin by inhibiting the production of melanin.
Sodium Hyaluronate provides long lasting hydration to the skin.
The ingredients are delivered via Mineral Cosmetology, a patented mineral delivery system designed to leave skin firmer, more supple and younger-looking.
The Gold Flash Firming Serum is very light in texture, it applies easily (no pilling), and absorbs into my skin within a few seconds. Other than adding the subtlest sheen on the skin, the product is invisible and the soft powdery citrus scent (which is extremely pleasant) fades quickly. It leaves no “emollient” feeling on the skin, so all skin types can use the product.
As you likely know, serums are intended to provide a long term effect–they are intended to restore, improve, and repair. Although many add hydration, those with dry skin typically add a separate moisturizer (a serum is not a substitute, but a supplement, to a moisturizer).
After using Omorovicza Gold Flash Firming Serum for two weeks, I found that the texture of my skin improved. If I look closely at my skin in bright sunlight, I can see that the product does seem to have strengthened and repaired portions of my skin that I may have stressed out by testing some harsher products (there’s an area on my cheek and near the bottom of my eye that look visibly better) My face feels firmer, and the skin has a healthy glow.
Ingredient list (click to enlarge):
The serum is very gentle and lightweight, typically I put it on first, followed by moisturizer on drier skin days, then sunscreen over it. It goes on like a dream, really. Beautifully formulated, gorgeous product.
Omorovicza Gold Flash Firming Serum was provided to Cafe Makeup without charge for consideration for review.
There are some experiences that can only be described as “pure luxury.” To me, luxury means that the construction and experience of a product makes one feel transported. For skincare products, I add that they must provide me with noticeable beneficial effects. Omorovicza Deep Mineral Mask ($113) exceeds my criteria.
If you are not familiar with Omorovicza, the line was founded by Margaret and Stephen de Heinrich de Omorovicza, a couple who met in Budapest, Hungary. While the couple was relaxing at Budapest’s ancient thermal baths, they discovered an effect of the mineral-rich, healing waters had on their skin. Working with a Nobel-prize winning laboratory of dermatology, Omorovicza Cosmetics developed Mineral Cosmetology, a delivery system that takes advantage of the healing properties of the Budapest mineral and delivers it to maximize the beneficial effects on the skin. According to the line, “the skin’s collagen and elastin production is boosted and a tighter lipid matrix locks in vital moisture. A gradual healing of micro-damage promotes a stronger barrier function and greater antioxidant defence against free radicals.” As one who has looked at anti-aging skincare literature, this is music to my ears. As many of you know, the reason that a child’s skin looks so fresh and moisturized is the natural collagen is in its most perfect state. As we age, free radicals can cause damage to our skin cells and our natural collagen is no longer doing the same level of work. Wrinkles, creases, and lack of the plump, hydrated look of youth can be the result.
The most difficult challenge to finding a good mask treatment is whether the mask can cleanse without stripping natural moisture. I think some of us (before we knew better) used to get inexpensive mud masks that stress the skin. Sometimes we buy separate masks–one for cleansing, one of healing, maybe another for deep moisturizing. I’ve been fortunate enough to have travelled to some very high-end spas where the products used have been superb. Some of these facials are well over a hundred dollars for a single session, but the pampering and the quality of the results keep me coming back, and sometimes picking up the products in the spa shop to continue the treatments at home.
Omorovicza Deep Cleansing Mask is the best cleansing mask that I’ve ever used. The mask is very soft and luxurious. It has a slightly minty/eucalyptus scent that is very refreshing. The feel and scent of the product transformed me to a luxury spa experience. Despite the natural sources of the ingredients, it feels very refined and not at all dry or gritty.
There was a bit of a tingling for the first five or so minutes of using the product, which is completely normal. I left the mask on for about 20 minutes. When I removed it (I used a washcloth), my skin felt completely clean and completely moisturized. The skin looked moisturized without leaving anything at all behind. It gave my skin a moisturized glow after the mask was removed entirely. I now understand that healing aspects of the line–although the product was extremely gentle, my skin felt greatly improved.
If you’d like to treat and rejuvenate your skin, Omorovicza Deep Cleansing Mask is a top shelf, best in class treatment. If you’d love to get the spa experience (and results) at home, it is well worth the investment.
The line is available at Neiman’s, Bergdorfs, and Sephora. For more about Omorovicza, see their website which also sells the products. (Note that Omorovicza’s Mother’s Day offer is still on the site–choose any three products and get 30% off. I believe this may be up until Sunday 5/20, but please contact the company for details.)
Here’s a very short video about the product:
Ingredient list (click to enlarge):
Omorovicza Deep Cleansing Mask was sent to Cafe Makeup without charge for consideration for review.
Liz and I remain very busy in our non-blogging lives. Liz’s schedule is particularly busy over the next several weeks. Our family friend Megan, who loves makeup, dropped by to help me show my reading beauties some of the latest and greatest. Megan loves playing with gorgeous makeup as much, if not more, than we do! You’ll see Megan in some of the posts as we try to coordinate our busy schedules. Thank you Megan, and welcome to the Cafe!
