I am very aware that last week was the first in about 12 that there was no TGIF tip. Between getting things together for the bridal show and a few other things going on, it just slipped my mind So, to make up for it, I’m going to make sure I post every day this week! So far I’m 2 for 2, and  going to use the next few days to do a series of posts about drugstore makeup.
With my makeup background starting from Sephora and MAC, I quickly became a drugstore makeup snob, convinced that only high end brands can offer pigmentation and longevity. I mean why would you use makeup that’s only going to fade away or fall apart after all the time you spent carefully applying it? But, with my increased obsession of watching beauty videos on youtube, I began to reconsider. Maybe I was just brainwashed by these high end brands and there are great products for makeup artistry found at the drugstore. I mean, there are loads of websites of people swearing they’ve found drugstore dupes for their favorite high end products. Not totally convinced, but definitely intrigued, I’m going to share my opinions on the drugstore products I end up trying. Read on, for the first installation of The Drugstore Chronicles 🙂

So while you can’t actually find this at a drugstore, (I got mine from Amazon for $18) this was a low end product that people raved about on youtube. There were also plenty of people who said they hated it – but being that my makeup kit was in need of some matte, neutral shades, and I’d gotten a generous $20 tip when I last worked at MAC, it fit the bill quite perfectly. With so many good reviews, and the fact that this palette has so many colors, and such a cheap price.. to say I was excited to receive this would be an understatement.

When I swiped it on my finger the pigmentation seemed decent. I quickly through on some UDPP on one eye and did a quick smokey eye. The colors didn’t transfer as true to color as I’d expect from MAC colors. But at $18 for the lot, I wasn’t complaining.. yet. I didn’t think the colors were chalky and they were smooth to blend. My eyes shortly felt a bit irritated though, and almost peppery. Chalking it up to just random winter dryness in my eyes, I washed it off and vowed to try the palette out daily for the next few days.

I used different color combos and different primers underneath, but the colors would quickly fade away. The lid would fade and by midday the crease would be splotchy. By the time I’d come home from a 10 hour work day, there was nothing left. And, every morning my eyes would feel dry and itchy though that feeling would shortly subside. I think I may have been allergic to the shadows, but I was so wanting to make them work! But when I  realized they lacked pigmentation and quickly faded away to nothingness, I decided it was time to get rid of it.

Eyeshadow pigmentation is something I’d never ever ever compromise on. Don’t us ladies spend the longest time on our eye makeup – so carefully blending and smudging and packing it on? Using a subpar shadow is such a waste of time because it literally puts all your hard work down the drain. Maybe if you’re young or new to makeup this would work for you.. but for anyone who likes creating dramatic smokey looks that involve quite a bit of effort, don’t waste your time! I’d rather buy 2 high quality MAC eyeshadow pans for $24 than get these 28 for $18. Maybe it’s just me – has anyone had good experience with Coastal Scents’ shadows?