To say that this episode of Sleek Saturday has been a rush is an understatement. Please allow me to regain my breath, take a few steps back and talk about the Sleek Palette which got me
hot and bothered occupied this week. This post is very pic heavy, words heavy, everything heavy in fact.
Meet 'Paraguaya' the discontinued limited edition -iDivine eyeshadow palette from Sleek Makeup Palette. Paraguaya was released as part of the 'Avoir la pêche' Collection. If used as an expression, and not literally, 'avoir la pêche’, in French means to feel great, perky, happy, bouncy, in top shape, tickety boo, like a happy bunny etc. For Francophiles, calling this collection 'avoir la pêche is a witty play on words, on the fact that owning peachy shades can make you feel perky.
I didn't plan to purchase the Paraguaya palette. This was until I saw Sinead’s (Dainty Dolly Mix) blog post and most importantly the way she split up the palette to photograph it. It made me see the palette in a whole different light. Sinead divided the palette into 2 parts: the left hand side which left me cold and not bothered and the right hand side which got me desperate to crave this palette.
This is when problems started: trying to get hold of this limited edition palette. I don't wish to get into a heated debate but the release, distribution and availability of this palette didn't go smoothly. To start off, unlike the release of all previous palettes, there hadn't been any build up at all around this palette. Somebody saw it in a shop out of the blue one day and it all started from there. I am not quite sure why Sleek kept this palette under wrap and never spoke a word about this palette until people started to buy it. By the time people started to know about its existence, the palette had already run out for lots of us.
My shop actually never stored it, and if it wasn't the beautiful Amanda, (@abloggingblonde on twitter) selling it in a blog sale, I would have probably had to resort buying it from a crook on eBay selling its for 3 times its value. While I am at it, there has always been some confusion around the release of Sleek Palettes which, I feel, undermine their products a little bit. Customers are given a release date, and write it in their diaries but then palettes can often be found and bought in the shops one month before. The most frustrating is when you can actually see the palette and that the shop wouldn't let you buy it. This resulted in some heated discussion between the manager at Superdrug and myself about a month ago, over the ‘Oh so Special’ which I bought from a friend.
To cut a long story short, this palette has been a nightmare to get hold of.
Was it worth it?
Yes. The palette offers a good mix of matte and shimmery shadows which is perfect for me. I am limited in terms of eyeshadow placement with shimmery shadows and I often find I can't wear them in the crease of my eye and beyond.
The left part of the palette is a little bit disappointing. PARFAIT and BELLINI are extremely shimmery, too shimmery for their own good and cause a lot of fallout. BLUSH is hard to show through. REDSTONE, PERSIMMON and CAMEO are adequate and don't rock my boat. I don’t think I suit peach really which is a bit comical since I went and buy a whole palette based on peachy shades!
The right hand side got me squealing with joy: All the colours, apart from a very disappointing SANDSTONE, which crucially lacks pigmentation, are to die for. TANGELO and BITTERSWEET and STONE for me are the stars of this palette and I already know at this point that my first play with Paraguaya will have to include those gems. PERSIAN ORANGE and PEACH GOLD are absolutely gorgeous shades. However, I find that I can't make them work as eyeshadows and these shades would look better if they were a blush or a nail polish even.
So that's 3 shades out a 12 eyeshadow palette. That's not very much. Is it worth it? Yes, without a shadow of a doubt and this is because of this sumptuous orange of TANGELO. So far, the only orange I've got is part of my bruised and battered 120 palette. It's only a matter of time before that orange disappears totally and Tangelo came around at the right time.
My first play of the palette ended up in the bin. I tried to wear PERSIAN ORANGE or ORANGE GOLD in the vast land underneath my brow and it looked horrible. But since you’re nice and because I am in a good mood now and chilled out from the rush, I’ll show you just one picture of the look which I discarded.
This is why I can’t wear shimmer above my crease. It doesn’t look right. It highlight an area which needs receding. It’s horrible!
If you want to see my final look for this Sleek Saturday, I have posted it >> HERE <<.
This week, Sleek Saturday, has been quite overwhelming. No less than 13 people have joined forces and it’s quite mad really! Thank you so much everyone
Click on their ‘pan’ to be directed to their Sleek Saturday look.
So who wants to join me for next week, Sleek Saturday Shenanningans? :) x
