Eyeshadow Palettes: em Michelle Phan: Holiday Life: New Year's Countdown Edition

"Inspired by the reminiscence of the past year and the celebration of a new year to come."                                                                                                                                             -em cosmetics-

When I first saw this mini-life palette on em's website, I knew I just had to have it. The colors looked gorgeous and it looked perfect for the holiday season with its cranberry and bronzy shades. This palette is limited edition and retails at $29.00, and it comes with 6 shadows, two lip products, and a blush. The products also comes in the travel compact that usually comes with the full size life palette, so all the products are removable. 

Overview of all the colors.

The largest circle in the center is the blush.

The two top right circles are the lip products.

The ones on the left to the bottom, are the eyeshadows.

Let's look at the palette section by section shall we? 







First up, the most important, the eyeshadows, since it does make up the majority of the palette. These also have names, so I don't have to beat my brain out to give them my own name, which usually is just describing their color...anyways, for me, I felt the colors don't look good as a whole, but separate them in trios or pairs, they work well together, and individually, they are beautiful, pigmented colors. 

(Colors in order from top left to bottom right)

Sequin Dress.

The name is very suitable for this shadow, for it is very glittery. This makes for a very good inner-corner highlight, but it is too glittery for the brow bone. It is best used for an all over lid color, and I find this champagne color to work well only if paired with one or two other colors within the palette. 

Good Cheers!
A very unique peachy shade. This is the most matte you will get out of the palette, which I find annoying, since it has quite a bit of shimmer in it. I believe a palette should always have at least one matte neutral shade to even things out. However, I do really like this. I find that it helps neutralize any discoloration on the lids, as well as, being a good transitional color for the other shadows. 

Another annoying thing I find in this palette, is that here is not one good brow bone highlighter! 

Couples Gold

A beautiful bronzy gold. This is probably the best shade to work with in this palette, and it goes well with all the other colors. Then again, this is quite neutral. Put this over the shade Happy New Year, and you get this intense combo, that is just amazing!

Cranberry Cocktail

Another great holiday shade. I find that this does not pair well with the blush (countdown) and the darker lip product (Sparkling Punch) that come with the palette, since that is just way too much cranberry! However, it is a gorgeous, regal jewel-tone color, that can vamp up any look. Probably my favorite shade of the bunch. Looks great with the shade, Sequin dress.

Happy New Year

The most unique dark brown I had ever seen. It has these silvery glitter/shimmer in it, but the glitter is just right. This shadow is also extremely pigmented, so a little goes a long, long way. This shadow is great to smoke out any of other shades.

Clock Strikes Midnight

A dark, navy blue that seems to stick out like a swore-thumb. I felt an actual matte black would be a lot better for this palette, or a neutral taupe to go with all the other colors. It could just be me, and my inexperience with color but I just can't find much use with this in this palette. Maybe it was meant to be used as an eyeliner, I don't know, but the color is nice and pigmented. Again, this is another shadow where a little goes a long way.





Next section, would be that gigantic circle that pops right out at you the minute you open the palette and that is the blush.

Countdown

A deep, wine burgundy. I find this to be very overpowering for my skin tone. To pull this off, I would need to use a very light hand, or have my blush be the centerpiece of my look. However, this color will look beautiful for you girls that have darker skin tones. 







The last section is the lips. Now this palette comes with two lips products. 

(Left) Sparkling Punch

This berry wine color has some crazy lipstick pigmentation. It's a bit dark for my skin tone, and it's not as creamy as I would like. Make sure to moisturize before applying this, since it will accentuate dry patches.

(Right) Stroke of Plum

Now this shade is the complete opposite of Sparkling Plum, it is moisturizing but not very pigmented. I have a feeling that these were made to go together. The Sparkling Punch being the lipstick, and the Stroke a Plum as the lipgloss. This works, but would be nice if they would work individually as well.

Overall, I give this palette a solid B. 

The colors are gorgeous, but it is not a palette that I will find myself reaching for over and over again for the Holidays. 

If you are interested in a look that I did with this palette, please click on the link under the picture provided:

Holiday Glam Makeup

I hope you enjoyed this review, if there is any other products you are interested in hearing about my opinion, please leave a comment, and I will be sure to go check them out! 

Happy Wandering! Alice