My dearest friend,
GIRL. Pink eyeshadow. Think about it.
Seriously, though. Snaps. You can do it! Try the new A La Mode Eyes Palette by Too Faced Cosmetics ($36 and available now at Too Faced counters and toofaced.com).
I’ve worn pink eyeshadows plenty of times before and thought, eh, that was fine, but this new summer palette of warm-toned powder eyeshadows is pretty killer. I would go so far as to say that Monaco, the palette’s vibrant pink shade, is the crown jewel in this limited edition kit.
Oh, sure, the other eyeshadows (there are nine powder shadows in total) are expertly paired. Too Faced sets the kit up in a way that completely takes the guesswork out of choosing colors to wear together. The shadows are arranged in rows for day, classic and fashion looks. Easy-peasy!
The shadows are so buttery and creamy that you can blend them with a few swipes. Plus, on top of primer, they last all day.
The kit leans warm, so if you tend to pick up a little color in summer, or if you like to fake the baked look with bronzer, these shades should look great on you.
Oh! About Monaco? YES, you can work it. One of my mantras is to think outside the box. Both in makeup and in life. And that means wearing pink eyeshadow. 🙂
Here’s what I like to do: swipe Monaco in the crease with a thin, pointed crease brush. Next, I take a tapered fluffy brush loaded with Jardin, the golden melon shade from the kit, and sweep it back and forth to blend it out. Then, swap out the tapered brush for a flat eyeshadow brush, and pat Cannes, the coppery shade, on my lids.
Highlight those inner corners with one of the big pans on the left of the kit (golden beige St. Tropez, golden peach Rivera or beige La Croisette); then line with one of the darker shades on the right — shimmery golden brown Soleil, shimmery taupe Cote d’Adure or shimmery navy blue De La Mer.
But ya know, there are so many ways to work this palette. That’s probably my favorite thing about it. You can play it safe with warm, shimmery neutrals, or completely push your makeup boundaries with the pink.
I think you’ll really like it. Yes, even the pink!
–K
Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,
Karen
Kellie says
Ahhhhh. This post made me take a deep breath and smile. Positive affirmations mixed with eye shadow swatches? You are the best Karen 🙂 happy Monday!
Karen says
You’re the best, Kellie! I hope your week is off to a great start. 🙂
Amber says
Karen, I love your affirmations! A very well thought out list. 🙂 The swatches are gorgeous. I’m excited about this latest Too Faced release. Especially the lip melts! The pic of Tabs with the snap dragons is too cute. Love him!! Oh the earrings are gorgeous too!
Karen says
Hello Amber!
I’m excited about this launch too. I haven’t tried the lippies yet but hope to very soon.
Tabs sends purrs your way! And props for being able to name the flowers (snapdragons!). Are you a gardener?
teresa says
Oh, I love this so much. Thanks Karen!
Karen says
You’re welcome, Teresa. 🙂 Happy to hear you enjoyed it!
Have a wonderful Tuesday!
Silka says
Superb! You are a star
Karen says
Hi Silka,
Thank you for reading. 🙂 Your name is very pretty, by the way!
Lulle says
I wasn’t too sure about the color combo in this palette but the look you made is really beautiful!
Karen says
Thanks Lulle!
Kristi C. (@lov2read68) says
This couldn’t have come up in my feed at a more perfect moment! Thank you Karen!
Karen says
You’re welcome, Kristi!
How are you doing today? Hope your Tuesday is going well so far.
Kristi C. (@lov2read68) says
A bit better mentally today. Had outpatient surgery yesterday to burn off nerves on the right side of my low back and pain is increased from that. Go back in 2 weeks to do the same thing on the other side . But hopefully in the long run this will provide the relief that I’ve been looking for. Having the list to refer back to & running some on autoplay in my head today has been a good thing! Thanks again for sharing! XXOO Kristi
Bell - São Paulo, Brazil says
This post made me cry….I completed 13 days after upper jaw surgery and I’m having a hard time eating and dealing with pain….and I’m back to work on thursday and all I could think of was how awful I look 🙁
This post made me see whats really important for me….things I just forgot about…but I’m back!!!
“59. Put this on mental repeat: it’s always harder before it gets easier”
Love you Karen!!
Karen says
Hi sweet Bell,
Love you back! I hope that this post makes it a little easier for you to see the sunny side. Soon, you’ll be back in the full swing of things and feeling great. Thinking of you and sending you good thoughts.
Bell - São Paulo, Brazil says
Hi Karen! It sure made it a little easier…I think your thoughts made it all the way to Brazil 🙂 I’m feeling better, and I just have to stop thinking about what other people will say or think about how I look now….after a few months I’ll be my normal self again only prettier (my ortho said it hahahah).
Thanks again!
Deanna says
This is a beautiful, fun eye look for summer! I also loved reading the 99 mantras. Sometimes we all need reminders like these to keep us going when life gets tough.
Karen says
Hello lovely Deanna!
I hope you’re having a nice day so far. I saw in an earlier comment that you’re a writer. 🙂 What kind of writing do you do?
Deanna says
Hi Karen!
I was a journalist for Patch.com for about two years, right after college, and then I moved into technical writing and editing.
I’m actually hoping to get a new job soon at a local publishing company, though. I have my second interview with them this week (keep your fingers crossed for me!). If I get the job, I’ll be writing articles about information technology. That probably sounds kind of boring, but the company will give me a lot of freedom to be creative with the articles, and the manager is super laid back, so it’ll be way more fun than it sounds.
I’ve also been working on a novel for about 6 years. Fiction writing was my first love. 🙂
I’m hoping to start blogging soon, too, if I can find the time!
Karen says
Hi Deanna,
That’s really cool. Good luck! If you had your interview already, I’ll keep my fingers crossed for you. 🙂 The fact that you’ll have a lot of creative freedom with your writing is huge. Hope ya get it.
I thought about doing technical writing when I first got out of school, but I never quite got around to it. Do you enjoy it? What’s it like?
Deanna says
Hi Karen,
I actually just got back from the interview. It was a bit stressful, because I was interviewed by 8 people at the same time, but overall, I think it went well. Now I just have to wait to see if they make me an offer, so my fingers are still crossed!
I started out doing some freelance technical writing, and I enjoyed that, even though my paychecks weren’t exactly regular. I began technical writing full-time for a company in late 2012, and I discovered that technical writing can be enjoyable, but it really depends on which company you work for.
I worked for an awful company at first, and that experience made me think that technical writing wasn’t for me. After that experience, I got back into freelance writing again, and I realized that I actually liked technical writing.
It can be very tedious depending on the subject that you’re writing about, but you learn a lot, and that can be exciting!
I’m currently working on technical reports about all kinds of assistive technology for people with disabilities. It’s so incredible learning about technology that helps disabled people do things that they otherwise wouldn’t be able to do.
A friend of mine spent a few months writing a manual on how to operate a parachute. He knew nothing about parachutes before starting that project, and he loved learning all about them.
So, to answer your question, I do enjoy it overall, as long as the company allows some creativity. Deadlines can be stressful, and the job can be tedious if your manager is super-picky about your writing style, but as long as you’re interested in the subject you’re writing about, it’s enjoyable. 🙂
Whew, sorry for the long comment! I tend to ramble on and on!
Agata says
Dear Karen,
This post is amazing. I love all 99 points and I think if I manage to follow at least 10 a day it would be a success. You always impress me with your creativity. As for the palette, I absolutely love it. Once I see it at Ulta, I’m definitely going to get it.
Karen says
Hi Agata,
Thank you, my friend. I hope that this makes you feel a little better today.
And…how fun is this palette?! I love how the pop o’ pink spices it up. When are you going to Ulta next? I hope to stop by this week. It’s farther than Sephora (10 minutes versus 5!) so it’s a little more of a trek for me, LOL.
Agata says
My Ulta is 10 minutes away from my house, Sephora is almost an hour away so I am hoping my Ulta will have it in store too. I feel like this palette is going to be perfect for me!
hanna says
I love this post!
Karen says
Sweet!
Gowthami says
Thanks for sharing this Karen! <3
Karen says
Sure!
Chris25 says
I love every shade in this palette. There is seriously not one I wouldn’t use. This does not look good for my wallet….
Karen says
I know you’d rock this, Chris!
Vineetha says
Thats such a pretty look! la Mode is a definite buy for me! 🙂
Karen says
Thanks!
Erin says
I love Mantra! I can’t wait to swatch!
Karen says
LOL, Mantra isn’t actually one of the colors…
Katie says
What an uplifting post, thanks so much for sharing!
Karen says
Thanks, Katie! I’m glad you enjoyed this one. 🙂
How’s your Tuesday going so far? Are you wearing any fun makeup?
Ankita@corallista says
This is such a stunning look Karen! Love the PINK eye shadow!!
Karen says
Thanks!
Bella says
Seriously brilliant post, Karen! I am intrigued by this palette.
Karen says
Thank you, Bella!
I hope you swing by Too Faced to play with this palette sometime soon. It is seriously so much fun, and the colors are really wearable (even the pink shade!).
How’s your week been so far? Mine is off to a great start, even if it’s supposed to rain here in Nor Cal today. I don’t mind it, though, because we need the water.
Petra says
THANK YOU KAREN!! This is exactly what I needed today – work today is crazy with a side of crazy with crazy toppings so Love this!
And love you! If I could only read one blog ever this would be it! Thanks for being you!
Hugs to you and Tabs <3
Karen says
Hugs to you, Petra, and purrs from Tabs. I’m so glad this helped you feel a little better.
Have a wonderful day!
Marina(Makeup4all) says
Loved reading all those 99 mantras! 🙂 And, oh dear. That makeup looks SO HOT on you!
Karen says
Hey lady!
How are you doing? Is it spring yet where you live?
Eesha says
Loved those Mantras and loved the style of the review. Love love loved the look. You look super hot <3 <3
Eesha says
You look super hot and the review is super cool and I must tell you I have enjoyed reading this post most!
Karen says
Glad you enjoyed this post, Eesha.
Rohe says
Thank you for this post. It helped me more than you can imagine!
Natalie says
This was a great review on a pallets I am really digging. And the mantras were amazing! I need these in a daily calendar or something!
Fancie says
I love this post!! I definitely want this palette lol. I know I don’t need it but that pink shadow is calling to me!
gio says
I love this post! Thank you Karen!
Kiss & Make-up says
I totally lost it at the ‘Seriously. Snaps.’ part 🙂 I could almost see you do it and hear you say it, hehe. I’m all for pink by the way, mmmmhmmm!
Tashy says
You are getting more and more beautiful Karen!!!!!
Rhea says
The shades look very vibrant and nice but I feel like its a bit too many shimmer shades for my liking
Efrain says
I need to print this to have a happier life. Again you’ve rocked it and instead of using pink eyeshadows I’ll use a bright pink blush.
Sylirael says
Words to live by! 🙂
I really love the vibrant pink in that palette. It looks like it has such great payoff. There need to be more colours like that in palettes, methinks.
Denise says
Loved your mantras! I needed those today! 🙂
Did you find any pigmentation issues with any of the colors; particularly Cannes? I have been reading reviews that Cannes its chalky! 🙁
Danielle says
I am SOOOO lusting after this!
Colleen says
I have this palette and love it but I loved your list even more. I’m going thru a tough time & this was just what I needed to hear. Bless you Karen!
Laure says
This positive post made me smile 🙂 Great tips, I’ll try to implement them more in my own life.