Mint to be – LineEmUpMakeup

Many makeup enthusiasts probably have heard about e.l.f. releasing a new collection called the Mint Melt collection, but if you missed it, this collection is made up of new skincare and makeup. As I have very sensitive skin, I tend to stay away from new skincare and my skin care routine consists of specific products used to target specific needs. For this reason, I will not be trying out the new skincare, but I did pick up the two new Bite Size eyeshadow quads. I also picked up the new Camo CC Cream (not part of the collection, just another item I picked up) and the Mint Melt Cleansing Cloud.

To start with, I have only used each of the quads once and swatched them, so this is more of a first impression of them. Mint To Be is the name of the all green quad in this collection and the most minty color story. The shadows all feel very creamy and swatch nicely, however there is one shade that I wish was a bit more pigmented. The lightest matte shade in the palette is very difficult to see on lighter skin tones. When creating an eye look with this palette, if you want to use this shade, I recommend using a white base to get the most color payoff. I have not seen this palette on a darker skin tone, so it is possible that that shade is just too close to my natural skin color, but I fear that is unlikely. If you have a darker skin tone and picked up this quad, please leave a comment bellow letting us know how well it works for you. I know pastels are very difficult to formulate, but this one was a little underwhelming.

My favorite of the two quads by far was the Chocolate Mint palette. This one also has a very buttery formula, but unlike the other quad, all of the shadows show up on my skin tone. The mint color in this quad is a little lackluster compared to some of the other foiled shades but upon closer inspection, I believe it was meant to be more of a shimmer shade than a foil. To clarify, a shimmer shade lacks the texture of the foiled shades and therefore is a bit less dimensional on the lid. It is still beautiful, just a bit more subtle, which is not my preference. Although I wanted these quads for the green shades, the neutrals in this quad are standouts for this collection. I loved the look I created and found it very easy to work with.

The Mint Melt Cleansing Cloud seems very similar to the famous Face Halo, although I have never tried it. To use the Cleansing Cloud, you apply water to the cloth and then gently massage your skin to remove the makeup. The Cloud is extremely soft so I can’t imagine it would irritate anyone’s skin unless you are rubbing too hard. So far, this seems to work very well to remove makeup. I have yet to put it to the test though, and try it with more difficult makeup. I will have to do an update regarding how this works with more intense makeup.

Lastly, in this haul, I picked up the Camo CC Cream in shade fair 120 N. Again, this is more of a first impression but so far, I am very impressed. I was able to use about a pump to cover my whole face and I used my typical Love is the Foundation It cosmetics foundation brush to apply it. It looks very natural on my skin and helped even out the redness in my cheeks. I think the key to this product is that less is more. I also really like that this product has SPF 30 in it as sunscreen is very important for good skin health. My one complaint is that e.l.f. doesn’t have the widest color range when it comes to their complexion products. They are far better then many other brands but I would still love to see a wider range. The color I picked up was the lightest shade and I know for a fact, I am not the lightest skin tone out there.

Have you picked up any new products lately? If so, what are you most excited about? It is also worth noting that this haul was purchased before my last post was created so if you are curious about why I might have purchased an item when I said I was trying to limit my spending, these were already on their way.

With St. Patrick’s Day right around the corner, you might be thinking, “what palette should I use, to encapsulate the holiday theme?” Green is a unique color that most really struggle to work with or have a difficult time using in a look. My hope is to help you pick a palette that you may already have in your collection, to help you create a simple, green look to celebrate the holiday.

A common theme you might see when looking at St. Patrick’s Day makeup is the combination of green and gold. The following will go from easiest application to more complicated.

For a simple one-shadow look, L’Oreal Infallible in the shade of Golden Emerald is beautiful if you apply it to the lid, then buff it into the crease. It is worth noting that this shade does have more of a dark base to it so it will still appear a bit smokey even buffed out. This color is green with specks of gold shimmer running throughout so it will give a glam effect when on the eye.

Next is Revlon Photoready Eye Art in Desert Dazzle. This is a dual-sided liquid eyeshadow. One side is an olive green opaque shimmer, while the other side is gold glitter. The simplest look has the green shade swiped on the eye with the gold glitter swept on the lid in either the center for a halo eye, or all over the the lid for a glitter glam effect. It is worth noting, if you haven’t used these in a while, let the green dry down before applying the gold glitter on the eye.

Huda Beauty Emerald Obsessions is another go-to palette when trying to create a green eye look. When looking at this palette, there are many options to go with but trying to keep it simple, take the lightest green shade in the crease, then apply your preferred green or gold shimmer on the lid. If you are taking this on a date night and want a little more depth, add in the darkest matte green or brown to the outer corner of the eye.

ColourPop’s Just My Luck palette is another go-to when creating a deeper green look. This palette has many options for the lid shade, using any of the middle row. Each one will give you a slightly different look, but using the color Chances Are… in the crease will work with any of them. Then you can use Act Natural or Charmed to deepen it up. Mo Bamba is also a great shade to smoke the look up a bit.

While ColourPop’s Mint To Be palette is not difficult to work with, pastels don’t always work best for everyone, so I moved it down the list. This is a great palette if you are looking for a more ethereal look or a daytime look. For the most simple look with this palette, use Get Fresh in the crease with a touch of Seltzer for a gradient look. Then apply Mintea on the lid with Play It Cool on the inner corner. For a fun touch, use Chill Factor to create a smokey liner.

Finally, the e.l.f. Hot Jalapeño quad is great to create a halo eye that is perfect for St. Patrick’s Day. Apply the shades from right to left on the outer and inner portion of the eye moving in towards the middle of the eye. Use the shimmer gold for the center of the lid and use the shimmer green to melt the matte green with the shimmer gold.

This happens to be my favorite holiday and color scheme to wear as it goes so well with my brown eyes so I have A LOT of options available to me. I plan on trying one of these looks out for mine and my husband’s date night in on St. Patrick’s Day. If you plan on doing a look with this color scheme, comment below which palette you will be using!