I'm still working through testing and playing with the plethora of products that were included in that GWP, which excites me beyond belief. I went from being quite indifferent to Clinique to quite interested in Clinique in one foul swoop!
Both of the included products are available for purchase separately.
The little "palette" fits in my palm. It is made of white plastic, embossed with the Clinique logo.
The Beach Plum Color Surge Eye Shadow Duo is on top. (Note that the gold shade is larger the purple, consistent with the rest of the range) The Mocha Pink Soft-Pressed Powder Blush is on the bottom and is larger than the shadows.
The Beach Plum Color Surge Eye Shadow Duo is described by Clinique as a "Shimmering gold partnered with a golden purple". I really like these colors together. The gold shade is among the cooler toned golds. If Urban Decay Maui Wowie and Half Baked had a baby, this is what it would look like. Sadly, it was a touch sheer on me and I was a bit disappointed. The purple shade is quite unique. I don't have a "golden purple" in my collection other than this one; It has a nice depth to it that makes it really stunning. The color payoff was good, better than the gold shade. Together they yield a subtle look. It wasn't neutral, rather more of a "transition to color". The pair would be good for someone whom is interested in experimenting with color, but is not quite confident with it yet. It was subtle, but pretty.
Pros:
- Purple shade was unique and had nice depth to it, while having good color payoff.
- Subtle yet colorful look.
Cons:
- Gold shade was sheer and difficult to apply.
Overall, I pretty much adore the purple shade in this duo, but the gold shade is lacking. For $20 full size you get two shadows, but the one I happened to like ended up being the smaller one. Maybe if layered over a champagne base, I could get better color payoff from the gold. For the purple alone, I may pick this duo up in full size if I ever blow through the travel size.
6.5/10
Clinique describes the Mocha Pink Soft-Pressed Powder blush as a "muted nude pink". It is definitely among my beige blushes, but doesn't encroach on bronzer territory. It has a very soft sheen to it, and it feels almost like a MAC Sheertone finish. There is the slightest of a glow to it, but at arms length looks mostly matte. The left swatch is built up and the right is blended out. I wore this in conjunction with a more colorful eye; it works perfectly when you don't know what blush to wear. It reads quite neutral and doesn't lean too warm (can I get an Amen?) It doesn't wear a glorious amount of time on my skin, but doesn't wear off in a short amount of time either. While swatching out my similar blushes (and I apologize for a lack of a photo) I felt that in comparison MAC The Perfect Cheek was a tad warmer, but similar and Tarte Exposed was a touch cooler and lighter. Since The Perfect Cheek was limited edition, I'm okay with how similar they are; I'm glad to have almost a dupe. (I'm just far to picky to call anything a dupe).
Pros:
- Neutral color; suitable with several looks.
- Natural finish, not too frosty.
Cons:
- Not ridiculously longwearing, but still not the worst wear I've experienced.
When I run out of this shade, I will indefinitely be purchasing the full size. Its right up my alley and (dare I say it) almost a dupe for one of my favorite discontinued MAC shades.
9/10
love the color palette though
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