With the holidays fast approaching, it’s already that time of the year to start thinking about buying gifts. If you have a beauty junkie in the family who you’re shopping for, or you’re simply treating yourself, now is the time to head to Sephora or Ulta and take a look at the amazing holiday collections that are now available! With the massive amount of products and collections being launched, it can be tough to figure out what to buy on a college student budget. I’ve compiled some information on a few holiday beauty collections to give you guys a sense of what collection might work best for your desired look and price point.
For the Too Faced Christmas 2017 collection, the creative team did something pretty unique and launched planners along with their beauty collections. There are two sets, the Pretty Little Planner and the Boss Lady Agenda. Including the agenda with sticker sheets, Pretty Little Planner, found exclusively at Ulta, costs $42 and boasts 15 matte and shimmer eye shadows, as well as a bestselling Better Than Sex Mascara. Boss Lady can be purchased at Sephora for $58, and contains 24 eyeshadows, as well as a blush, bronzer, highlight, and mini Better Than Sex mascara, plus the planner and sticker sheets.
Although very cute, the aesthetics of Too Faced are just too juvenile for me. The aesthetic honestly just screams “middle school” to me, which I can’t say I’m a fan of. However, if you’re purchasing for a younger sibling or friend who is just getting into makeup, one of these bundles would be perfect!
Tarte Cosmetics also has an impressive holiday collection, the star of the show being the limited-edition Magic Star Collector’s set, which consists of two blushes, a bronzer, a highlighter, 25 eyeshadows, two lip products, an eyeliner, and a mascara. This extensive collection is priced at $49; considering this set includes everything you would need to create a complete look, this is a pretty good deal.
The eyeshadows are arranged from lightest to darkest across each row, so you can use each eyeshadow going horizontally across to make a cohesive eye look, which is perfect for beginners. I have never used Tarte eyeshadows before, but I do I have a few Tarte matte liquid lipsticks that I love; the formula is super longwearing but not dry or uncomfortable to wear. Plus, they have lovely minty scents. This holiday set sounds like a pretty nice deal for both makeup junkies and beauty beginners alike, and I would definitely recommend picking one up!
Anastasia’s Holiday collection has launched as well, and consists of the Prism Eyeshadow palette, two blush trios, and three new liquid lip shades, as well as a limited edition Sugar Glow Kit. I saw pictures and swatches of the Prism palette online, and I knew I had to get my hands on it. Once I received it, I fell in love! Their Modern Renaissance palette is one of my holy grails; it has amazing pigmentation, a buttery formula, and awesome color selection. The Prism palette has quickly joined its sister palette at holy grail status, as the formula is super similar and comes with a lot of those popular warm shades that made Modern Renaissance so popular. What sets Prism apart is its cool statement shades, including a super shimmery teal and an amazing lime green. If you can, I would definitely recommend getting your hands on this palettes; it’s priced at $42 and available at Sephora and Ulta!
Also, if you’re a highlighter junkie like I am, pick up the Sugar Glow Kit while you’re at it. A few of their other highlighting palettes have been a bit glittery and chunky for my taste, but Sugar is super smooth and creamy. Definitely grab these two hot items if you get the chance!
A relative newcomer compared to the other brands listed, Fenty Beauty is using the holiday season to launch its first eyeshadow palette: a glitter lovers dream christened the Galaxy Eyeshadow Palette. Aside from the showstopping palette, the collection also includes three lipsticks and three glitter liners. As much as I love glitter and Rihanna, I’m not a fan of palettes without matte shades. I understand that this palette is supposed to act as an accompaniment to a more neutral palette, but if you’re not super into makeup and don’t already own a lot of eyeshadows, this might not be the best pick. And at $59, this product isn’t cheap, either.
However, I have heard great things about the Starlit Hyper-Glitz Lipsticks that her brand has created. They come in 4 cool shades that have an awesome sparkly sheen in a super comfortable, moisturizing formula. These add a fun pop to your makeup look, but they aren’t so crazy glittery that you can’t wear them day to day. If you’re looking for a fun and unique product that you can actually get some use out of, I would definitely recommend these!
Nars has debuted a beautiful holiday collection inspired by the artist Man Ray. The collection features stunning, elegant packaging, so if you’re someone who values how nice your makeup products look sitting on your vanity, you will definitely have to give this collection a try. Aside from amazing packaging, Nars product quality is always on point. If you were going to get anything in this collection, I would grab their Love Triangle sets, which include a perfectly paired blush and lipstick. $24 is a perfect price point for these little bundles, which come in two shades: Dolce Vita and Impassioned. This collection is perfect for the classiest of ladies and gents in your life. Buy it for yourself too if you’re feeling extra generous!
Holiday shopping can be stressful, but hopefully these reviews helped you out. If you think I missed any holiday collections that you want me to review, let me know! Also, if any of you have already tried out these launches, be sure to share what worked and what didn’t! Happy shopping!
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