Too Faced | Italian Spritz | Review & Tutorial

 

Hey Makeup Lovers!

 Today I’m doing a review and a tutorial of Too Faced’s Italian Spritz eyeshadow palette.

Before I even saw the shades, I knew I had to get this palette because, well, I’m half Italian😄

But Italian or not, this palette has the prettiest eyeshadows perfect for summer (and for fall if fashion week is any indication).

So read on for a review and tutorial I created just for you using the Too Faced Italian Spritz eyeshadow palette.

You can catch my video review here

Review 

The vibrant colors aren’t reserved for just the eyeshadows themselves. 

The palette is warm and inviting with two glasses of Italian spritz on the cover.

The outer layer of the packaging is made of tin and is pretty sturdy, so it would likely hold up well for travelling.

When you open the palette, you are greeted by the sweet scent of citrus as your eyes dart between the beautiful bright and sparkling colors. 

There is also a decent sized mirror that makes this the perfect palette for on-the-go.

The tagline: “Transport yourself to Lake Como, Italy (without the airfare) with this sparkling fresh eye shadow palette, inspired by our favorite summer cocktail!”

I’ve never actually been to Lake Como (my ancestors would be so disappointed in me), but I can say that this palette gives me all the feels of what I imagine it would be like sipping a cocktail on Lago di Como. 

The shadows are a beautiful range of eye catching colors. With a variety of finishes: matte, metallic, shimmer, and special effect (Como After Dark) there is an eyeshadow for whatever look you want to create each day.

Quick Stats

Brand: Too Faced

Product: Eyeshadow Palette

Number of Shades: 18

Finish: Matte (10 Shades), Metallic (5 shades), Shimmer (2 shades), Special Effect (1)

Formula: Pressed Powder

Fallout: Minimal

Chalky/Flaky: No/No

Blendable: Yes

Lasts for: 8-10 Hours

 

Pros: Buttery soft and super saturated mattes, foil-like metallics, and sparkling shimmers are major highlights of this palette. 

They all have terrific staying power, even on the most humid days.

They blend easily and the shade range compliments each one nicely.

The special effects shade, Como After Dark, has silver shimmer, glitter and a fine pearl finish. Quite special indeed.

 

Cons: Although minimal there is some shadow fallout. Mostly with the metallic and shimmer shades.

A couple of the shades are a little less pigmented and require some layering.

Swatches

18 shades for endless eye looks from the bright and dramatic to the more neutral and subtle.

The warm and cool tones work beautifully together for universally flattering looks on all skin tones.

Holy Cannoli – Light Salmon Pink, with a matte finish

Toasted in Tuscany – Light Peachy Brown, with a matte finish

Lake & Bake – Navy Blue, with a light blue metallic finish

Ciao, Bellini! – Bright Peach, with a gold metallic finish

Cin Cin! – Caramel Brown, with a gold metallic finish

Capri Fun – Yellow-Orange, with a matte finish

 

When In Rome… – Bright Watermelon Pink, with a matte finish

Spritz & Glitz – Light Magenta, with blue & purple shimmer

Mamma Mia! – Deep Plum, with a matte finish

Take Me To Church – Cinnamon Brown, with rose gold metallic finish

Spaghett About It – Burnt Sienna, with a matte finish

Como After Dark – Black, with a special silver metallic pearl swirl effect

Feelin’ Saucy – Muted Vermillion, with a matte finish

Grappa Don’t Preach – Gold with a gold metallic finish 

Impasta-ble – Bronze, with a matte finish

Lake Como – Baby Blue, with silver & light blue shimmer

Espresso Yourself – Muted Auburn, with a matte finish

Gelat-Ohh! – Ivory, with a matte finish

 

Star Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⋆ (4 out of 5)

Would I Re-purchase: Yes

 

Final Thoughts: With the bright vibrant colors and pretty decent shade range this palette is as appealing to the eye as an Italian spritz on a hot day. 

Beyond the aesthetics the shadows are long lasting and blendable.

The minor fallout and extra layering for a few shades isn't a dealbreaker for me.

I'm very pleased with my purchase and would buy this palette again.

Tutorial

Now for a step-by-step tutorial of one of the looks I created using Too Faced's Italian Spritz eyeshadow palette.

You can watch my video tutorial here

1.  Espresso Yourself and Spaghett About It!

Take Espresso Yourself (Matte auburn) on a crease brush and work it through the crease of the eye, blending and building color. Then use a blending brush to soften the line for a diffused effect.

Next, sweep the shade Spaghett About It (Matte burnt sienna) across the eyelid and cover it from crease to lash line.

2. Take Me to Church + a Flat Brush

On a flat brush take the shade Take Me to Church (Cinnamon metallic) and press it and pack it onto the eyelid right over Spaghett About It. It might take a little time to build up shade intensity for Take Me to Church, but just keep layering the shade and you’ll get the metallic color I did.

3. Lake & Bake + Lake Como

With a small eyeshadow brush apply Lake Como (Navy blue metallic) to the outer ‘V’ of the eyelid and create a broad wing effect as you work towards the end of the eye.

On another small eyeshadow brush -- there will be leftover shadow if you use the same one -- dust the shade Lake Como (Baby blue shimmer) onto the inner corners of the eyes and a little onto the lower lash line.

4. Gelat-Ohh! and a side of Grappa Don’t Preach

Sweep the shade Gelat-Ohh! (Matte ivory) onto the brow bone for a nice highlight to frame your shadow work.

With an eyeliner or brow brush trace the shade Grappa Don’t Preach (Gold metallic) along the lower lash line until it meets Lake Como and run it just under Lake and Bake for a wing-like look.

5. Blending Brush + Liner & Mascara

Next use a blending brush to blend the seams of our three shadows on the eyelid so they will merge together nicely.

Grab your favorite black liquid liner and trace along the top lash line.

Do the same with a pencil liner and the lower water line.

Then, take a volumizing mascara in black and swipe it on top and bottom lashes to pull the eye look together.

6. Concealer + Contour & Highlight 

Dust off any shadow fallout with a fluffy brush then take your favorite concealer and clean up the under eyes.

Use a contour and highlight shade to add definition to the face.

7. Cream Blush & Lip Stick

Finish off the look with a cream blush and lip stick for a natural flush. This way the look won't be too overpowering with already full-on eyes.

And finally we have...

Our finished Too Faced Italian Spritz eyeshadow look!

The metallic shades are so pretty and reflective while the shimmers give a soft sparkle.

Adding a black liner and mascara really gives extra definition to the lash line and a nice contrast to the eyeshadow shades.

Connecting the metallic and shimmer shades gives extra dimension to the eye and enhances the shape.

The warm and cool color play nicely together to create depth and richness in the eye look.

Products I used to create this Italian Spritz look:

Too Faced Italian Spritz Eyeshadow Palette

Too Faced: Eyeshadow in Espresso Yourself

Vasanti: Contour Eyeshadow Brush 4

MAC: 217 Blending Brush

Too Faced: Eyeshadow in Spaghett About It

Hipdot: Shading Brush

Too Faced: Eyeshadow in Take Me to Church

Beau Gâchis: Concealer Brush

Too Faced: Eyeshadow in Lake & Bake

Sonia Kashuk: Small Eyeshadow Brush No.7

Too Faced: Eyeshadow in Lake Como

Real Techniques: Accent Brush

Too Faced: Eyeshadow in Gelato-Ohh!

Complex Culture: Precision Eyelid Brush

Too Faced: Eyeshadow in Grappa Don’t Preach

Estate Cosmetics: EEL03 - Eye Liner Brush

Tetris X ipsy: Tapered Blending Brush

Trifle Cosmetics: Lava Liner in Molasses

Ilia Beauty: Limitless Lash Mascara in After Midnight

Beautique: Defining Eye Pencil in Black

Anastasia Beverly Hills: Deluxe Magic Touch Concealer in 2 (Fair)

NYX: Highlight & Contour Pro Palette

Beaute Basics: C405 Contour Blush Brush

Beau Gâchis: Illuminator (Highlighting Brush)

Ilia Beauty: Multi-Stick Cream Blush + Highlighter + Lip Tint in At Last

Here are a couple more looks you can create using Too Faced's Italian Spritz palette:

Spaghett About It on crease

Spritz & Glitz on lid

Lake Como on outer lid

Holy Cannoli on brow bone

When in Rome... on crease

Ciao, Bellini! on lid

Espresso Yourself on lower lash line

Again you can check out my video review and tutorial here

That pretty much covers my review and tutorial of Too Faced's Italian Spritz eyeshadow palette.

This palette is fun and playful for summer, but hold onto it for fall.

This autumn bright, electric shades for eyes will be a big trend. Color blocking two shades on lids and lashes in particular is supposed to be very in style this fall.

This palette will give you a jump on the fall style scene 😎

Thanks for checking out my post!

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See you soon!

XOXO

Ultima Beauty

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MAC | M·A·Cstack Mascara | Superstack Mega Brush | Review | Worth the Splurge?

 

Hey Beauty Lovers!

It's been a while since my last post.

A lot has happened in the last few months.

Between getting COVID after avoiding it for two and a half years, and some heartbreaking family losses I didn't feel up to even thinking about blogging for a while.

But in trying to adjust to the losses I choose to honor my lost loved ones in all I do and keep the memory of them close to my heart...

That's enough sentimentality for now, let's talk about some beauty products.

I have been trying some new makeup over the last few months and now I want to share my thoughts with you all!💖

Today is MAC and their new M·A·Cstack Mascara!

You can watch my video review here

I was so thrilled when I saw this mascara as an option for me to choose for my ipsy bag in July. 

I added it without looking at any of the other choices.😅

I had wanted to try MAC’s newest mascara but didn’t want to make the purchase. 

Why? Because mascara is one of the most overly sensationalized makeup products in the beauty industry. 

There are so many commercials that make outrageous claims about a mascara.

We see a model with full lashes that are miles long. 

But if we look at the small print in the bottom corner of the screen it typically says something to the effect of: "This models natural lashes have been enhanced with false lashes/inserts to show the affect of the mascara".

So is it the mascara that gave the model's lashes this incredible look or the false lashes?

It's hard to know without purchasing the mascara and trying it for yourself. 

And let’s be real, mascara is often a higher price than a foundation. 

But it’s MAC, I’ve always had a good experience with MAC products, so this one must be good too right?

Keep reading and I will breakdown the claims of M·A·Cstack Mascara Superstack Mega Brush versus the reality.

Note: My review is of M·A·CStack Mascara with Superstack MEGA brush, not M·A·CStack Micro Mascara.

QUICK STATS

Size: Mini

Color: Black

Waterproof: Yes

Formula: Volumizing & Lengthening

Wand Shape: Pyramid-like

Lasts for: 10+ Hours

Smudges/Flakes: No/No

Claim: "Infinite-Build Volume + Length"

Reality: The first time I used this mascara I was impressed by the instant length that it gave my lashes.

It is extremely buildable, as you can layer multiple "stacks" (coats) of mascara to reach the intensity and drama you like for your lashes.

Claim: "Clumps-resistant"

Reality: It's pretty clump free. As I was applying a coat I got a couple clumps in the corner of my lashes, but as I continued to brush the wand through it eliminated the clumps.

Claim: "Flake-resistant"

Reality: I haven't noticed ANY flaking at all. Even with a few "stacks" I haven't had flakes or any type of fallout.

Claim: "Customizable volume from natural to next-level, along with instant length"

Reality: Very customizable. If you apply just one or two "stacks" it will give you a natural, wide-eyed look, perfect for everyday.

If you apply multiple "stacks" it will give you varying levels of full, dramatic lashes for a night out, or anytime you want to feel a little extra special.

Claim: "24-hour wear"

Reality: This is likely true. I haven't had the occasion to wear mascara for 24-hours recently, but I wore it for a good 10+ hours in heat and humidity, and it didn't budge. 

I have the sample size that came in my ipsy bag. 

The sample size retails for $16 and the full size mascara for $28.

Steep, I know, especially right now. 

However, this mascara goes a long way and if capped tight can be used for quite a while.

Plus, the incredible building effect of this mascara can almost eliminate the need for additional eye products, like false lashes.

Pros: Gives great length and volume with totally customizable lash intensity. 

Perfect for any eye look you want to create; from a subtle flirty wink to a dramatic smoky eye.

Cons: No real cons with the formula, the only drawback would be the price. 

But based on how it's performed I think it's worth the price tag.

Star Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (5 out of 5)

Would I Purchase a Full Size: Yes.

Worth the Splurge? Yes!

Final Thoughts: A multitasking mascara that can deliver on its claims (no false lashes needed 😉).

And here are a couple makeup looks I created using MACstack mascara

(Also using Winky Lux Peeper Perfect Concealer, stay tuned for that review!)

A dusty purple eyeshadow gives the perfect contrast to the intense black MACstack mascara.

(Also using Too Faced Better Than Chocolate palette. You can read that review here!)

A shimmery bronze smoky eye is made even more dramatic with MACstack mascara.

So I must say: Well done, MAC!

MACstack Superstack Mega Brush is a force to be reckoned with in the mascara world.

It moves up to the top of my go-to mascaras list.

I think it's Worth the Splurge and would recommend checking it out!

Again, you can check out my video review here

Thanks for stopping by and reading my MACstack Superstack Mega Brush review!

So you won't miss my next post, don't forget to subscribe  📧

You also might like:

Urban Decay Perversion Mascara | Worth the Splurge?

Benefit They're Real! Magnet Mascara | Worth the Splurge?

Thanks again for checking out my post!

XOXO

Ultima Beauty

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Benefit | They're Real! Magnet Mascara | Worth the Splurge? | Review

Hey Beautiful People!

For today's installment of 'Worth the Splurge?' I'm giving you an in depth review of Benefit's They’re Real Magnet Mascara.

It is an update on Benefit's original 'They're Real' mascara. 

For the record there is no actual metal pieces or magnets in the mascara formula, so no worries there.

They claim the wand has a magnetically charged core that is attracted to the "magnetic mineral enriched" formula that lifts and pulls lashes for extra length and definition.

I received a travel size of They're Real! Magnet mascara as a sample with my Sephora order and one in my ipsy Glam Bag the next month. So, I am pretty well acquainted with this mascara now. 😄 

But does it really give length and volume?

Is it better than the original They're Real?

And the bigger question: is it worth the splurge?

My review/investigation answers all three of these questions.

First, here is a quick breakdown of They're Real! Magnet mascara

Name of Shade: Supercharged Black

Color: Black

Waterproof: Almost

Formula: Lengthening/Lifting

Wand Shape: Straight, Short Bristles

Lasts for: 12+ Hours

Smudges/Flakes: No/No

Pros: It gives a subtle, natural look to lashes; they are your own lashes ("They're Real") and it appears that you're wearing no mascara at all, but your lashes look fuller and more fanned out.

It lasts me all day with no smudging or streaking.

It could almost be waterproof (it doesn't claim to be though) as it stands up pretty well to water, only an occasional fleck of mascara comes off.

Cons: Not dramatically different from it's OG counterpart They're Real! mascara.

Some claims are overdramatized (read on).

Star Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭑⭑ (3 out of 5)

Would I Purchase: No

Claims VS Reality

Claim: "Builds 40% longer lashes"

Reality: Without getting out a calculator and figuring out what length my lashes would be at 40% longer, I can say by comparison to even just other Benefit mascaras, this one does not give me as much lash length. 

I get better length from Benefit's Bad Gal Bang and original They're Real! mascaras. 

Claim: "Flexible, lightweight & builds easily"

Reality: Yes, the formula is easy to work with and can be built up to cover lashes in a thicker coat.

Claim: "Won't smudge or flake"

Reality: 100% accurate, it has not flaked or smudged once.

Claim: "93% said it was extremely lengthening"

Reality: This is probably an accurate percentage. I suppose I would just be in the other 7%

Also, if I was less familiar with Benefit and other mascaras that are "extremely lengthening" I might too perceive They're Real Magnet as such.

Claim: "95% said it lifts & lengthens lashes up & out"

Reality: To an extent I agree with this claim. It does give lift and length to lashes, just not as dramatically as the hype would have you believe.

Claim: "93% said it gives lashes fullness AND length"

Reality: It definitely gives fullness to lashes "AND" (really?) to a relatively lesser extent it gives length.

Here are some before and after photos 📷

After applying They're Real! Magnet mascara it really did give fullness to my lashes and a fanned out effect. It gave some length as well.

They're Real! Magnet VS. They're Real! OG

Both are really lovely mascaras, but if longer lashes is your goal, the original definitely gives more length. If you are looking for volume and fullness, magnet is your friend. 

The wand for the original mascara has a slightly rounded, spikey tip that helps grad little lashes.

The OG also has slightly longer bristles.

Final Thoughts

They're Real! Magnet mascara is nice but truly over-hyped.

It gives fantastic fullness but doesn't really "pull" lashes up, making them appear tremendously longer.

I don't see myself purchasing this mascara again because it doesn't fully deliver.

It's not bad, or poor quality, but for the price ($27 for a full size) I can get better lengthening results from a more affordable mascara, or from a similarly priced Benefit one.

Is it worth the splurge? 

No.

Thanks for checking out my review of Benefit's They're Real! Magnet Mascara.

For more honest reviews and some tutorials too subscribe so you will be the first to read them 📪

Here are some other posts you may like:

My Go-To Makeup: Foundation (AKA The Best Drugstore Foundation)

Too Faced  Chocolate Gold Eyeshadow Palette  Review & Tutorial (with Swatches)

Urban Decay Naked Wild West Palette Tutorial & Review (with Swatches)

Urban Decay Wired Palette Review & Swatches

Thanks again for stopping by!

XOXO

Ultima Beauty 

Want more makeup fun between blog posts?  Check out my social media pages!

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