Simmer and Shine is the Holiday 2010 kit exclusive to Sephora. Out of all the holiday kits I've gotten so far this one looks like it would make the most impressive gift. You four eye shadows (High shine gold medal, High shine Vapor, Shimmer, and Flicker) one blush (pink petal eye shadow size), clear radiance (also eye shadow size), two full size 100% natural lip glosses in With a Twist and Sprinkles, a double ended brush (blush brush on one side, eye shadow brush on the other) and a Big and Bright liner pencil in Intense Black, all for $54. I think this a good deal. The box is really pretty and it looks impressive when you open it up.
Big and Bright liner pencil in Intense Black: Bare escentuals makes very nice liner pencils. They all have smudgers and sharpeners built in to the end of the pencil. They apply well in little strokes. I am just not very skilled with the liner pencils and I prefer the smooth line of wet minerals. But if you like pencils you will like these.
Clear Radiance: On some skin tones CR makes your skin look like "barbie skin", as someone once put it. However, it does add a nice sheer highlight to blush and I use clear radiance in my eye neutralizing mix (50/50 mix of clear radiance and well rested). CR has really grown on me and I am happy to have it.
Pink Petal Blush: This is a great neutral bright pink. I think this will add a happy lightness to anyone's face.
Shimmer eye shadow: Shimmer is like a nude version of Puzzle. Puzzle has a kind of loose sparkle and so does shimmer. Puzzle aslo has a sheen and so does shimmer. I love puzzle and so I also love shimmer. I bet it will look awesome foiled. If little bits of sparkle fallout bother you, you will not like shimmer at all.
Flicker eye shadow: Flicker is a shadowy shadow. Some eye shadows give you colour and texture and others just add shadow and definition. Dry Flicker just adds shadow and definition--that is why it would make a great crease colour for a neutral eye. But foiled Flicker really comes to life and you can see all of the wonderful sparkle it has. I am really glad I tried it foiled because it definitely transforms. Overall I like this shade and if I had to choose between this colour and Bauble from All Wrapped Up I would choose Flicker.
High Shine Gold Medal eye shadow: Unlike the new HS eye shadows that were released in tubes, HS gold medal can be used to give you a sheer wash of sparkling very light gold or a more intense light gold sparkle. I like both the more pigmented HS shadows and colours like HS gold medal. This might be a repeat for you if you got the Inside Scoop Collection a while back.
High Shine Vapor eye shadow: High Shine Vapor is a sparkling slate black. In some lights I think I see hints of blue but in the look I did it just looks like a light black. I really want to play around with this one I think it will be very versitile. I don't have anything in my collection that is comparable. Love it!
With a Twist 100% Nautral Lipgloss: I love this gloss. it is a really pretty pink with a sheen. This is more opaque than many of the other natural glosses and it really is almost like a liquid lipstick. Because it is more opaque it is a little heavier on the lips than the other glosses. All the Nautral lipglosses have the light scent of doughnuts which I like but is overwhelming to some.
Sprinkles 100% Nautral Lip gloss: Sprinkles is the perfect clear lipgloss with sparkles in it. It looks cream in the tube but it went on clear on me. I like it and I think I will use it a lot with my buxom lipsticks.
Overall I really like this kit. I think it is a good value and it has interesting colours that can be used in many ways. I think I will defintily reach for these often. I think the best peices of this kit are Vapor, pink petal blush, with a twist gloss, and sprinkles gloss.
Shimmer
EYES:
TFSI, wr/cr,
Shimmer under brow,
Flicker dry lash into crease and then foiled
lash to crease,
B&B liner in Intense Black,
Tarte Mascara.
CHEEKS: Pink Petal blush
LIPS: With a Twist lipgloss
Shine
This turned out very much like the picture in the brochure that comes with the kit. I used my full tapered shadow brush as the crease brush for this look and it worked surprisingly well.
EYES:
TFSI, wr/cr,
HS Gold Medal lightly lash to brow and more heavily lash to crease,
HS Vapor in crease and outer corner,
B&B Intesnse black liner softened with Vapor,
Flawless definition mascara.
CHEEKS: Pink Petal
LIPS: Sprinkles gloss
