Hi guys!
Further to my last blog, I mentioned that I had a giant "Con" to further test out, from using the Anastasia Beverly Hills (Certified Cruelty Free or CCF) Single Shadows and the Ciate London Jessica Rabbit Palette; as I found my lines on my upper eyelids were super emphasized upon using both (as featured in my pix in my last blog).
It was really my worst nightmare for makeup to look like this. And I wondered perhaps, I need to do a second testing of these 2 products. Reason being, I later realised I had not use a proper eye primer but used the Maybelline Age Rewind Concealer to double up as my eye primer. As mentioned in my introduction blog, that I prefer to use products that could do double duty so as to give me time savings. So for this second take of my review, I am using my usual Eye Primer from 3INA (CCF). Below is a close up of the results, sorry it is a little blurred but definitely not filtered at all. So much more nicer and smoother on my crease areas. For sure the wrinkly lines are still there but less obvious.
So back to my final thoughts of these 2 palettes :
The Pros
- For ABH Single Shadows : super pigmented but also super blendable for the eye areas. From using brushes to fingers. Not super silky though but also not chalky at all for the matt shades. For the topper shimmery shades, same pigmentation quality. A little goes a long way. Have to apply with a light hand and build up your desired intensity slowly. No fallout at all and no kick backs, overall great shadows. It is also CCF which is a giant HUGE plus for me.
- For Ciate LJR : I found some of the shades are not very pigmented and this palette also offers 3 matt shades (in my sketchy yellow box below) and 6 shimmery shades.
The Matts are not very pigmented and for me this is a "Pro" because I used these when I dont want to blend till the cows come home, I just want a quick color wash so I look casual and yet elegant without having to spend too much time on makeup. I dont always like very pigmented shades to be honest, due to shorter time needed to blend as well as for more casual occasions (when I dont want a heavy obvious make-uppey look know what I mean?). Overall they are very subdued shades with no fallout and kick back as well. On their website, they mentioned about it being creamy in texture and I do agree. But for the brick red brown and terracotta brown shimmer shades, they are OMG very pigmented! Overall love them as well. I also love the packaging super much, which is one of the reasons I bought it. I also love the square shape heavy-metal-feel type of encasing with a large square mirror inside. Not to mention the super gorgeous fire-engine red illustrative graphic of JR on the top of the packaging, hence just too beautiful and unique to resist. Ciate London is also cruelty free + vegan + paraben free which is also a great big plus point.
The Cons
- For ABH : not much biggie, overall awesome quality except I dont particularly like the complimentary holder it comes with when you order a "4 Pans" minimum. The mainstream black plasticky holder doesnt look as great after only a few weeks! I mean this is not a deal breaker but it could be a more exciting container me think.
- For Ciate LJR : while I love that it is not as pigmented in itself, therein also lies a double-edged sword as this means you need to take time to build like crazy for those days you have time for extra buildup of color intensity. Especially the shimmer lighter gold and darker gold shades in blue stars in my pix, I used that for my inner corners and it barely appeared and when it does show more intensity of color, it becomes a little muddy and smudgy. So I had to tidy up with a Q tip. (Side topic - I cant wait to do a proper test of the purple shimmer shades soon). One last negative well at least for me, is that this palette was supposed to be a "Limited Edition" when I bought it few months ago; today (early Dec 2019) however it is still available. Click my photo above to get to their site. So good news for you guys but this is a "Con" for me as I feel I been "conned"? LOL no pun intended.
The Price
Although this is not apple to apple as they are both not the same as ABH is a single shadow pan and the CLJR is a an original brand composite finished product. That said, just to give you an indicative sense of the price brackets.
For ABH - a Single-Pan Shadow is around USD12 X 4 means I am set back with USD34 (a special deal for every 4 bought offered by ABH) that comes with a free branded magnetic encasing.
For Ciate LJR - it is around £35 for 9 pans that comes with a super sexy unique encasing.
For me, when I convert both to my currency the ABH sets me back around $53 excl shipping and taxes. While the Ciate sets me back around $63 excl shipping and taxes. Newest update and more good news for you guys, as at 23 Dec, this palette on their USA site is going for $19.50 vs their original price of $39 so a x'mas gift for yourself or someone?). Anyway to be really honest, not much difference for me in pricing and I am not going to be overly forensic about the price comparisons here but I still love owning both.
To conclude this followup review of my ABH vs CLJR shadows, I had a great time using both, perhaps when I have more time, I will go for ABH and use the CLJR when I am more time-strapped. Although very much also depends on the look and occasion I am going for on that day in question. I hope you guys enjoyed my blog for this review. Above is a pix of the rest of the products I have used for this look in case you are wondering. I am wearing the Charlotte Tilbury Birkin Brown lippey (obsessed with her lipsticks to be totally honest). Also please ignore the state of my Nars Setting Powder, lol, even their containers must be made in China (dont get me started on Nars for their made and sold in China plus animal testing position) too because the logo is disappearing and falling apart at the seams after just only a few months of usage (maybe mine is just an unusual "CASE", again no pun intended, for Nars as I understand sometimes we end up with 1 bad encasing, it happens). So anyhoo guys, my Vlog on this is ready if you prefer a video review. Alrighty guys, see ya in my next entry. #bethechange Luv V