NOVEMBER IS MY FAVORITE MONTH OF THE YEAR ♥, I love November because we are that close to Christmas and the holidays, and also because it is the month that makeup companies starts bringing out to-die-for Limited Edition gift sets.
In the past years I have always shopped online from non New Zealand makeup companies for holiday gift sets, but this year I have chose to buy majority of the holiday sets from Mecca. I find that Mecca's prices has definitely gone down a lot and it is much more affordable now, plus I just found out that the Mecca in NZ now stocks cool brands like Too Faced and Urban Decay and that really excites me!
** FYI, Mecca is an Australian company, but they have a few stores in NZ **
I have recently placed two orders on Mecca and today I am sharing with you a few items that I bought from their gift guides section.
Too Faced Grande Hotel Cafe
TOO FACED Grande Hotel Cafe | NZD $78.00
This makeup set includes three holiday coffee scented palettes that smells like peppermint mocha, gingerbread coffee and eggnog latte. There is a total of 18 eyeshadows, 2 blushes, 1 bronzer and 1 mascara. Each of the palettes are designed to be gifted individually and the set comes with a cute Grande Hotel Cafe house that is made of cardboard.
I also have last year's
Le Grand Chateau Set and while I am no longer a fan of the eyeshadows included in that set, I have always been a huge fan of the packaging. I still have the dollhouse from last year's holiday set, it's been used as a room decoration and it makes me smile every time I look at it as it is so adorable.
Too Faced Grande Hotel Cafe: Gingerbread Cookie
TOO FACED GINGERBREAD COOKIE PALETTE includes 6 eyeshadows in Ginger Cream, Maple Syrup, Gingersnap, Winter Dream, Cup of Joe and Black Coffee; and 1 bronzer in Gingerbread.
The palette doesn't smell like gingerbread coffee, but it has an overpowering sweet candy scent. Compared to the other two palettes included, this one has the best quality even though some of the shades doesn't have a good pigmentation.
Ginger Cream was chalky upon arm swatches, but when applied on the eyes it was smooth and it blends nicely with hardly any fall outs.
Maple Syrup has a lack of pigmentation and it didn't perform too well on the arm swatches too.
Gingersnap and
Winter Dream are the best shades and best qualities of all eyeshadows in this set, both are glittery, very pigmented, they applied smoothly both on arm swatch and eyes and they blends so smoothly with hardly any fall outs. Seriously impressed with Gingersnap and Winter Dream, because usually glittery shades tends to have loads of fall out and they rarely stays on the eyelid or there are usually no pigmentation when doing swatches.
Cup of Joe is also another very pigmented shade,
Black Coffee is the worst one in the palette as it has no pigmentation at all and
Gingerbread the bronzer in the set also has no pigmentation.
Too Faced Grande Hotel Cafe: Peppermint Mocha
TOO FACED PEPPERMINT MOCHA PALETTE smells like peppermint and chocolate chip ice cream, it smells delicious! The palette includes 6 eyeshadows in Peppermint Cream, Christmas Blend, Peppermint Mocha, Candy Cane, Sprinkles and Coffee Chip; and 1 blush in Santa Baby.
Being a peppermint fan and a pink lover, I thought this would be my favourite palette; but it is disappointing to say that the qualities of the eyeshadows and the blush didn't meet my expectation at all.
Peppermint Cream is very pigmented and creamy, but it applies chalky,
Christmas Blend is a shimmery champagne shade that is perfect if used as a highlighter,
Peppermint Mocha has a creamy texture, but it has no pigmentation,
Candy Cane is pasty and chalky,
Sprinkles has a lack of pigmentation,
Coffee Chip applies patchy and
Santa Baby the blush has no pigmentation at all!
Too Faced Grande Hotel Cafe: Eggnog Latte
TOO FACED EGGNOG LATTE PALETTE also has an overpowering sweet candy scent and it includes 6 eyeshadows in Frosty Nog, Eggnog Latte, Iced Coffee, Shinny Latte, Cold Brew and Central Perk; and 1 blush in Peach Cobbler.
I thought the shades included in this palette is not so wearable on a daily basis, and that is just my personal preference. I like the green shade and the copper too and I thought that it fits the Christmas theme, but overall it's not for me.
The quality of these eyeshadows are also not great, most of them has no pigmentation and the ones that I have mentioned above that has no pigmentation were swatched many many times for the colours to show up in photos.
Frosty Nog is surprisingly not chalky at all, it blends beautifully and it has a sheer pigmentation,
Eggnog Latte has a subtle shimmer that can be worn as a face highlighter as well,
Iced Coffee has a creamy texture, it blends smoothly and it has a good pigmentation,
Shinny Latte isn't too pigmented,
Cold Brew is the best shade in this palette, it's a glittery shade and it performs as good as Gingersnap and Winter Dream in the Gingerbread Cookie palette,
Central Perk is creamy in texture, but it lacks the pigmentation and
Peach Cobbler the blush also doesn't have a good pigmentation.
Chosungah 22 Dong Gong Minn Brow Maker
CHOSUNGAH 22 Dong Gong Minn Brow Maker
Black Brown | NZD $34.00
Dong Gong Minn Brow Maker is described as a waterproof, two-in-one brow perfector, it features a tinted brow gel and sponge applicator to create and fill in the perfect arch. Brows are claimed to be fuller, thicker and more defined after use.
Chosungah 22 Dong Gong Minn Brow Maker
I have always wanted to try the Chosungah 22 brow gel as I have been so curious about the application with the sponge applicator. Well, I have tried it today and I definitely struggled with the applicator. I used the sponge applicator to fill in the brows, firstly it applies uneven, then when I brush through the arch, it made the tail thicker which I ended up have to wipe off some. Then when I tried to brush through the brow gel with the spoolie, the sponge applicator always get in the way!
Soap & Glory Pink Twice Set
SOAP & GLORY Pink Twice Set | NZD $10.00
The Pink Twice Set includes 1 x 50ml Hand Food Hydrating Hand Cream and 1 x 50ml Heel Genius Foot Cream. These are Soap & Glory cult favorites and I can definitely see why.
Soap & Glory Heel Genius Foot Cream has been on my wishlist for awhile now, I had previously tried a few other foot creams and I felt that their formulas are either too thick or they take too long to absorb into the skin; and finally I get to try the Soap & Glory one and I love that a little goes a long way and the creams aren't too thick so they absorb into the skin pretty quickly. There's just one thing that I am not too excited about and that is the scent, hard to describe, but it smells so weird.
URBAN DECAY All Nighter Makeup Setting Spray
Mini-Sized | NZD $25.00
Have only T-Zone? No problem! This setting spray will keep your makeup on all day! I love this so much and have re-purchased this many many times! I have oily skin, not just an only T-Zone, and I also wear glasses on a daily basis, so my foundation tends to slip and disappear throughout the day, especially around the nose area; but when I use this setting spray after makeup application, it literally helps lock my makeup in place all day! This time I bought a mini sized so I could carry with me in my handbag, but I really didn't expect it to be so slim and small lol!
Too Faced Merry Kissmas The Ultimate Liquified Lipstick Set
Too Faced Merry Kissmas The Ultimate Liquified Lipstick Set
TOO FACED Merry Kissmas
The Ultimate Liquified Lipstick Set | NZD 39.00
This cute little Too Faced Lipstick Set includes four deluxe-sized best sellingMelted Liquidfied Lipsticks in Chocolate Honey (Melted Chocolate), Lady Balls (Melted Matte), Fig and Chihuahua (both Melted Original).
First of all, I am glad that Too Faced didn't include a Melted Peony in their holiday set this year! It's not that I dislike the shade or anything, I actually love Melted Peony and it's one of my favourite lip products, but because it's one of the best selling shades of the Melted Liquid Lipsticks range, Too Faced always made it part of any holiday sets that they have created... Until now you could have imagine how many deluxe-sized Melted Peony I have?! Too many to count!
I already have Melted Fig and Melted Chihuahua and I love both, the colours are gorgeous and the formula is one of the best in lips makeup! I have always wanted to try Chocolate Honey, or any shades from the Melted Chocolate range as they all have that delicious chocolate scent, also I was really looking forward to trying the Melted Matte range as it is claimed to be one of the best liquid lipsticks on the market.
Too Faced Merry Kissmas The Ultimate Liquified Lipstick Set: Chocolate Honey
Too Faced Merry Kissmas The Ultimate Liquified Lipstick Set / NARS Velvet Lip Glide: Playpen
NARS Velvet Lip Glide: Playpen
NARS Velvet Lip Glide | Playpen | NZD $41.00
NARS Velvet Lip Glide is described as a highly saturated lip colour that glides on like a gloss with a semi-matte finish that is long lasting, non drying and wears comfortably throughout the day or night. I have heard nothing but great reviews on this product, it was so tempting as all the reviews I have read online screams "BUY ME!", so I did, I bought Playpen, it's a pink coral that is absolutely gorgeous for everyday wear. I have added this into my "safe" list, like when there is an important meeting to attend, this is one of those product that I can grab and go and not mess up.
Hourglass Mini Ambient Lighting Bronzer: Luminous Bronze Light
HOURGLASS Mini Ambient Lighting Bronzer
Luminous Bronze Light | NZD $37.00
Hourglass Luminous Bronze Light Bronzer is described as a medium tan shade fused with Luminous Light and it is suitable for fair to light complexion. This bronzer features bronze pigments that claims to deliver a natural-looking, sun kissed glow while flaunting depth and dimension.
I have tried this bronzer when it first released on the market and at the time I bought a shade too dark and it looked so shimmery and orangey on me, which lead to leaving me with a not so good impression on this product. This time I bought the mini-sized because it's so cute, and also I want to give it another try, maybe this time I will like it.
Too Faced Sweethearts Baked Luminous Glow Bronzer
TOO FACED Sweethearts Baked
Luminous Glow Bronzer | NZD $47.00
This is a baked heart-shaped buildable bronzer that claims to deliver a brighter, luminous glow and a healthy look. I won't lie, I bought this purely for its' packaging! I love the heart-shaped and I love that the bronzer is divided into one darker shade and one lighter shade. The bronzer shades can be used individually or swirl together for a natural glow.
NARS Blush: Taos
NARS Blush | TAOS | NZD $47.00
NARS Blush, do I even need to explain further?! This is one of the best makeup products on the market, I have a few Limited Edition NARS blush palettes and I love every single one of them! NARS blush is well-known for their excellent quality and beautiful range of colour.
I spot the shade TAOS when I was in Spain, I walked past the NARS counter and TAOS instantly caught my eyes! The shade is described as a desert rose with shimmer, it has full pigmentation and a little goes a long way.
I am a heavy handed person when it comes to blushes, I prefer a blush that has a sheer formula, that I can build up to my desire pigmentation and usually I wouldn't bother buying a blush with full pigmentation like TAOS because I know I would always turn myself into a clown. I bought TAOS anyway because the name reminds me of one of my favourite singer!
Too Faced Luminous Glow Bronzer / Hourglass Luminous Bronze Light / NARS Taos Blush
Stila Smudge Stick Waterproof Eye Liner: Midnight Blue
STILA Smudge Stick Waterproof Eye Liner
Midnight Blue | NZD $34.00
Last but not least, this Stila eye liner was a gift for spending over a certain amount. The Stila Smudge Stick Waterproof Eye Liner is described as a highly-pigmented eye liner that provides bold colour and intense staying power. It has a soft and creamy texture that glides on smoothly and it doesn't require sharpening as it is an auto wind up type pencil.
Wearing: Too Faced Ginger Cream, Maple Syrup & Winter Dream eyeshadows from the Gingerbread Cookie Palette, Stila Smudge Stick Waterproof Eye Liner in Midnight Blue, Too Faced Better Than Sex Mascara in Black; and Chosungah22 Dong Gong Ming Brow Maker in Black Brown
Stila Smudge Liner: Midnight Blue / Chosungah 22 Brow Gel: Black Brown / Too Faced Better Than Sex Mascara: Black
have you tried any of the products mentioned in this haul?
which makeup brand do you think that makes the best holiday sets?
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ZEESEA X THE BRITISH MUSEUM 
ZEESEA CUPID HIGHLIGHTER, there are two shades available and I bought shade #01 which is a soft luminous white colour. The packaging is simple, but super cute and it looks like one of those highlighters that will give you that subtle, natural glow.
