Swatches/Quick Review: Joe Fresh Cream Eye Shadow

Joe Fresh Cream Eye Shadow is a cream eye shadow packaged in pan form. Pigmentation is excellent in both the shades I tried, both were rich in colour, and while dry, they still apply well. However, the formula  is drier and harder than most cream eyeshadows which means it does not glide on the eyelid as well and can cause some slight tugging. Because of its harder texture, you can easily use it as cream eyeliner (in Asia they have “cake” eyeliner, which is a very dry cream). The upside of them being so dry is that they dry down to almost a powder form and are very long wearing and smudgeproof. You can build it up for a more intense look, or do a light layer for a sheered out, more natural look.

• Slate is a dark matte grey.
• Medallion is a shimmery, near metallic bronze.

I really love the colour Medallion. I think it will look great as a base for metallic smokey eyes or just as an all-0ver colour for fall. Medallion is also the smoother one of the two as the dryness is not as obvious. Slate is pigmented but not as smooth as Medallion.

Here are some swatches (first set under sunlight and second set under natural lighting indoors):

In general, priced at just $6 each, these are worth checking out.

Swatch/Review: Joe Fresh Blush in Rosetta

If you’re not familiar with the background of Canadian beauty brand Joe Fresh, you can see a short description here along with swatches of their cream lipstick.

Joe Fresh Blush, like all of Joe Fresh Beauty products, is housed in a clear plastic case that is sturdy and very well made. I like this packaging because you can very easily see the shade inside without having to flip to the back for the label or opening the case.

Rosetta is a light pink blush that leans cool and is mostly matte with a little bit of sheen. This is a foolproof colour, one that you should definitely have in your makeup bag. The blush is smooth and applies well, but it is not pigmented, which is perfectly fine because I don’t think it is meant to be pigmented. It looks very natural on, highly recommended!

Some swatches, first under sunlight and then indoors in natural lighting.

Recommended if you are looking for an inexpensive, but pretty blush!

Swatches/Review: Joe Fresh Eyeshadow

After trying Joe Fresh lipsticks, I was excited to try their eyeshadows too. In general I thought their eyeshadows were on the dry, powdery and chalky side, especially the matte shades. The shimmery shades were a little better, but still lacking in pigmentation. While the price kind of makes up for the lack in texture, it is not an excuse for the lack in pigmentation (compared to Annabelle single potted eyeshadows, which are around the same price, these definitely under-perform).

From left to right (swatches in same order): Slate, Honeybell, Cactus, Smoke, Pixie

• Slate is exactly what it’s name says it is: a dark slate with some shimmer in the pan. Swatched, the shimmer is no longer visible. The pigmentation on this one was lacking, the formula was also chalky and dry.
• Honeybell is a matte cream. Swatched, it is a little powdery but it makes for an excellent highlight shade that is simple and perfect for daytime.
• If I were told to choose, then Cactus is my favourite out of the bunch, a dark shimmery forest green. The shimmer is sophisticated and subtle, not “in your face” like many shimmery shadows out there. This also swatched very smoothly and pigmented.
• Smoke is a matte dark grey with a hint of purple. This is also dry (not as dry as Slate though), and pigmentation is medium, but buildable.
• Pixie is a shimmery soft pink with a bit of lavender. This also applied pretty smoothly and the shimmers are more visible than the ones in Cactus.

Some swatches:

I would recommend that you take a good look at these when you get a chance to see them in person. There is a wide array of shades to choose from, which means some of them will likely turn out better than the ones I received here. The prices give them really good value and a huge selection of colours, but the quality of these shades in particular make me want to say “skip.”

Swatches/Review: Joe Fresh Cream Lipstick in Tulip & Scarlet

As a Canadian blogger, I am going to try to shift the focus more towards Canadian brands and products. Joe Fresh is a relatively new Canadian fashion and beauty brand. The Joe Fresh Beauty line was introduced in March of 2009 and in just two years time, they’ve become one of the most popular Canadian drugstore brands. They are available exclusively at Joe Fresh boutiques and Loblaws and Superstore locations across Canada. Prices are very reasonable with their least expensive item at $4 (single eyeshadow pans, nail polish), and most expensive item priced at $20 (for the 5-minute face palette that includes 4 eyeshadows, 2 lip products and 2 cheek products). About 90% of their collection is priced at just $6, which includes lipsticks, blushers, and base products.

Today I’m going to be reviewing their Cream Lipstick in the shades Tulip and Scarlet. The Cream lipstick is housed in a sturdy, clear plastic tube with a plastic lid so you can easily see the shade. The packaging is simple and the tube very well made, both of which I am loving.

(left: Scarlet, right: Tulip)

Tulip is a dark watermelon pink that leans red. When I first saw this, I thought it looked so intimidating in the tube. As someone who wears almost only nude/peach/pink shade lipsticks, this was completely out of my safety zone. However upon swatching, Tulip is surprising in a positive way. The formula is amazing, really well done for a $6 drugstore lipstick. It is very creamy, pigmented, and applies flawlessly without settling into lip lines. I didn’t feel it to be drying at all, which is usually the case with drugstore lipsticks (and sometimes even high end ones!). The colour is also very nice. I think this would be a good “beginner’s red” for those who are afraid to wear the red lip. While bold, Tulip is still classy and not in your face like most reds. With the holiday season coming up, this should be on the top of your “to try” list.

Scarlet is a dark grape (not really scarlet, as usually “scarlet” to me says bold and red). I didn’t like the formula of this shade as much as Tulip as you can see it applied a little blotchy and not as smooth. I also felt it was a little drying. Again this is not in my usual comfort zone for lipsticks, but the colour is perfect for fall. One thing to note is that I tested this shade out for wear and it really wears for a long time! It lasted me through an afternoon of chatting with a friend and then through a big bowl of greasy Taiwanese noodle soup. Most of it was still on my lips after the noodle soup (even after using some paper napkins to wipe my lips). In the end I used some cleansing oil to get it off, but by that time it had stained my lips and they became a darker pink than usual.

Overall, I do recommend that you take a look at these lipsticks the next time you’re in a Superstore or Loblaws store. If these two colours are not your thing, they have a huge selection of shades you can choose from.