I usually post on Sundays, but I was preparing for a Superbowl party so things got a little pushed back. Sorry about that. 😦 Today I’m going to talk to you all about my love/hate relationship with the Anastasia Beverly Hills Glow Kit. Because I am a makeup artist, I bought both, on myself I tend to use “gleam” more, rather than “that glow” but both palettes contain a variety of colors that would work on a variety of skin tones.
I’m wearing all four colors from the GLEAM GLOW KIT in different spots of my face.
OK, there’s the thing, I was not impressed with these palettes at first. I did not like how they were laying on my face or on my friend (i test products on myself and friends before I use on clients). It just looked patchy and just too uneven!
I’ve learned with these that you have to apply some sort of powder before you lay down the glow kit product. To me, that’s a little annoying because with my other highlighters or illuminators I never had to have a powder barrier.
They also weren’t working with the usual brushes that I’m so used to using with over highlights or strobing powders. I had to use a larger, dense, VERY SOFT and very fluffy brush for the glow kit to come out to how i like it (blended and not patchy). I ended up going with the Sephora 55 Airbrush -which is typically used with liquids. I bought this when it came with a brush kit. And I used to work for Sephora so I got a discount. Anastasia made a brush specially for her illuminators which is $25. I don’t have the brush so I can’t speak on it but I’ve heard is good.
The Sephora 55 Airbrush $34
It’s buildable which is nice so if you use a light hand you can put a nice natural glow. Crushed Pearl (Gleam’s lightest shade) is PERFECT for fair skin tones even though it looks dark in the pan. It’s slightly lighter and less yellow then starlight (ABH illuminator).
All of the colors are pretty misleading actually. And some of these swatches below aren’t accurate either (they are abh’s). Because as you can see in the first picture I posted (with me holding up the palette) i am fairer then the lightest skin in the swatches but crushed pearl is still lighter then my skin tone, making it a perfect highlight for the fairer skinned ladies.
Starburst also appears lighter on me then in the swatches below. I only use hard candy as a blush topper and Mimosa as a bronze topper on myself, but I know that these colors will work on a variety of skin tones.
They are pretty decently priced. You can get a lot of product for $10 a pan ($40 total) and you can remove them out of the packaging if you want, but it’s really nice and sturdy so I’m keeping them in their packaging.
These are somewhat long lasting. I would definitely use a setting spray!
Are they worth it? Well, ABH says that these are limited edition palettes, but I bet that she will come out with singles of these. If you are strapped for cash, and you already have an ABH illuminator, I would wait on these. They’re very nice, but not AMAZING.
***I still prefer the Hourglass lighting/strobing powders to Anastasia Beverly Hills illuminators and highlights. Hourglass Cosmetics are expensive but so worth the money if you can splurge. Whenever I purchase them I make sure I can get them on a discount. BUT Hourglass doesn’t make their makeup mua friendly. The packaging is bulky (albeit beautiful), you can’t customizie, you can’t depot, so you’re just left with lugging around a bunch of compacts. They have made the lighting edit palette, but it’s so small that it’s insulting. I have purchased and repurchased the lighting palette, which is larger and contains one of the strobing powders. IN SHORT, Hourglass needs to make a LARGER palette with all of the strobing powders -but in good sizes.
thanks for stopping by. 🙂 tell me what you think and let me know if you want swatches!
Time for T 