BH Cosmetics 88 Color Matte Eyeshadow Palette Review and Swatches

I purchased this BH Cosmetics palette around Christmas time and wanted to review it for you all today! 

I picked this palette up when BH was having a "spend $25 get free shipping" deal. I think I paid around $11 for it because it was reduced from it's normal $18.95 price. BH Cosmetics is great about sales and often has the 88 color eyeshadow palettes on sale for $8.88. 

Now onto the palette. 

The packaging is black, shiny plastic. It does show fingerprints and dirt, which is a down side, but it can easily be wiped down with a towel. The plastic case feels pretty sturdy, although I wouldn't feel as safe traveling with it as I would with a sturdier palette.

You can see from the picture above that this palette is quite large. I compared it to the Naked palette because most people are familiar with it, even if they don't own it.

The palette comes with a mirror, which is a decent size, and two dual-sided sponge tip applicators. The eyeshadows are spaced enough apart that fallout from one doesn't get into another and they are close enough together that the packaging isn't too bulky.

In this palette you get a nice range of colors from light and dark neutrals to fun pops of color. I feel that this palette truly does have a rainbow of shadows. I think there could have been more oranges and yellow instead of so many blues, but overall it's a good mix.

The shadows themselves are quite small though. They are about half the size of a Naked palette eyeshadow and are about the size of my finger tip. I don't find them too small that I can't use a brush in them, so I don't mind. Although, if you really love a shade in this palette you might run out quickly.

From all of the photos (especially the one above) you may have noticed that not all of the shades in this "matte" palette are matte. You can see above that the two silver shades are slightly metallic where as the two browns underneath are completely matte. I don't mind that not all of the shades are matte but I just wanted to let you know.

Onto the swatches! 

 These are random swatches from every row of the palette.

You can see that some colors have very little pigment and some are a bit patchy. A few of the shadows above are slightly metallic where as the black is just matte. 

The bright colors in this palette are very pigmented compared to the neutrals.  

These particular pink and turquoise colors are very patchy unlike the other bright colors in the picture above this one.

Overall, the pigmentation is very hit or miss. Generally the colorful shadows are more pigmented while the neutrals are more sheer. 

Besides the pigmentation, the other issue I have with this palette is that the shadows are not glued in well. When I received the package I had a shadow that was loose. I just glued it back in, but over time, two other shadows fell out.

As far as product amount goes, you get 2.42 oz/68.5 g for around $11. In comparison with the Urban Decay Naked palette contains 0.6 oz/15.6 g. You get more than 4 times the product in the BH Cosmetics palette for about a 5th of the price. 

I would say, overall, that the BH Cosmetics palette is good deal. For the price, you are getting a wide range of colors in two finishes (matte and metallic) that are decently pigmented. They are not the best eyeshadows but you get what you pay for. If you want to experiment with color while not breaking the bank, then I would recommend this palette. If you want highly pigmented colors, then I would recommend something else, but this BH Cosmetics 88 Matte palette isn't bad.

Pros:

- Inexpensive

- Good value for money

- Lots of colors

Pro/Con:

- Not all the colors are matte

Cons:

- Packaging gets dirty fast

- Some shadows fall out

- Not highly pigmented

- Some shades are chalky

- Too large to travel with

Hope you liked my review! Leave a comment down below if you have tried this palette and let me know your thoughts.

~ Haley

Beginner's Makeup Guide: Product recommendations for someone who is new to makeup!

Hello! I've seen this video topic on YouTube and decided to make a blog post on it!

This post is for the person who is starting from scratch or who already has a few items but wants a complete face of makeup. I didn't include bronzers, highlighters, lip liners, etc. because I wanted this post to be just he essentials. All of the products below are drugstore products, so they are budget friendly and can (hopefully) be found in any local drugstore.


Face:

- I would recommend a tinted moisturizer, BB cream, or CC cream for any beginners because they are more forgiving than foundations and can be applied with just your fingers. The Rimmel BB Cream ($6.99) is best for oily skin and the Revlon BB Cream ($10.99) is best for dry skin, but of course you can buy which ever you want.

- If you have oily skin, a powder will be very helpful to keep your skin matte. If you want don't travel often, then I would recommend a loose powder because you get more product for the price. But if you travel often or want to take your powder to go so you can touch up throughout the day, then I would recommend a pressed powder. Either the Palladio Loose Rice Powder ($4.99) or the Rimmel Stay Matte Powder ($4.99) are good picks for an oil absorbing powder.

- Concealer was the first makeup items that I started using! I think when someone is starting to use makeup, a concealer that can correct dark circles, blemishes, and redness all in one is best. I would recommend the L'Oreal True Match Super-Blendable Crayon Concealer ($8.99).

- A subtle blush can be a quick way to brighten your complexion. These blushes by Rimmel ($4.99) are not only affordable but are subtle so you can't overdo it. They are also very blendable which makes them perfect for anyone getting started in makeup.


Eyes:

- I think that an eye primer is essential if you want your eyeshadow to last all day without creasing or fading. I love the E.L.F. Eyelid Primer ($1 at Target) because it is sheer so it works on all skin tones, plus I find that it is very comparable to higher end primers!

- Eyeshadow is my favorite type of makeup but it can look messy or unblended if you are just getting started into makeup. I would recommend something sheer at first, then when you feel more comfortable applying eyeshadow you can move on to more pigmented shadow. My sheer pick would be the CoverGirl trio in Shimmering Sands ($4.99) and my pigmented pick would be the Wet n Wild Color Icon trio in Walking on Eggshells ($2.99). These shadows look beautiful on all skin tones and are great neutral staples.

- Eyeliner can be tricky if you're new to it so I would recommend a pencil like the Jordana 12 Hour Made to Last Liquid Eyeliner Pencil in Black Point (Black color) or Espresso Last (Brown color), $2.49 each at Walgreens. These liners glide on effortlessly and stay on all day without fading or smudging.

- Mascara is my last step for the eyes and there are so many great drugstore/beginner mascaras! The CoverGirl Clump Crusher ($7.99) is an updated version of the Lashblast Fusion. It is great for both lengthening and volumizing. If you want just lengthening I would recommend the L'Oreal Telescopic Shocking Extensions ($9.99) and if you want just volumizing then I would recommend the L'Oreal Volumious Carbon Black ($7.99). I find that I don't need the waterproof version of these mascaras but that's up to you if you want waterproof or not.

Lips:

- When you're just getting started into makeup, the easiest, most fool-proof lip option is a lip butter. These are sheer lipsticks that are a lip balm, lipstick, and lip gloss all in one. I love the Revlon Color Burst Lip Butters ($7.99) because of the shade range and how pigmented they are for being a lip butter. My favorite everyday shade that looks great on everybody is Berry Smoothie (pictured above).



Disclaimer: The prices and pictures are from Target's, Walmart's, Walgreen's, and Ulta's website. Depending on where you shop, the prices will vary slightly, so the prices I have listed may not be the price at your local store.


Overall, I feel that these products are great for anyone who is new to makeup and will flatter every skin tone. Hope you like these recommendations!


~ Haley