" I ' V E B E E N W A I T I N G F O R Y O U . "
T O P R O W S W A T C H E S
M A K E U P D E T A I L S
O N I N S T A G R A M
So what do you think of ABH's latest palette?
I sighed, eyes glistening and cheeks red.
'You're mine,' I thought. 'You're finally mine.' Pulse racing, palms sweating and breath hot. Ages passed since chest felt this tight. The sweet song stuck in my throat and heart banging against my ribs. I finally had Modern Renaissance in my hands.
My first Anastasia Beverly Hills palette. It is the beauty community's latest obsession ever since its Summer 2016 release. And why shouldn't it be? Ever since I had it, I wanted to write a review.
So what are my thoughts on this famous palette?
The latest addition to my High-End Palette collection.
It looks like high-end too. Packaged sleek and sturdy, with a magnetic closure. The case covered in mauve velvet, reminding me of an expensive carpet. Though it is a definite disadvantage. It will get dirty quickly with powders sticking to the velour. The case won't stay pretty for so long.
I was desperate to get my hands on the Modern Renaissance Palette. Refusing to wait long, I purchased Anastasia Beverly Hills' new palette from an online seller. It cost B$75 (US$42) for these 14 shades. An estimate price of B$5.40 (US$3) per shadow weighing 0.6g each. Not as expensive when compared to other palettes I own, but more expensive compared to previous ABH collections.
LOVE LETTER | RED OCHRE | RAW SIENNA
(L to R: finger swatches)
The Modern Renaissance Palette is described as an essential eyeshadow collection, including a dual-ended brush I have yet to use. The palette features 14 shades ranging from neutral to berry tones. Most of the shades are matte, only few have shimmer. Which is wonderful as someone who prefers matte shades.
A present day take on Renaissance colours, hence the naming scheme and shades selection. The colours remind me of 16th century paintings. Titian's Assumption of The Virgin or Raphael's The Fire In The Borgo come to mind. Warm colours that blend so seamlessly together into regal art.
Anastasia Beverly Hills managed to make wearable plums and pinks, while pairing neutral browns and oranges. Perhaps it is the shade range. Each colour is warm, muted and not overt. The shades are subtle in its beauty. Just like the art it emulates.
T O P R O W S W A T C H E S
| T E M P E R A | A light beige with a velvet texture and faint sheen. Tempera is the closest to my skin tone. It is incredibly soft and easy to apply, usually as an inner corner highlight.
| G O L D E N O C H R E | Golden Ochre is a muted warm yellow with a matte finish. An earthy shade with great pigmentation. Though works best as a transition shade for fair skins or base for tanner complexions.
| V E R M E E R | Described as an iridescent silver-pink shell with a strong metallic finish. Vermeer's smooth, finely-milled frosted sheen makes it perfect as a highlight.
| B U O N F R E S C O | A light mauve best describes this shade, almost a grey violet or lavender in tone. Buon Fresco is not my favourite nor most disliked. I'd consider it a mid-range eye shadow, pigmented but a little powdery.
| A N T I Q U E B R O N Z E | A reddish-brown sable with a satin sheen. Antique Bronze is the transitional shade skirts that the line between neutral and plum colours. A perfect in-between shade.
| L O V E L E T T E R | Perhaps Love Letter is my favourite colour in the palette, as a muted but deep raspberry tone. The texture is not as soft nor as pigmented as other shades. But it is still buildable and blendable.
| C Y P R U S U M B E R | Dark coffee, most likely bitter. Cyprus Umber is the darkest shade in the collection, and perhaps with the most pigmentation. Blends beautifully with the other neutrals in the palette.
B O T T O M R O W S W A T C H E S
| R A W S I E N N A | I jokingly refer Raw Sienna as the most neutral shade among the neutral colours. A matte light-medium brown amber with a warm, slight orange undertone. Soft, silky and rich in pigmentation.
| B U R N T O R A N G E | A deep orange-brown shade with an ultra-matte finish. Burnt Orange is nothing exceptional compared to the other neutral shades. Perhaps that's just my prejudice against orange.
| P R I M A V E R A | Primavera looks like fairy dust in a powdered pan. A metallic golden champagne frost with a lot of shimmer. With the strong glitter, it has the most fallout among the palette.
| R E D O C H R E | Best to describe it as a a subtle crimson with a warm reddish-brown undertone. I rarely find such a wearable red, that doesn't emphasise my own red eyes. Thank goodness for Red Ochre.
| V E N E T I A N R E D | A dark berry-pink more than anything else. Venetian Red is similar to Love Letter, from the same palette. This shade does have a faint shimmer, though dimmer than the other shimmer shades
| W A R M T A U P E | An earthy grey-brown yielding such a rich colour pay-off. Warm Taupe is slightly cooler than the rest of the shades but still a great transition shade.
| R E A L G A R | More orange than Burnt Orange. This strong orange shade reminds me of a sunset. I quite like Realgar even though I loathe orange.
O N I N S T A G R A M
I will reiterate my love for the Modern Renaissance Palette, as everyone does.
Each shade unique both within the palette and other brand collections. I can't name any palette with colours similar. In addition, the rich pigmentation and blendable formula makes the palette one of my favourites now.
That said, I don't necessarily think it is an 'essential' despite it's praise. No one needs this palette. I wouldn't consider it an everyday palette like Urban Decay Naked Collection. Rather, the Modern Renaissance Palette is a perfect example of a splurge item.
You don't need it, but you should get it.
