Thursday, July 14, 2011

Review: Lise Watier Bora Bora Palette



(If you watch the video till the very end, you'll hear my boyfriend's testimony on behalf of Quebec what Lise Watier's general image is there.  Just for the lulz.)

This beautiful limited edition palette came out earlier this year (April, I think) as part of the Lise Watier Summer 2011 palette.  I wanted this palette so badly despite the fact that I have swatched Lise Watier eyeshadows in store and was not particularly happy with the pigmentation.  That's because I missed out on the Jingle Belle palette which was part of their holiday collection.  My boyfriend (who lives in Canada) happily grabbed this for me the day after it came out to ensure that I would not miss out again.  Thanks babe :)

Packaging:
It comes with a large mirror, two double-ended sponge applicators, and 5 eyeshadows.  This palette holds 10 grams or .35 ounces of product.  While it is sturdy enough to throw in your purse, you shouldn't jostle this around too much.





Top Row: Swatches over bare skin.
Bottom row: Swatches over Too Faced Shadow Insurance

Swatches over Painterly Paintpot

Color breakdown:
I just want to start by pointing out that all the colors are shimmery.


1. This is a shimmery white color that will only serve well as a highlight color because it is the least pigmented of the bunch.  Neither Too Faced Shadow Insurance (TFSI) or MAC Painterly paintpot could coax more pigmentation out.

2. This is a deep grass green, almost emerald color that thankfully is a little bit more pigmented than the white. A bit of primer will help with making it more vibrant.

3. This is a lovely blue violet shade, and it's too bad that it doesn't apply as vibrantly as it looks in the pan.  The pigmentation is on par with the green in this palette.

4. This green yellow color is the second to least pigmented color in this palette.  I would not use this as a lid color unless you only want a light dusting of color, or you have a matching cream shadow to use as a base.

5. This bronzey taupe is the most pigmented color in this palette.


Recommended use:
I found that the eyeshadows work best with an eyeshadow primer AND cream eyeshadow base.  MAC painterly paintpot usually does wonders in bringing out colors, but not with this product.

Eyeshadow over UDPP only

Eyeshadow only UDPP only

UDPP + NYX JEP in Horseradish

UDPP + NYX JEP in Horseradish

UDPP + NYX JEP in Horseradish
For a list of products used, please see my FOTD post here.

Overall Thoughts:
I have some mixed feelings about this palette.  I was hugely disappointed by the pigmentation of the eyeshadows at first, especially as somebody who loves bright colors.  I don't know why I thought the eyeshadows in this collection would be better than the ones in Lise Watier's regular line.  It definitely takes a bit more effort for the colors to show up on your skin, and the end result looks very little like the model's makeup.  I do acknowledge, however, that not everybody is game for crazy bright makeup, and that this may be the perfect amount of color for some people.  It is actually very easy to pull off a bright lip with a look for this palette because the colors are so toned down, and you could even wear this at the office for some subtle color.  The glitter is very fine, so you don't look so much like a discoball upon application.

Pros:
-Compact palette that you can throw in your purse or use for travel.
-The glitter is very fine and not overdone.

Neutral/Cons:
-The colors are very wearable/not terribly pigmented.  There are many drugstore brands with better pigmentation.
-The palette is somewhat expensive.

Final Verdict:
If you care about limited edition products and name brands, and you want a palette with wearable colors, this is a lovely item to have in your collection.  If you're used to rocking the brights, feel free to skip this palette completely.

Where to buy:
For the most part, Lise Watier products are only available in Canada.  If you're Canadian, you can buy it from The Bay, Shoppers Drugmart, Jean Coutu, and wherever Lise Watier items are sold for $39 CAD.  If you live in the U.S. or elsewhere, you can actually get this at naimies.com for $38 USD.  Keep in mind that this is limited edition so I don't know how much longer you can grab this.


Ok, this is sort of a tangent, but my boyfriend tells me in Quebec, everyone makes fun of Lise Watier because apparently she's an old lady who wears too much makeup. Maybe that's a sign that I should start trying the face products.


[I have nothing to disclose.]

1 comment:

  1. LOL, that is hilarious what your boyfriend says! I've actually heard a lot of people refer to LW as an "old lady" brand but I really like most of their stuff so I don't care. I am surprised to see that the pigmentation is so light for the shadows in this palette. Despite their sheerness, you still made some nice looks from them!

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