My dear friends, I have a confession to make, please refrain from judging me.  I have never tried an Anastasia Beverly Hills eye-shadow.  When I saw Jaclyn Hill do this look, I thought about buying that Colourpop set for that one eye-shadow (the Forever Freshman set is sold out right now).  But, I review Colourpop a lot.  I'm not sure if you've noticed or not, but I know I need to slow my roll on that and try some other things.  If it comes back as a single, I would definitely buy Koosh.

I remembered a color from one of the Anastasia palettes that reminded me of the look she had done and I thought I'd get it so I could play with it.  I found that the Anastasia Beverly Hills Self-Made Palette had the gorgeous pink champagne color and the rest was up to my debit card.  I was surprised to see that it was only $35.00 for 14 .025 eye-shadows, which compared to some of the other palettes I buy, it was a steal.  It was practically Colourpop set in price.

Just a warning, there will be pictures.  Loads of them.

Front of package

Back of package

 There has been some confusion in the name.  You don't self make this palette.  Self-Made is the name of this Limited Edition palette.  

Self-Made Palette

The packing of the palette is a textured fabric.  It has a silver-toned plate with a protective film that you can peel off.

Back of Palette

The back of the palette has the list of ingredients and as you can see, it's Cruelty Free and made in China.  Maybe you can't see the made in China part, it was really small.

So many pretty colors

Some people are not that thrilled about the packaging.  It isn't vavavoom or anything.  The magnetic closure is good, but may be concerning for travel.  However, if part of the reason I only paid $35.00 for this is because I didn't have fancy packaging, I'm willing to make that sacrifice.  It's nice enough.

There was a dual ended brush included with this palette.  It's a light weight plastic and black with white lettering.  It was less than impressive.  The fluffy side looks like its been put out to pasture and the other side doesn't know what it wants to be.  It's almost a dome and almost a packing brush.  It looks quite cheap.

I'm going to do the colors left to right from top to bottom.  Except at the end, because math.  All of the color names are printed on the package, which I definitely like, although it may be hard to see in the picture above.

Left to Right: Pink Champagne and Metallic Plum

Pink Champagne is a lovely metallic (glittery) rose gold.  It is pigmented and can have some fall out, but it really isn't too bad.  If you really want to bang it up a notch, try it on a damp brush or patted on over glitter glue.  It will be intense and stunning.  It is smooth and blends well.  It was the reason I bought this palette and I was not disappointed.

 Metallic Plum is a frosted deep plummy brown.  It leans a little warm, but is still wearable for us cool toned people.  It has good pigmentation, was soft, and blended well.

Left to Right: Self-Made and Witchy

Self-Made is a frosted golden deep bronze shade with warm undertones.  It was drier than some of the other shades, but has good pigmentation and blends well.

Witchy looks almost green in the pan, but by some witch craft it doesn't really look like that on the skin.  It is a khaki grey brown color with a pearl finish.  It has good pigmentation but can be a little dusty.  it also blends well.

Left to Right: Blush and Blossom

Blush is a strange color.  It is a beige with hints of a green undertone with almost a lilac pink duo-chrome effect.  It's very pretty, just hard to describe.  It has decent pigmentation, blends well, and is slightly powdery.  For some reason seeing these two next to one another reminded me of blush and bashful (just the names, not so much the colors) from Steel Magnolias.  I'm aware my brain is weird.

Blossom is a pretty slightly metallic pink with coppery undertones.  This is on the warmer side, but I'm sure I can make it work.  It has good pigmentation and blended well.

From Left to Right: Deep Purple and Treasure

Deep Purple is such a bland name for such a stunning color.  It's a rich metallic amethyst.  It has great pigmentation, blends well, and seriously, can you see how pretty that is?  I applied this over the top of Pink Champagne that I had put on with glitter glue and it transformed into a pale purple glitter that was gorgeous as well.

Treasure is a metallic champagne.  On me the warm shade is nice but rather ordinary.  I have seen this on dark skin tones and their skin transforms this into a true treasure.  It is stunning.  

Left to Right: Hot & Cold and Sherbert

Hot & Cold is a metallic coppery pink whiskey brown.  It definitely leans warm.  It has good pigmentation, is creamy, and blends well.  It is a very pretty color that is impossible not to love. 

Sherbert is a pearly peach with good pigmentation.  It blends beautifully.  It isn't so pearly that you can't use it as a transition color.  It just makes your skin look glowy.

Left to Right: Isla and Spirit Rock

Isla is a shimmering sea foam green with a very slight golden duo-chome.  It is creamy, has great pigmentation, and blends beautifully.  This is another color that sold me on this palette.  This type of color is very popular and I imagine it will be beautiful in a spring mermaid look.

Spirit Rock is a deep matte black with multicolored glitter.  Holy carp is this pigmented.  You can lose a lot of the glitter in the application, but it's still a good black.  It blends decently and if you use this to smudge your eyeliner it will help make it laaaaast.

From Top to Bottom: Buttery and Hot Chocolate

Buttery reminds me of whipping your own butter.  It is a matte very soft yellowed beige.  It is quite powdery, has decent pigmentation, and blends well.  It is very soft.  Care should be used when using this color so as not to make a mess.

Hot Chocolate is a medium deep chocolate brown with ruddy undertones.  The pigmentation on this is great, it blends well, and it is smooth and buttery.

With the exception of the brush, I was impressed with this palette.  The colors are very pigmented and long lasting.  You should use care because of how pigmented this palette is.  This really surprised me and I will definitely be buying more eye-shadows from Anastasia Beverly Hills.  If you want this palette, you should jump on it sooner rather than later because I am late to this Limited Edition show.  I purchased mine at Nordstrom and I used Ebates, this is my referral link.

When I say Treasure is beautiful on dark skin, this Sugar Plum video by MsPreciousMarie is a great example of that.  Jaclyn Hill used it in this gorgeous Smokey Halo Eye.

* I got Self-Made with the help of my well used debit card.  

Hello my friends!  I hope that so far 2016 is treating you well.  My blog was started a little over a year ago and with it, certain subscriptions.  I also started Boxycharm in 2015.  These are a few of my favorite items those bags and boxes.

Luxie Brush from the February Ipsy bag it's the Luxie Large Angled Face Brush 504. It retails for $16.00. Originally I tried it with blush and it did better than the brush I was using, but what I like it best for is highlighter or under eye powder.  I probably use this every day.


From the March Birchbox was the Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish Hot Cloth Cleanser.  It came with a .5 oz cleanser and a muslin cloth.  The cleanser was thick and creamy.  I really loved how my skin felt after the whole process.  The full size starter with a muslin cloth and the cleanser is $25.50 for a 3.3 oz.  I would definitely buy this again.

Also from the March Birchbox was the It's a 10 Miracle Leave-In Product.  A 4 oz bottle is $18.00 at Ulta and a 10 oz bottle is $36.00. I use this a lot, but I spray this into my hands rather than directly into my hair because I have fine hair and I don't want to take the chance at being a grease ball.

From the May Birchbox was the Aruba Aloe Luxe Foot Créme.  It says it has a mint smell but I didn't get that, I really just smell the shea butter I think.  It has aloe, shea butter and vitamin e.  It is $18.00 for 2 oz of product and when I run out I know I'd like more.

The It Cosmetics Universal Brow Pencil is $24.00 from the June Ipsy Bag.  This is something I like to use when I'm in a hurry and just need my brows done fast.  I am not a lucky person with pretty, dramatic brows.  Mine are dark, but finely shaped and they benefit from a little filling in.  I still love my pomade the most, but this is great for those days I'm running late.  Using pressure, you can effect how dark it is.

The Bellapierre Kabuki Brush, it's a full size and sells for $29.99.  It's from my June Boxycharm.  It's soft and dense with synthetic bristles.  I use this daily to buff in my powder.  It does a great job for that.  I'm still not certain I'd pay $29.99 for a new one, but getting it in my box has made me use this all the time.  I haven't had any issues with shedding on any of the brushes I mention.

The L. Erickson Grab and Go Ponytail Holder is $18.00 for a full size container with 15 ponytail holders.  It was from the June Birchbox. They are comfortable and hold my fine hair very well.  The material is soft and strong and doesn't feel like it's tugging on my hair.  I did end up giving the rest of my hair ties to the cat and these are mine.  They hold up really well and I am still using the same few that I pulled from the top of the tube I bought.  I went for the black and silver ones.  Silly me for originally making fun of getting hair ties in my bag.

The July Boxycharm held a few favorites for me.  First off was the yourMinerals Transparent Veil Setting Powder in the full size of medium (4 g), which retails for $26.00.  I use this daily with the previously mentioned Kabuki brush to set my foundation.  The other item was the Vasanti Professional Blush Brush and is $29.00.  This has become my daily blush brush.  I like how it applies blush as I like a light hand with blush.  It lets me build product to the application I prefer.  Again, with brushes like Morphé out there, I'm not sure I would pay $29.00 for a brush, being Broke Woman and what not.  But I do love having this brush.

Coola Setting Spray from my August Birchbox.  I was a naughty Broke Woman in August and didn't review my August boxes (it's a real shame because the August box was adorable).  I had just started a new position at work and really had to focus on that plus all sort of other stuff.  This setting spray was a favorite simply because it allows me to reapply sunscreen without messing up my makeup.  I am very aware that one should apply it every two hours and this makes it possible.  It does contain a lot of alcohol, so it can be drying, but I'll suffer through that when I know I'll need this.  It's $36.00 for a 1.7 oz full size of this and I am glad to see more companies coming out with things like this.

My August Boxycharm there were three items that really stood out.  First on the list was the Mica Beauty Gel Eyeliner in black.  I had been using the MAC Tracks eyeliner and I liked it.  But it was getting older, so I decided I might as well give this a go.  I was impressed at how creamy, pigmented, and long lasting it was.  However, it was also a whopping $39.95 for 4 grams of product.  As much as I love this, that's very expensive.  It does have a reason to be expensive though, it's because it's a mineral product and is made of 100% natural ingredients.  It also has antioxidants and doesn't contain fillers that many people are sensitive to.

The next item I loved from the box was the Seta Eyeliner Brush.  This has a fine tip and is great for those times you want a thin line.  It's $16.00 and a good buy.  The last item that impressed me was the Nios Shield Leave in Conditioner.  It's $26.00 for 4 oz of product.  It has an SPF of 15 and while this isn't a daily thing I wear because of my fine hair, this is a product I love for if I have to go in the sun.  If you've ever had a sun burn on your scalp, you'd invest in this too.  It feels like my scalp drinks this in and I often wear it over night in the winter or if I'm camping or something. It smells good and it feels moisturizing for your hair as well.

 Another bad time for being a broke woman.  I didn't review my November boxes.  That month in the Ipsy bag I received Novex Brazilian Keratin Extra Deep Hair Care Cream.  I love this stuff.  The rare times I straighten my hair, this helps it last longer.  It also makes my hair feel like silk.  The price for this is also really good and when I run out, I do plan on getting the largest size of 35 oz for $16.99.

The Pur-lisse Blue Lotus Eye Adore Serum came in the November Boxycharm and taunts me.  I love this.  A small dot will moisturize both eyes and it feels wonderful.  I use it morning and night, it does take a time little to set, so if you use it during the day, make sure to set it. The taunting or rather daunting part for me is the price.  It's $65.00 for the .5 oz.

Polar Express fun time in November one of the many busy times in November was spent riding the Polar Express in Golden, Colorado at the Colorado Railroad Museum.  It was a lot of fun and I think I enjoyed it as much as any of the kids.  Plus, super cute nails.  I did paint those myself!

The Kopari Coconut Sheer Oil  came from my December Birchbox and I really liked it.  The full size is $38.00 for 1.7 oz.  It has a nice scent, not so much coconut though, which could be good or bad, depending on your thoughts on coconut scent.  It absorbs well and has enough coconut oil that it will solidify under 50 degrees Fahrenheit. I love using this at night on winter scalp, at the ends of my hair, as a cuticle oil, mixed in with my lotion, and anything else I can think of at the time.

There were many other products that I liked, but for various reasons, these items really stood out to me.  There were also items that were blah, but in the end, with so many items from all three boxes/bags that I liked, I will be continuing my subscriptions for the foreseeable future.  I have thought about trying the Sephora Box or the Glossybox, let me know if you would like to see that as well.

If you would like to try any of the boxes, my referral codes will be listed as well.  I haven't had anyone do so, but who knows what 2016 holds.

Boxycharm referral link.
Ipsy referring link.
Birchbox is here.

Those were my favorites, what were yours?

I'm a big fan of Colourpop and after I tried Clueless and liked it, I thought I'd try another Ultra Matte Lip.  When I saw More Better, I wanted it.  I love that sort of berry wine color.  Once I decided I wanted it, it was always sold out.  Isn't that just always the case with such things?

Simple box

I finally did get my hands on it though.  ColourPop's More Better is 3.2 g of liquid lipstick for $6.00.  It is made in the USA, Vegan, and they do not test on animals.

More Better

The packaging is simple but nice.  It's hard plastic with a silver cap and trim.  The letters are printed in the holographic silver.

The applicator is a small doe foot.  It is on the hard side.  Unlike the regular lipsticks, which have a vanilla scent, this doesn't have much of a scent.  Just a barely there chemical scent.

More Better Swatch

I feel like this color would look pretty on anyone.  From my paper pale skin to much darker skin tones.  The pigmentation on this beautiful.  The color is everything I dreamed, a beautiful berry wine.

Patchy fun time

The formula was recently changed.  Apparently, the old formula was very dry.  I think with more liquid lipsticks, you kind of expect that.  The application is a little patchy and you have to work around that if you want to make this work on you.

Now that's More Better

It has a powdery finish and should be applied in a thin layer.  If you apply it thickly it may ball up.  If applied thinly it's also much more comfortable.  When applied in a thicker layer it will be more drying.  It is very long lasting.  As with other liquid lipsticks, you should make sure that your lips are in good condition, exfoliated, moisturized, and clean before applying this.

I didn't have problems with it drying down, unless I applied it too thick.  If I did that, it never really dried down and would be smudgy throughout the day.

This is a stunning color perfect for fall and winter, although I would probably wear it year round.  If you put in care to apply it, using thin layers, you'll be able to enjoy it for roughly seven hours.  It does wear off unevenly, so prepare for that.

Overall, I like it, but it does require effort.  I'm not in love with this formula but I do love the color.

* I More Bettered my life by myself.  No one tried to get me to be More Better.