Products and Reviews: Sephora Smokey Studio II and Jerdon's Tabletop Lit Vanity....

Ok folks, so I did some recon, and made some purchases, and here's my assessment. Let's start with the mirror. It was $14.99 with Amazon Prime. Can't beat that, especially since the larger vanity mirrors cost hundreds of dollars. I really wanted something akin to the table top version my mom owned in the sixties that sits atop my childhood dresser upstate. This seemed to fit the bill. The criticism most listed was a heat issue from the incandescent bulbs. I tested them. Yes they're hot. But so is the one my mom gave me. And so are the ones in the dressing rooms in every theatre I've been in. Incandescent bulbs get really hot. My one qualm with it is that I actually wanted brighter light. It's hard to find correct theatrical lighting unless you are actually in a theatre space. I don't need that kind of wattage all the time in what I do, but time to time, I teach application techniques for theatrical usage, and then, yeah I need brights that can travel. But other than that, for late night application binges, for bridal/special event, halloween, and street makeup tutorials I think it will be pretty great. I like that just like the old ones it flips to reveal a magnification mirror on the back, and it has a metal prop to keep it upright.

Onto the Smokey Studio II. This could really be more of a review of Sephora, but we'll get there. The product itself did surprise me. The quality is higher than I expected of a mega palette, maybe it's the heat, maybe they really are creamy, but the glosses especially had a good pigment content. The pans are TINY, I mean like maybe a little smaller than a nickel but I guess with so many colors they assume you won't need a ton of product (they are so wrong! I always need a ton of product!!!) The size is absolutely ideal for travel and I can tell you right now it's coming upstate for my mega July wedding (hair and makeup for bride, mother, & four bridesmaids including myself in a six hour window) I also really like the empty compact included for the purpose of removing certain palettes to take with you. If I can get the entire bridal party's glosses in one compact for photo touch ups it will make life much better for me :) Now... Sephora.....Luckily I researched this palette (see earlier post) before I went so I knew it was in the store. But let me warn anyone going to get one in person, rather than online, they don't display it. They display the $34 Artist Box Collection prominently by the checkout but will tell you they don't have the larger collection unless you tell them you checked online and know they have them in store. This is because it costs less, but has more colors than, the smaller palette. When it was brought out for me I noticed a price sticker on it said $34, I assumed the prices perhaps had gone up or I was misremembering an online special. But no, when they rang it up it was the $25 claimed online. They just really want you to not know its cheaper I guess??? But much like drugs I can't quit them. I'll never agree with what the sales associates try to upsell me, but I'll be jonesing for Sephora forevs. 

BKBTY