Daft Pink (Deep blue pink with light white yellow veining): I picked this one up because I don't have Love Rock from the Grand Duos collection... it's a tad lighter which is nice because the reason I didn't get Love Rock was because I felt it was too bright for me. So for those of you who have Love Rock, you can definitely skip this, otherwise, it's a pretty blue-based pink to have.
Improvise (Midtone neutral coral with light white yellow gold veining): This was at the top of my list -- it's orange!! haha... but it's so beautiful and unique! I think this would look so great this summer and transitioning into the fall.
Fad-dabulous (dirty burnt coral yellow gold veining): Just looking at it from the pan, I could tell it was a dupe of Hot Planet (Grand Duos Collection), which I must admit was the reason I bought it. I have Hot Planet and for those of you who've been following this blog for awhile, know that it's practically my HG blush... I LOVE it... so to have it in a "full dome" vs. half is great for me!
Cheek and Cheerful (Midtone bronzy brown with yellow gold veining): This is nothing special as it's just another bronzing shade with a bit of frost. It's actually a great dupe of So Ceylon MSF, so for those of you who missed it -- this is a great find (plus it's cheaper than the MSF too).
Style Demon (Dirty brick red with copper veining): I didn't plan to get this one at all... I felt that it was just too dark. When I swatched it though, it reminded me of the no-name blush I used to LOVE... it was just too pretty to resist...
Eclectic Edge (Cool Violet): This was at the top of my list hands down... very pretty and pigmented lilac/lavendar colour that would pair nicely with my Lavendar Whip l/s.
Miss Marble (Muted Pink): This is a very pretty, not too shimmery neutral pink that can be worn everyday. The formula is great, the colour pay-off is awesome.
Overall: The blushes from the Grand Duos collection were my first mineralized blushes in general... but these are my first orginal mineralized blushes. I've wanted Dainty and Gentle... but never got around to purchasing them. I was extremely excited to try these out since the colours look unique to me and just soooooooooo pretty. I picked up all but one (which I probably will end up getting anyway since the collection feels so incomplete)... the reason I didn't pick up Hand-Finish was because when swatched, it looked really similar to Moon River... if you're not a fan of the frosty finish that mineralized blushes usually offer, then don't get them. I am indifferent with the frosy finish... but as long as they aren't chunky glitters, then i'm content. The blushes are all very well pigmented with a soft powdery feel and the frost actually provides a bit of a glow when used sparingly and appropriately. I'll have to give these babies a trial run for a few weeks before I can give my full review on them.
The lipglasses were a surprise. I had only planned to pick up Eclectic Edge, but Xinarox's swatch on Miss Marble was enough to convince me to pick that one up too... and there are definitely no regrets! The lipglasses with this collection are fairly pigmented (especially if you compare them to the Sugar Sweet Collection's triglosses!) but the packaging is lacklustre... the doefoot doesn't work with the square tube, so very little product is dispensed... the plus side is that the formula to these are not as sticky as the traditional lipglasses at all, in fact, it's kind of creamy... which I like, but still not as smooth as the cremesheen glasses (which I miss dearly!).
Improvise (Midtone neutral coral with light white yellow gold veining): This was at the top of my list -- it's orange!! haha... but it's so beautiful and unique! I think this would look so great this summer and transitioning into the fall.
Fad-dabulous (dirty burnt coral yellow gold veining): Just looking at it from the pan, I could tell it was a dupe of Hot Planet (Grand Duos Collection), which I must admit was the reason I bought it. I have Hot Planet and for those of you who've been following this blog for awhile, know that it's practically my HG blush... I LOVE it... so to have it in a "full dome" vs. half is great for me!
Cheek and Cheerful (Midtone bronzy brown with yellow gold veining): This is nothing special as it's just another bronzing shade with a bit of frost. It's actually a great dupe of So Ceylon MSF, so for those of you who missed it -- this is a great find (plus it's cheaper than the MSF too).
Style Demon (Dirty brick red with copper veining): I didn't plan to get this one at all... I felt that it was just too dark. When I swatched it though, it reminded me of the no-name blush I used to LOVE... it was just too pretty to resist...
Eclectic Edge (Cool Violet): This was at the top of my list hands down... very pretty and pigmented lilac/lavendar colour that would pair nicely with my Lavendar Whip l/s.
Miss Marble (Muted Pink): This is a very pretty, not too shimmery neutral pink that can be worn everyday. The formula is great, the colour pay-off is awesome.
Overall: The blushes from the Grand Duos collection were my first mineralized blushes in general... but these are my first orginal mineralized blushes. I've wanted Dainty and Gentle... but never got around to purchasing them. I was extremely excited to try these out since the colours look unique to me and just soooooooooo pretty. I picked up all but one (which I probably will end up getting anyway since the collection feels so incomplete)... the reason I didn't pick up Hand-Finish was because when swatched, it looked really similar to Moon River... if you're not a fan of the frosty finish that mineralized blushes usually offer, then don't get them. I am indifferent with the frosy finish... but as long as they aren't chunky glitters, then i'm content. The blushes are all very well pigmented with a soft powdery feel and the frost actually provides a bit of a glow when used sparingly and appropriately. I'll have to give these babies a trial run for a few weeks before I can give my full review on them.
The lipglasses were a surprise. I had only planned to pick up Eclectic Edge, but Xinarox's swatch on Miss Marble was enough to convince me to pick that one up too... and there are definitely no regrets! The lipglasses with this collection are fairly pigmented (especially if you compare them to the Sugar Sweet Collection's triglosses!) but the packaging is lacklustre... the doefoot doesn't work with the square tube, so very little product is dispensed... the plus side is that the formula to these are not as sticky as the traditional lipglasses at all, in fact, it's kind of creamy... which I like, but still not as smooth as the cremesheen glasses (which I miss dearly!).
In general, I do feel that half the blushes were dupable with the Grand Duos collection, and the rest probably with something else... It's hard to choose the winners and losers of the bunch... but if I had to pick, the must-haves are Eclectic Edge lipglass and Improvise and Style Demon blushes. The ones to skip because of how easily duped they are would have to be Fad-dabulous and Daft Pink.
