EM Michelle Phan The Life Palette Moment in Holiday Life: New Year's Countdown Edition Review, Photos, Swatches + GIVEAWAY!

EM Michelle Phan's new Holiday Life: New Year's Countdown Edition eye, lip, and cheek palette is inspired by the reminiscence of the past year and the celebration of a new year to come. This refillable Mini palette is very much in tune with the burgundy makeup trend that is all the rage this season, with deep berry hues and vibrant golds to keep the overall look festive and appropriate for the holidays. Check out the individual product details and swatches after the jump!

BLUSH: Countdown

LIPGLOSS: Sparkling Punch

LIPSTICK (matte): Stroke of Plum

EYESHADOWS: Sequin Dress, Good Cheers, Couples Gold, Cranberry Cocktail, Happy New Year, and Clock Strikes Midnight

Sequin Dress is the most powdery eyeshadow in the bunch, but this bright yellow gold looks great in the tear duct area. I recommend using a precise brush to apply and blend. The glitter flecks flash blue, green, and purple, which is fun and unique. Good Cheers is a lovely neutralizer lid shade, nude with a hint of peach and lovely champagne shimmer. Avoid blending it away and pat it on gently in layers for full coverage. Couples Gold is a rich gilded gold tone without leaning too copper — more sensual than Sequin Dress, like a cashmere sweater. It has a Great Gatsby flair that I think is perfect for the holidays. Cranberry Cocktail is a gorgeous shimmery true berry eyeshadow that has a metallic touch. It is super creamy and applies evenly without any fall out.

Even though it is well pigmented, it is my least favorite eyeshadow is Clock Strikes Midnight since I rarely reach for inky navy blues. The matte formula has a hint of silver shimmer, but I found that it did not adhere to the lids. I think Happy New Year is the better smoky/eyeliner color. It is deep but evenly pigmented and melds best with the warmer theme of the palette. Again, tap off the excess powder to remove the silver shimmer. The navy blue will be excellent on fairer cool-toned ladies, especially in the contrast with the Cranberry Cocktail shadow. I will be sticking to Sequin Dress on the inner corners, Good Cheers all over the lids and under the brow bones, with Couples Gold on the lids, and Happy New Year on the outer corners.

The blush in Countdown is most similar to the eyeshadow in Cranberry Cocktail. The blush swatch photo below features a heavy swatch and a blended one to more accurately demonstrate how it would look on the cheeks. It wears more burgundy brown with a satiny finish while the eyeshadow is metallic and more pink-toned in comparison. The matte lipstick in Stroke of Plum is not nearly as drying as I had expected, but it still looks best on freshly exfoliated lips and/or topped off with the Sparkling Plum lipgloss. I used my fingertip to apply the lipstick sheerly, but I recommend a lip brush for more precision and layering for opaque coverage.

BOTTOM LINE: This Holiday Life Palette Mini in New Year's Countdown perfectly captures the essence of Holiday 2013 beauty and is totally worth the splurge if you enjoy warmer toned shades!

Now, to spread some holiday cheer, The RAEviewer is hosting a giveaway for this covetable, limited edition palette! This contest will be open internationally as a show of support for EM Michelle Phan's fans all over the world. Enjoy and good luck!

OPEN INTERNATIONALLY

a Rafflecopter giveaway

In case you missed it: Click here to see my tips on how to prep for a first date!
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