Jill Stuart Velvet Crystal Eyes 01 Nudy Venus

There was a time when I felt the need to own every single Jill Stuart quad she has ever released. Now that I'm older (and, hopefully, wiser), I find it an impractical goal. I can't pull off shadows chock full of glitter on a daily basis, and her shadows are known to pack quite the shimmer and glitter particles, while still being slightly on the sheer side at times. Don't get me wrong, they're still gorgeous and perfect for nights out -- not so much for an everyday conservative work place.

That said, Jill Stuart recently launched a Velvet Crystal Eyes line, which is such a nice departure from her former Jewel Crystal Eyes and Illuminance Eyes quads. The shadows are more pigmented (compared to other Japanese eyeshadows) and just overall smoother in texture. The best part of it all? She's finally incorporated satin finish shadows in the midst of shimmery shades in these, as opposed to her older quads, where all four shades contained glitter. It's still difficult to achieve a full look look with the current layout, methinks, but it's doable if need be.

Wanting to play it safe, I stuck to my comfort zone of neutrals and opted for 01 Nudy Venus. The colors are straightforward with one satin brow bone highlight/all over base shade, two shimmery lid shade options, and one shimmery shade perfect for lining or the outer-V. The eye looks one can come up with with this palette alone is limited, but it has all the shades I need for an everyday, quick, and fuss-free look. I previously used the included applicators to apply the shadows as they ran more sheerly, but with the new formula, the applicators are rather useless.

(From top to bottom):
-Shade 1: Shimmery dark chocolate brown with a handful of glitter particles that do not translate when applied
-Shade 2: Shimmery, metallic beige-champagne that is probably the smoothest shade of the four
-Shade 3: Shimmery, slightly metallic pink-champagne
-Shade 4: Satin ivory white that -- more or less -- disappears on my NC20ish skin

With the new quads come a couple of changes. The first and most noticeable is the design of the palette. I personally find it more simple in design, though bulkier and certainly heavier than her other quads. Now, Jill Stuart listed her new quad as containing 8 grams of product, as opposed to the former 6 grams. The size of the pans look the same to me, and the new palettes seem to actually contain less product to me, so I'm not sure where exactly the weight discrepancy comes from.

Quality and performance-wise, I'm happy to say that these stack up to Jill Stuart's past offerings. With primer, these stay put for at least a good ten hours. Without primer, I suspect they still run on the sheer side. The shadows themselves do have the traditional floral scent that is common in her products, so do make note of that if you are one who are sensitive to fragrances (in eyeshadows, especially.)

I couldn't be any happier with the launch of the Velvet Crystal Eyes line, and I do intend on picking up her limited edition palettes, as the color schemes are more unique than the current permanent range. The price of a palette ranges anywhere from $55-$70, depending on the website you order from.

Jill Stuart Mix Blush Compact in 08 Tulip Fields

Jill Stuart really brings out my inner princess. I mean, if that packaging doesn't scream girly at you, I don't know what does. I've always been interested in this line, but trying to find a reputable seller that carries her products is half the battle. (The other half of the battle being at a reasonable price.) Jill Stuart blushes come in two flavors: a loose form and a pressed version. Loose powders, in general, have never really struck my fancy, so I decided to pick up Tulip Fields (08) -- limited edition for Spring 2014 -- instead as my first Jill Stuart blush.

Like all of her products, this has a light rose scent when you first open the compact but quickly dissipates upon application. The blush is divided into four quadrants, and I particularly chose Tulip Fields because of the highlighter shade on the top left hand corner. Alone, it gives a very strong yellow lean -- a bit too yellow (and glittery!) for my liking -- so I've been enjoying mixing all four quadrants for a soft, glowy peachy-pink blush. Because it is so glowy, a highlighter is unnecessary. On days when I do want a more satin, rosy-pink blush, I just concentrate on the bottom half of the pan, and it is equally beautiful.

(Swatches: 4 quadrants individually, all 4 shades mixed)

Asian cosmetics products tend to be sheer in nature as they are meant to be built up. This blush is no exception. It is difficult to over-apply, and on my NC25 skin tone, I had to swirl my brush in the compact a few times to get just the right amount of pigmentation. On me, the blush lasts a good ten hours without any signs of oxidation or fading, which is quite impressive.

I was able to get Tulip Fields at Beauty Kat, since I didn't see the Spring collection on Imomoko. Both are great sites for authentic Jill Stuart products. The blushes run anywhere from $55-$65, but do keep in mind that you also get a rather nice goat hair brush (that can easily be detached.) I can't see myself owning more than three blushes from her line, as the colors are not all that unique. I do, however, have my eyes set on #10 Sweet Biscuit, since the color combination is slightly more different than the rest.