Bare Minerals isn't a completely clean brand, but they consistently straddle the line between the natural and conventional beauty worlds. Most of the company's powder products - both pressed and loose - have pretty clean ingredients, but the rest of the line is little more iffy, with questionable ingredients in many of the cream and liquid products.
Finding great quality natural pressed makeup can be challenging, which is why I've come to really appreciate the READY line. With foundations, veils, eye shadows, blushes, and bronzers, the READY line basically mirrors the original, core Bare Minerals product line, only in pressed powder form rather than loose. The READY products are made without talc or silicones and contain Bare Minerals' SeaNutritive Mineral Complex, a blend of minerals and plant extracts purported to provide skin-nourishing benefits alongside high performance makeup.
I'm not completely convinced of the skincare benefits, but what I can attest to is the quality of the READY products I've used. I mentioned the Color Boost in The Adrenaline Rush in my first Makeup Basket back in April and since then I've branched out into the eye shadows, most recently The Modern Icon quad.
The Modern Icon is a limited edition eye shadow quad that was released this spring as part of the Modern Pop Collection. Housed in a reflective silver compact - rather than the matte black of the permanent line - The Modern Icon quad includes four great eye shadows in easy-to-wear shades.
Chic is a baby pink satin, lovely for highlighting or all over the lid.
Carefree is a beautiful pale peach and is probably my favorite color in the quad. It has the most shine out of the four shades, but it's still a delicate satin finish without any actual shimmer or sparkle.
Sophisticate is a light, slightly smokey amethyst purple with just the barest hint of a sheen.
Exhale is a matte taupey-brown that really pulls all the shades together. This is one of those great, ultra-functional colors that meshes well with virtually any eye look.
With three satins and a matte, this is a fantastic everyday palette. You have everything you need for a complete eye look and while the colors are work-friendly, they aren't boring. In general, I've found the READY shadows are great quality, but this satin finish formula is my absolute favorite (and since I'm usually all about shimmery eye shadows, that really says something!) The shadows are buttery, smooth, and pigmented, but they also blend effortlessly. The colors aren't chalky or patchy and, dipping into them with a brush, they kick up a lot less powder than a lot of other natural pressed products I've used.
The READY eye shadows are also considerably more durable than a lot of other natural pressed makeup. Much like conventional products, I wouldn't suggest dropping them, but they can certainly survive being shaken around a little in a makeup bag without shattering or crumbling into a million pieces.
The Bottom Line
Bare Minerals READY eye shadows are great quality and I love the versatility of the colors in The Modern Icon quad. As of today, the quad is still available for purchase, but since it is limited edition, if you like the look of it, I wouldn't recommend waiting too long. The shades are great for everyday and the satin finish formula is a real winner!
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| Because sometimes you stumble into silly, slightly artsy photos and you just have to run with it! ;) |
What pretty colours! This looks like a lovely palette to have :)
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They really are! I don't have anything else quite like them :)
DeleteHave you checked out their nude pallets? I was looking for something with more natural colours and some matte colours too, and bought one of those
ReplyDeleteOoo nice! I have another quad with golds, but nothing super nude. I've been eyeing the 8-pan neutral palettes they came out with a few months back though - super tempting!
DeleteI've read many a description of this palette, and yours is hands-down the clearest & most accurately descriptive (with style!), so thanks for that. I'm still loving these colors, and the other parts of the line that I bought on clearance-- too bad the gloss isn't available year round. Peace, Mari
ReplyDeleteThank you! It really is a pretty quad :)
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