Chic and compact, palettes are an easy throw-in-your-bag option when it comes to packing for holidays and long weekends away. These two beauties from British cosmetics brand Code8, will save you space and ensure that you have all of your favourite shades to hand, regardless of whether you're enjoying a staycation or travelling further afield this Summer.
With a stunning pop-up shop located in Burlington Arcade in the wealthy Mayfair district of London, Code8 has received much positive fanfare from the press, which is highly impressive for such a young brand. Launched only late last year, Code8 is founded by two successful businesswomen who wanted to create an inclusive luxury makeup range that's simple and effective to use, for all ages and skin colours. You can read more about their 8 Point Beauty Manifesto here.
Intrigued by their overall vision and concept, I was kindly sent two of Code8's bestselling palettes to try out; the Blush Mood-Reflecting Cheek Palette in Pink Beach and the Iconoclast Eyeshadow Palette in Lustrous Corduroy.
Code8 Blush Mood-Reflecting Cheek Palette in Pink Beach* (£32, link)
First impressions definitely count when it comes to luxury, higher-end makeup and I wasn't disappointed when I unpacked the Blush Mood-Reflecting Cheek Palette. Housed in a circular metallic gold coloured compact with elegant brand logo engraving on the lid and a satisfying magnetic closing clasp, this palette has a pleasant weight to it and fits neatly into my hand. Opening it up, there's a decent sized mirror and a delightful trio of blush powders, each with a sizeable pan for dipping your brush into. Featuring a 'revolutionary Knead Technology', these blushers have a silky smooth consistency and can be used individually, or you can swirl all the shades together for a pretty punch of pink.
There are currently three different colourways to choose from and Pink Beach is the lightest and brightest of the bunch which makes it perfect for the Summer months. The top two shades are my favourites; on the left is a more intense NARS Orgasm-esque rosy-gold, and next to that is a medium rose pink with a subtle silver shimmer. Both of these are very wearable and can be applied lightly for a softer finish, or layered up for a bolder look - both have such a gorgeous glow to them!
By contrast, the bottom blush shade is a very pale, mostly matte pink that's sadly too cool-toned for my skin colour. It comes across as quite chalky at first, but once blended in properly it adds a cute hint of baby pink to the cheeks. If you're an avid collector of blush palettes or simply want some new shades for your holiday, you'll love these.
Code8 Blush Mood-Reflecting Cheek Palette in Pink Beach
Code8 - Iconoclast Eyeshadow Palette in Lustrous Corduroy* (£45, link)
With the Blush Mood-Reflecting Cheek Palette setting a good standard for the brand, I was curious to test out the Iconoclast Eyeshadow Palette, but I must admit that the cheaper looking black plastic packaging didn't feel anywhere near as luxurious as the gold metallic compact that the blush trio came in. Although perfectly functional, there was no immediate 'wow' factor for such a pricey palette. However, the product inside looked promising so let's continue by focusing on the eyeshadows themselves.
Available in three colourways, this one is named Lustrous Cordoury and it will instantly appeal to neutral lovers like myself who can't get enough of these versatile and easy to wear shades. A mix of matte and metallic/shimmer colours allow you to create everyday natural looks, as well as more dramatic smokey-eyed evening looks, plus there's a mini diagram on the back of the palette to help consumers to achieve three different finishes by showing you exactly where to place each shade.
Like the blushers above, the Iconoclast Eyeshadow Palette is also formulated with Code8's patent-pending Knead Tech which blends pre-baked pigments with Sweet Almond and Jojoba Oil, for a silky smooth texture and enhanced longevity and they certainly have these traits. Performance wise, this palette is kinda comparable to similar offerings from NARS and Urban Decay, but a few of the matte shades let it down a little as the colour payoff isn't as strong as I was hoping, though they work better when applied wet. That said, I can see myself getting a fair amount of usage out of this palette for the sheer convenience and portability factors alone.
Code8 - Eyeshadow Palette in Lustrous Corduroy
Overall Thoughts
Pros
- Innovative and promising British brand
- Inclusive colours - all skin tones catered for
- Products are vegan-friendly and free from parabens and paraffin
- Palettes are super convenient and travel-friendly
- Nice selection of colourways available
- Guidance on the back of the eyeshadow palette for extra usability & makeup beginners
- Metallic/shimmer shades for blushers and eyeshadows are highly pigmented
Cons
- Not as luxurious as other brands of a similar price point
- Eyeshadow palette packaging looks and feels a bit cheap
- Matte eyeshadow shades are a little weak and chalky in terms of colour payoff
Code8 Beauty - shop the full range online at codeeight.com
Have you come across Code8 before?
Post a Comment
Thank you for your comment! For a faster reply you can tweet me @beautywolfgirl