Terzo look con protagonisti i nuovi ombretti della Mermaid Collection di NABLA, che ha debuttato sul mercato il 13 Luglio. Dopo il look da sirena d'acqua dolce (qui), torniamo in acque calde e tropicali con questo make up dalle linee soffici e dai colori scintillanti, ispirato ad una sirena che nuota nella barriera corallina. 

Third look featuring the new shadows from the Mermaid Collection by NABLA Cosmetics, which debuted on July 13th. After the Freshwater Mermaid eyes (here), let's go back to warm, tropical waters with this make up that features soft shapes and sparkly shades - inspired by a mermaid swimming around the Coral Reef.

Altro look da sirena tropical insomma (qui il primo), le combinazioni possibili per rappresentare questo genere di sirena sono pressoché infinite - motivo per cui non potevo certo limitarmi ad un solo look! Stavolta però ho deciso di usare la tecnica degli halo eyes, con il punto luce centrale e il resto dei colori sfumati morbidamente intorno. 

Protagonisti di questo makeup sono Sugar e Sensuelle, usati in combo sovrapposti l'uno all'altro. Presi singolarmente sono bellissimi di loro, sì, ma abbinati in questo modo tolgono veramente il fiato - se li possedete entrambi provate questa combo, non ve ne pentirete!

Ad essi ho abbinato il mitico Calypso - neanche un mese e già lo amo per la vita! - e Juno Moon, coronamento perfetto per questo look. 

So, another tropical mermaid look (here's the first one I did) - since the colour combination are endless when it comes to this type of mermaids I could not do just one look! But this time I chose to use the halo eyes technique, highlighting the center of the lid and blending all the other shades on the corners of the eyes.

The main eyeshadows in this make up are Sugar and Sensuelle, used together, one on top of the other. Mind you, they're gorgeous by themselves - but they're absolutely stunning if used together like this! Give them a try ;D

Co-starring: Calypso (obsessed with it after less than a month!) and Juno Moon, which is the icing on the cake. 

Anche stavolta, al fine di poter apprezzare (e valutare) in pieno gli ombretti, non ho usato basi colorate di sorta - solo il buon vecchio primer occhi (Too Faced Shadow Insurance Original). Sono partita dai lati della palpebra, applicando Calypso partendo rispettivamente dall'angolo interno e dall'angolo esterno, lasciando vuota la zona centrale della palpebra mobile. Lì ho applicato Sugar, usando un pennello cicciotto, e l'ho sfumato morbidamente con Calypso; sopra Sugar, ho applicato Sensuelle - aiutandomi con un pennello a setole rigide. Ho applicato un tocco di Sensuelle anche all'angolo interno (giusto un soffio quasi impercettibile), dopodiché ho ripetuto i procedimenti di cui sopra per la palpebra inferiore.

All'angolo esterno ho applicato Juno Moon, sfumandolo fino a creare una forma a V molto soffusa. Come colore di transizione ho usato Circle, mentre nell'arcata sopraccigliare ho applicato l'immancabile Antique White. 

I passaggi finali sono sempre gli stessi: eyeliner (che stavolta è appuntito anche all'angolo interno), matita nera nella rima interna, ciglia finte e mascara a go-go. 

Like I did on my previous looks, I decided not to use any kind of coloured base - in order to see and evaluate the shadows on their own. So, after applying my favourite eyeprimer (Too Faced Shadow Insurance Original), I started by applying Calypso on the corners of the lid, avoiding the central zone. There, I applied Sugar (using a thick eyeshadow brush) and I blended it gently into Calypso; I applied Sensuelle (using a stiff brush) on top of Sugar and also - very lighlty, I wanted it to be barely noticeable - on my inner corners.

Then I repeated all these steps for my lower lids.

On the outer corner I applied Juno Moon, blending it out to create a soft V shape. I used Circle as transition shade, and Antique White as brow bone colour.

Final steps, as usual: eyeliner (which is pointy on the inner corners too), black eyepencil in the waterlines, falsies and mascara.

Anche nel caso di questo look avrei fatto di tutto pur di non dovermi struccare a fine giornata - la luminosità e la bellezza di questi ombretti, tutti nello stesso look... È abbagliante *___* Io poi ho un vero e proprio debole per gli halo eyes, e visto e considerato quanto mi stiano piacendo questi nuovi ombretti non sorprende che ami tanto questo make up.

Guess what? I didn't want to wear this makeup off, at the end of the day. AGAIN. I can't help, those shades are so beautiful and shiny and sparkly... Charming to say the least *___* I'm also quite fond of halo eyes - so, all things considered, no wonder I loved so much this look! 

Occhi/Eyes

- Too Faced Shadow Insurance Original EyePrimer

- NABLA Cosmetics Eyeshadow in "Sensuelle"* (angolo interno, palpebra mobile/inner corner, center of the lid)
- NABLA Cosmetics Eyeshadow in "Calypso"* (angolo interno, palpebra mobile/inner corner, lid)
- NABLA Cosmetics Eyeshadow in "Sugar"* (palpebra mobile/lid)
- NABLA Cosmetics Eyeshadow in "Juno Moon"* (piega, angolo esterno/crease, outer corner)

- NABLA Cosmetics Eyeshadow in "Circle" (piega/crease)
- Nabla Cosmetics Eyeshadow in "Antique White" (arcata sopraccigliare/under the eyebrows)

- Jade Minerals Mineral Eyeshadow in "Black" (usato bagnato come eyeliner/used wet as eyeliner) *fuori produzione/discontinued*

- MAC Kohl Power Eye Pencil in "Feline" 

- Nabla Cosmetics "Le Film Noir" Mascara

- MAC Cosmetics False Eyelashes n° 36

Sopracciglia/Eyebrows

- MAC Eyebrows in "Strut"

Pennelli/Brushes

- 239 ~ MAC Cosmetics
- 217 ~ MAC Cosmetics
- 213 ~ MAC Cosmetics
- 224 ~ MAC Cosmetics

- Pink Detailer ~ Neve Cosmetics

- Large Fluffy Shader ~ Spectrum Collections
- Fluffy Pencil* ~ Spectrum Collections

- Tall Tapered Blender ~ Spectrum Collections

- Glossy Liner ~ Neve Cosmetics *fuori produzione/ discontinued*

- London Detail ~ Neve Cosmetics *fuori produzione/ discontinued*

Spero che questo look vi sia piaciuto!

Avete preso Sugar e/o Sensuelle? Avete provato ad usarli sovrapposti? O li preferite da soli?

I hope you enjoyed this look!
Did you buy Sugar and/or Sensuelle? Do you like to use them together, or by themselves?

*Disclaimer: i prodotti contrassegnati dall'asterisco mi sono stati inviati gratuitamente a scopo valutativo dall'azienda / Starred products are press sample, sent by respective brands for me to evaluate.

Secondo look incentrato sulla nuova Mermaid Collection di NABLA, ovviamente sempre a tema sirena (c'è davvero bisogno di spiegare perché? XD) - stavolta con una combinazione di colori diversa dalla precedente: dopo i colori brillanti ed esotici, è il turno di colori più profondi e misteriosi. 

Second look featuring the Mermaid Collection by NABLA Cosmetics, inspired of course by mermaids (I don't need to explain why, do I? XD). This time I used a completely different colour combination: my previous look featured bright, exotic shades, while I chose deeper and mysterious colour for this makeup.

Stavolta mi sono ispirata al concetto di "sirene d'acqua dolce" (sì, ci sono anche loro XD Non tutte nuotano nell'oceano o nei mari salati) che talvolta - un po' come accade coi pesci di fiume/lago/etc. - possono presentare colori meno vistosi e brillanti... Ma ugualmente particolari, specialmente sott'acqua. 

Come vi avevo anticipato nel look precedente (ispirato alle sirene tropicali e ai loro colori sgargianti, che trovate qui) il protagonista di questo look è Selfish, l'ombretto più particolare della collezione. Se Calypso risulta innovativo per la sua texture super-specchiata, Selfish è ancora un passo più avanti: fa parte dei Celestial, altrettanto specchiati che possono essere usati da soli o come top coat, quindi sovrapposti ad altri ombretti. 

Ho deciso, per questa primissima prova su strada, di usarlo puro - senza l'ausilio di basi colorate o altri ombretti sotto. Ho deciso di abbinargli Under Pressure, bellissimo satin che evoca le profondità marine, Calypso (perché è troppo bello per essere messo da parte!) e Sensuelle come punto luce. 

So, last time I made a look inspired by tropical mermaids and their lively, bright colours - but this time I was inspired by freshwater mermaids (yep, not all mermaids swim into the ocean!) who tend to have more musky colours (like some freshwater fishes)... Yet unique, especially under water.

Thus, today's main shadow is Selfish - the coolest shade from this new collection. It is part of the new Celestial texture (along with Sensuelle and Nereide), featuring a highly mirrored effect  and the possibility to be used alone or as a top coat, over other eyeshadows.

Since this was the very first test, I decided to use it pure, on its own - with no coloured bases or eyeshadows below. I also used Under Pressure, the colour of the deepest sea, Calypso (too cool to be left out!) and Sensuelle as inner corner highlighter.

Dopo aver applicato il primer occhi sono passata direttamente alla stesura di Selfish con un pennello ombretto ciccioso su tutta la palpebra mobile: anche da solo, Selfish è una vera bomba, con la sua miriade di riflessi indescrivibili. Nella piega e all'angolo esterno ho applicato e poi sfumato Under Pressure (aiutandomi con Fossil per la transizione). Ho creato una forma arrotondata morbida, che risultasse avvolgente. Ho applicato gli stessi due ombretti anche nella palpebra inferiore, dopodiché mi sono occupata dell'angolo interno. Lì ho applicato prima Calypso - spingendomi leggermente sulla palpebra mobile - a cui ho sovrapposto Sensuelle (ultimamente sono leggermente fissata coi punti luce scintillanti!). L'eyeliner è come sempre un pigmento nero minerale usato bagnato col Fix +.

Sotto l'arcata sopraccigliare ho applicato il solito Antique White, e ho completato il look con matita nera nella rima interna, ciglia finte e naturalmente mascara. 

After applying my favourite eye primer, I started right away by applying Selfish all over the lid with a thick eyeshadow brush: even alone, this shadow shows all its neverending and colourful shimmers - absolutely stunning. After that, I applied Under Pressure into the crease and on the outer corner, blending it out into a soft C shape (with the help of Fossil as transition shade). Same shades also on the lower lid - then I moved on the inner corners, where I applied Calypso first, going up on the lid a little. Over it, I applied Sensuelle (since I'm really into sparkly inner corners right now!); I traced my eyeliner using, as usual, a mineral pigment made wet with Fix +. 

Browbone colour is, as always, Antique White; I then completed the look by applying a black eyepencil on the waterlines, adding falsies and applying mascara.

Non so dirvi quanto ho amato questo look, arrivata a sera non mi volevo proprio struccare. Davvero, pensavo "magari se dormo bella ferma a faccia in su mi evito lo struccaggio" XDDD

Il tutto per via di Selfish, che è veramente indescrivibile: magnetico, ipnotico, affascinante. Non facevo altro che fissare i miei stessi occhi, muovendo la testa affinché la luce colpisse il trucco da angolazioni diverse - così facendo si notano tutte le sfaccettature di questo ombretto, dal viola al teal e viceversa. Vi suggerisco caldamente di prenderlo, in caso non l'abbiate già fatto *_*

Loved it so deeply, I didn't want to remove it at the end of the day. For real. I was like "Maybe if I stay very very still while sleeping I won't need to remove it" XDDD Mainly because of Selfish: it's magnetic, charming, hypnotic. I couldn't help but staring at my own eyes, moving the head to watch the colour switching from purple to teal and viceversa, depending on the light. I highly suggest to buy Selfish, if you haven't already! 

Occhi/Eyes

- Too Faced Shadow Insurance Original EyePrimer

- NABLA Cosmetics Eyeshadow in "Sensuelle"* (angolo interno/inner corner)
- NABLA Cosmetics Eyeshadow in "Calypso"* (palpebra mobile/lid)
- NABLA Cosmetics Eyeshadow in "Selfish"* (palpebra mobile/lid)
- NABLA Cosmetics Eyeshadow in "Under Pressure"* (piega, angolo esterno/crease, outer corner)

- NABLA Cosmetics Eyeshadow in "Fossil" (piega/crease)
- Nabla Cosmetics Eyeshadow in "Antique White" (arcata sopraccigliare/under the eyebrows)

- Jade Minerals Mineral Eyeshadow in "Black" (usato bagnato come eyeliner/used wet as eyeliner) *fuori produzione/discontinued*

- MAC Kohl Power Eye Pencil in "Feline" 

- Nabla Cosmetics "Le Film Noir" Mascara

- MAC Cosmetics False Eyelashes n° 36

Sopracciglia/Eyebrows

- MAC Eyebrows in "Strut"

Pennelli/Brushes

- 239 ~ MAC Cosmetics
- 217 ~ MAC Cosmetics
- 213 ~ MAC Cosmetics
- 224 ~ MAC Cosmetics

- Pink Detailer ~ Neve Cosmetics

- Large Fluffy Shader ~ Spectrum Collections
- Fluffy Pencil* ~ Spectrum Collections

- Tall Tapered Blender ~ Spectrum Collections

- Glossy Liner ~ Neve Cosmetics *fuori produzione/ discontinued*

- London Detail ~ Neve Cosmetics *fuori produzione/ discontinued*

Spero che questo look vi sia piaciuto!

Avete già provato/comprato Selfish? Preferite usarlo da solo o come top coat?

I hope you enjoyed this look!
Have you already bought Selfish? Do you like to use it alone or as a top coat?

*Disclaimer: i prodotti contrassegnati dall'asterisco mi sono stati inviati gratuitamente a scopo valutativo dall'azienda / Starred products are press sample, sent by respective brands for me to evaluate.

Tempo di rispolverare questa rubrica dedicata interamente ai look da sirena! E quale occasione migliore per farlo del debutto della Mermaid Collection di NABLA Cosmetics? (Qui trovate il mio post sulla collezione)

Ovviamente, non appena i nuovi ombretti sono giunti tra le mie pinne, ho subito iniziato a realizzare diversi total look (usando esclusivamente coi colori della nuova collezione) che avrete già visto se mi seguite su Instagram e che da oggi iniziano ad approdare qui sul blog.

Quello di oggi è il primissimo look che ho creato utilizzando parte della Mermaid Collection: un look da sirena esotica, tropicale, caratterizzato da colori caldi e brillanti.

It's been a while since I last posted something for The Mermaid Series, it's definitely time to get back on track! The debut of the new Mermaid Collection by NABLA Cosmetics is the right occasion for sure to start again with mermaid looks ;D
(Here's my post about the collection)

Once I got my fins on the new eyeshadows I started creating some total look right away. I used almost exclusively the newest shades - you have probably seen them already if you follow me on Instagram!

This is the very first total look I made using part of the Mermaid Collection: fit for a tropical, exotic mermaid, featuring warm and bright colours.

Confesso che è stata un'impresa scegliere l'ombretto protagonista da utilizzare (la tentazione di spalmarmeli addosso tutti insieme era tanta XD)... Alla fine ha prevalso Calypso che, con la sua nuova texture Superbright e relativo effetto specchiato, era quello che mi attirava più di tutti in assoluto. 

I co-protagonisti del trucco sono Juno Moon, che si abbina a Calypso istintivamente e che è veramente bello da usare nella piega; Cleo, che ho usato per dei dettagli dorati che non distogliessero l'attenzione da Calypso; Selfish, che in effetti si nota poco o nulla qui ma che volevo provare a tutti i costi (ma sarà protagonista del prossimo look, ve lo anticipo già). 

Come punto luce ho sperimentato il mix (vincente) Sugar + Sensuelle. Provateli assieme, è una combo sorprendente *___*

Must say, picking up the main shade for this first look was extremely difficult... I just wanted to use them all together, I couldn't just choose one XD But finally I took my decision: I chose Calypso - which, thanks to its new Superbright texture and mirrored effect, was the one that intrigued me the most.

Co-starring eyeshadows: Juno Moon, the perfect companion for Calypso (and it's also a great crease shade); Cleo, for some small gold details (I didn't want it to distract the attention from the main shadow, Calypso); Selfish, which actually is barely noticeable here - but I wanted to try it too so badly! (Don't worry though: it's the leading shade in the next make up, stay tuned!)

To highlight my inner corners I used Sugar and Sensuelle together - a winning mix, definitely. Give them a try, the result is amazing! *_*

Dopo aver applicato il solito primer occhi ho iniziato dal punto luce all'angolo interno: prima ho applicato Sugar con un pennello a setole corte e fitte, a cui poi ho sovrapposto Sensuelle usando un pennello similare. A seguire ho applicato un soffio di Cleo, restando vicina all'angolo interno; sulla palpebra mobile ho applicato Calypso, scriventissimo e brillante come nessuno. Nella zona esterna ho sovrapposto Selfish - che ha aggiunto un filo di profondità e parecchi riflessi ben visibili dal vivo ma che ahimè in foto non sono pervenuti.

Ho eseguito gli stessi passaggi nella palpebra inferiore, dopodiché mi sono occupata della piega e dell'angolo esterno. Lì ho applicato Juno Moon con pennello a penna e poi ho iniziato a sfumarlo con delicatezza, notando con piacere che colore e riflessi sono rimasti inalterati dopo tale procedura. 

Gli unici colori "fuori collezione" che ho usato sono Narciso (uno dei miei colori di transizione preferiti) e Antique White (aka il mio colore preferito per l'arcata sopraccigliare).

Ho completato il tutto con l'eyeliner (creato al solito partendo da un pigmento nero usato bagnato, ultimamente però ho abbandonato l'acqua e sono tornata al buon vecchio Fix +), matita nera sia nella rima interna inferiore che superiore (tightlining), ho applicato le ciglia finte e quindi il mascara.

After applying my usual eye primer I started by highlighting my inner corners: I applied Sugar first, using a tiny brush with short, thick bristles - then, over it, I applied Sensuelle using a similar brush. 

Then, I moved on and I applied a touch of Cleo, close to the inner corner; I used Calypso all over the lid - so pigmented and bright, love it! On the outer part of the lid I applied Selfish - which added some depth and tons of sheen (very noticeable in person but barely noticeable on picture, sadly). 

Same steps on the lower lid; then I applied Juno Moon all over the crease and outer corner using a pencil brush. I blended it gently, but the colour and sheen didn't wash out during the process - which is always a nice thing. 

I used Narciso as my transition shade and Antique White for my brow bone - both are not part of the collection, but I had to use some matte colours, so... XD

I applied my eyeliner as usual (i.e. creating the eyeliner by using a black pigment wet, not with water though - I upgraded to Fix +), then I applied a black eyepencil on both upper and lower lashline. Final steps: falsies and mascara.

Il risultato finale mi piace veramente tantissimo: a dir poco brillante, grazie a Calypso, Sensuelle e Selfish; vivace grazie al twist dorato dato da Cleo, intenso grazie a Juno Moon che è una tonalità semplicemente perfetta per la piega. Lo ammetto, arrivata a sera non volevo struccarmi ç_ç

I love of this look turned out: so bright and sparkly, thanks to Calypso, Sensuelle and Selfish; lively, thanks to the touch of gold of Cleo; deep, thanks to Juno Moon which is such a perfect crease shade. I admit I didn't want to wear it off, on bedtime ç_ç

Occhi/Eyes

- Too Faced Shadow Insurance Original EyePrimer

- NABLA Cosmetics Eyeshadows in "Sugar"* + "Sensuelle"* (angolo interno/inner corner)
- NABLA Cosmetics Eyeshadow in "Cleo"* (palpebra mobile/lid)
- NABLA Cosmetics Eyeshadow in "Calypso"* (palpebra mobile/lid)
- NABLA Cosmetics Eyeshadow in "Selfish"* (palpebra mobile/lid)
- NABLA Cosmetics Eyeshadow in "Juno Moon"* (piega, angolo esterno/crease, outer corner)

- NABLA Cosmetics Eyeshadow in "Narciso" (piega/crease)
- Nabla Cosmetics Eyeshadow in "Antique White" (arcata sopraccigliare/under the eyebrows)

- Jade Minerals Mineral Eyeshadow in "Black" (usato bagnato come eyeliner/used wet as eyeliner) *fuori produzione/discontinued*

- MAC Kohl Power Eye Pencil in "Feline" 

- Nabla Cosmetics "Le Film Noir" Mascara

- MAC Cosmetics False Eyelashes n° 36

Sopracciglia/Eyebrows

- MAC Eyebrows in "Strut"

Pennelli/Brushes

- 239 ~ MAC Cosmetics
- 217 ~ MAC Cosmetics
- 213 ~ MAC Cosmetics
- 224 ~ MAC Cosmetics

- Pink Detailer ~ Neve Cosmetics

- Large Fluffy Shader ~ Spectrum Collections
- Fluffy Pencil* ~ Spectrum Collections

- Tall Tapered Blender ~ Spectrum Collections
- Stubby Shader* ~ Spectrum Collections

- Glossy Liner ~ Neve Cosmetics *fuori produzione/ discontinued*

- Lip Liner ~ Spectrum Collections x2

Spero che questo look vi sia piaciuto!

Avete già provato i nuovi ombretti NABLA? Qual è il vostro abbinamento preferito finora?

I hope you enjoyed this look!

Have you already tried out this new shades? What's your favourite colour combination so far?

*Disclaimer: i prodotti contrassegnati dall'asterisco mi sono stati inviati gratuitamente a scopo valutativo dall'azienda / Starred products are press sample, sent by respective brands for me to evaluate.

[Cerchi il post corrispondente in italiano? Clicca qui]

{Disclaimer: this post regards first impressions about a product sent for free to me by the brand. Thanks to NABLA Cosmetics for the opportunity, anyway my evaluation system doesn't change and is always based on real usage of the product.}

On July 13th NABLA Cosmetics released their new summer collection, inspired by mermaids: the Mermaid Collection! As you can imagine, to me this was the most awaited and desired collection ever.
I had the opportunity to get part of the collection (thanks once again to NABLA for trusting me) and I bought the remaining shades - so today's post will be an almost complete overview. I left out just a product (one of the blushes) because I was pretty sure it would end up unused.
This is going to be the longest post ever, I have so much to say about this mermaid-y collection!

The Mermaid Collection includes: 9 new eyeshadows (also introducing two new textures: Superbright and Celestial), a limited edition Liberty Six with mermaid scales detailing, 2 Blossom Blush and just one Diva Crime (sadly!). 

Here's what I got: Sensuelle, Calypso, Under Pressure, Cleo, Juno Moon, Selfish eyeshadows, the Liberty Six Mermaid, one Blossom Blush in Kendra and the Diva Crime in Closer. I then went ahead and bought the three eyeshadows left (Nereide, Chemical Bond e Sugar). As I said before, I didn't purchase the blush in Coralia. 

Let's start with the most iconic piece of the collection: the Liberty Six Mermaid. Apale, grayish blue palette with a gorgeous gold mermaid-scale-alike detailing. Really pretty, no need to say that I actually bought one more, hehe. (Must say though, I wished it was a Liberty Twelve - that could contain 12 eyeshadows - but hey, this will have to do).

I remember dreaming of a palette like this one night on April, then the day after Daniele/MrDanielMakeUp showed this beauty on Snapchat. Quite scary actually XD

Let's take a look at the eyeshadows! 

Calypso: Heliotrope purple with violet/silver sheen.  (Superbright)

Calypso it's the very first eyeshadow featuring the new Superbright texture, that gives the most unique mirrored (or wet) effect. 

It's a bright colour, extremely pigmented, with this amazing mirrored/wet effect that makes him stand out like a gem stone. Must try in combination with Cleo and/or Juno Moon!

Also, I love this eyeshadow's name: a cool mythological reference to Calypso, the sea nymph. 

I can't wait for them to add new shades featuring this texture because it's breathtaking. 

Chemical Bond: Bronze base with strong silver sheen. (Bright)
Let's face it: this shade is just a variation of another NABLA's eyeshadow, Entropy (see comparisons below). It's a neutral yet bright shade - still, not something unique. 
(When I came back home from the shop I actually thought they wrongly gave me Entropy!) 
Nothing more to say, I'm really unsure about this shade - I don't see why adding this eyeshadow in this particular collection (both because of its colour and its resemblance to Entropy).
Apply Nereide on top of it to add more shine and give it a more unique touch. 

 Cleo: Gold on an ochre base. (Bright)

I really love of they describe this shade - like an "hidden treasure which continues to shine endlessly in the water". 
It reminds me of the H20 - Just Add Water mermaids, with their beautiful golden tails. And guess what? One of them is actually named Cleo ;D
It's like the gold version of Frozen: both look like liquid metals. Which, to me, it's the best when it comes to gold and silver eyeshadows. Kind of obsessed with the liquid metal effect!
Pigmented, shiny and precious. The ochre base add an antique touch to it, it's not a yellow gold. 
To me, it's a beautiful royal and sophisticated shade of gold. 

Juno Moon: Plum purple on a rust base. (Bright)
Something really new in my make up stash, I actually wanted an eyeshadow like this for quite some time *_*
The rusty base it's noticeable both when swatched and when used on the eyelids. Really and interesting shade, not the classic plum so to say.
It's best friend is Calypso, they look SO good together *_* Also, it's a lovely crease shade, a-m-a-z-i-n-g.

Nereide: Dove-gray base with tons of silver sparkles.
(Celestial) 
To me, it's more like a sea-rock shade XD

I'm quite unsure about this shade too, in terms of a mermaid themed collection. Love the name though, another mythological reference - this time to the Nereids.
It has a brownish base, with tons and tons of silver highlights - one of the most shiny shade of the collection. Quite similar to Chemical Bond.  

Selfish: Unsaturable teal with a strong purple, pink, gold duochromes. (Celestial)
This is the jewel in the crown of this collection: so beautiful and hard to describe (and catch in picture) properly.

Its base is not bright at all, but the sheen and sparkles in it are so lively and charming - a perfect match. The colour of fish scales, for real.  

Sensuelle: Soft, baby pink with base full of gold sparkles. (Celestial)
Even though they don't share the same texture, to me Sensuelle looks like the pink sibling of Water Dream. Unlike this one though, its base colour doesn't wash away. You can tell that Sensuelle is really pink!
Cute, princess-y, the name recalls of mermaids sensuality, while its gold highlights remind me of the sun rays sparkling on the sea.

Can't wait to use it, I'm dying to see how it works when used by itself - but I want to try it as top coat on lipsticks. A friend on mine used it like that and it looked stunning! *-*

Sugar: Fair, flesh pink with gold duochrome. (Satin)
This is the highlighter of this collection. Elegant and soft, looks beautiful both on the eyes and on the face.
I'm loving it, especially in combo with Sensuelle. But I'm willing to try it alone, all over the lid, to see if it can work for quick but fresh everyday looks.
This colour reminds me of seashells, this is why I honestly this it fits this mermaid themed collection. 

Under Pressure: Petrol blue with teal sheen. (Satin)
This is the colour of the deepest sea, mysterious and enchanted ♥
This was the very first shade I noticed when the collection was announced. If you've been following/reading me for a while, you already know how much I love this kind of shades. 
This is the most mermaid-y shade of the entire collection, to me. 
Trust me, I'm going to hit pan on it in less than one year - just like it happened with Babylon u.u

Kendra: Described as a "neutral mauve with a touch of pink and red" - only I can't see the mauve. At all. Which it is not a bad thing for me. It actually looks like a pretty neutral pink.
But on my skin doesn't look really pink, so I'm quite doubtful about this shade, not sure if it suits me properly.

Closer: Pinkish brown.
If it was up to me, I'd never chose this lipstick for myself. 
I know of this brownish shades work on me: the brown touch will tend to show up more than it should. This is why I never purchased Ombre Rosa - supposed to be a soft pink, yet on me looks like Balkis, a more brownish shade.(Which I've never tried on, who knows how it'll look like on me).
Unfortunately, Closer does that too. Thank you brown, I hate you too =_="
Anyway, it is creamy and comfy like the other Diva Crime lipsticks - such a shame they didn't add another shade in this collection! 

(Natural lighting, no primer, dry eyeshadows, senza primer, ad ombretti asciutti. Click to enlarge)

Let's start with a family portrait - here they are in all their beauty! But trust me, you should see them live: they look even more bright and sparkly. The Celestial shades shine in their own light, Calypso it's so unique (literally, since it's the only member of the "Superbright" category), all the remaining colours (bright/satin) are pigmented, bright and lively.

Here are Closer, the lipstick, and Kendra, the blush. As you can see, they both look more brownish/reddish than pinkish on my skin. 

Now let's take a look at the comparisons!

Sugar and Sensuelle are the palest shades of this collection. They differ in terms of texture (being Sensuelle a Celestial and Sugar "just" a Satin) and also in terms of base. Sugar is flesh pink, very discrete, while Sensuelle is baby pink but more noticeable thanks to its highlights.

Calypso looks like an hybrid between Lilac Wonder and Cattleya - not as cold as the first, nor as warm as the second. Not really cyclamen, but not violet either. 

This is why I don't consider it a dupe in any why - I have both Lilac Wonder and Cattleya, but Calypso is totally a different shade. It's the most precious of the new eyeshadows.

Obviously, its different texture makes him stand out more - two Satin vs a Superbright are not enough XD

Juno Moon and Daphne n° 2 seem to share the same rusty base - but they're actually very different: purple full of sheen the first, burgundy, violet-free the second. 

I'm quite obsessed with golds - as you can tell - so I had a lot of shades to compare to Cleo.

Glitz is quite more a darker bronze, while Citron is totally different with is touch of green. On far right I swatched a mineral eyeshadow called "24 K" I use very often - a bright, golden yellow. I love all of them, beautiful in their own way.

Cleo anyway is the more graceful, truly a royal shade.

Under Pressure is the perfect mix of Baltic and Babylon - just like Calypso does with Lilac Wonder and Cattleya. 

It's deep and intense like Baltic, ans shines like Babylon - Baltic is even darker, with more black in it, while Babylon is definitely more petrol green. 

Eternity it's a brighter and lighter shade of blue, while the mineral pigment "Pixie Tears" is not as deep and dark as the others.

I decided to do one big comparison for both Nereide and Chemical Bond since they share some similarities. First of all, as you can see Chemical Bond and Entropy look very very similar - basically the main difference is just the silver sheen if the first one. 

Dream it's more silver of them all, with a similar base (just lighter) of Nereide - which also looks like Chemical Bond's base. Quite a tangle, uh?

The only thing that makes the difference about Nereide it's its texture, basically.

Family portrait of the Celestial shades all together, plus Water Dream - which, to me, was kind of an experiment for the future Celestial texture. It's filled of reflective peals too, but it tend to be almost transparent once applied on the eyelid - thus it's commonly used as a top coat. Also, it's the only one shadow that contains dimethicone (silicone) - which is a missing ingredient in the Celestial's formula.

Trivia: I noticed the Celestial's pans are slightly taller than the "usual" pans.

~ Considerations about the collection ~

(plus some tail pictures u.u)

I've been asked so many times now what I think about this collection.
"Since you're a mermaid, what are your thoughts about it? Do you think it's spot-on?"

My answer is: yes, but only partially.
And I'm going to tell you why.

Let's start with this assumption: I've always dreamed of a mermaid inspired collection by NABLA. That being said, you can imagine the galactic hype I experienced during these last months, plus the huge expectation I had.

First of all, I think the central idea of this collection sometimes gets lost.
Usually you'd be able to "feel" the theme in the whole collection pieces but... This don't really happens with this collection.
Example: the Artica collection had a certain leitmotif, a particular atmosphere you could easy sense in every shade - each eyeshadow was still perfectly evocative if took apart from the other.

But I have a different feeling with this collection. Some of the shades suits perfectly the mermaid/ocean theme, some more or less... Others don't though. Nereide, Chemical Bond, Juno Moon don't feel really in the right place to me - and that's why I feel like the central idea gets lost.

I'm also disappointed because of the lack of some essential, must-have mermaid colours.
I mean, no aqua green? Seriously? 
I know, this collection is meant to be inspired by modern mermaids but this is not enough to justify the lack of proper mermaid shades, quite a serious issue to me. Aqua green is one of the most iconic mermaid colour, and because of this it's NEVER common. What about an aqua green in the newest Superbright texture? It would be so cool. Or, in the new Celestial texture, a light aqua filled with reflective pearls and highlights. Basically endless options.

Other mermaid shades that needed to be part of the collection: a bright, light blue - like Caribbean Sea waters - or a bright, intense blue (like Freshwater by MAC) - both evocative and definitely not common. And I mean not common, those kind of shades might be hard to find.
This collection was the perfect occasion to introduce totally new, original shades, instead of variations of already-existing shadows - like Chemical Bond and Nereide, both similar to each other but also similar to Dreamer and Entropy. Same thing about Sugar and Sensuelle, both light, pink shades.
I think they skipped those mermaid-y shades to avoid banality, trying to be original - but not realizing those colours were hugely spot-on and really awaited.

Regarding the blushes and lipsticks, I'm quite disappointed for the lack of corals and bright reds (like a starfish!). (Also, because of the just-one-lipstick thing. Why just one new Diva Crime, why?? ç_ç)
Missed opportunity for new original shades, part 2.

This is why I think this collection is just partially spot-on. This is why I can't full say "Mermaid Approved". As a mermaid, I feel like my world has not been portrayed completely.

A little side-note regarding the lack of matte shades (yeah, so many lacks in this collection):
I know it might sound weird, since I'm an huge fan of sparkly shadows, but... I must admit I was sorry. Not disappointed, simply sorry. During the past year I started appreciating matte eyeshadows, especially when it comes to blending. I was ready to purchase any new Soft Matte NABLA would introduce.

But you know what? The lack of matte shades makes sense.
This collection is all about mermaids. Shimmery tails. Sparkly reflections both on the surface and underwater.
Must say, with a theme like this... Matte colours would actually look misplaced. So, that being said, I'm totally okay with this.

That's all for now! Congrats to all who manage to read this never-ending post - but everybody knows I get excited when it comes to mermaid related stuff! *_*

I really, really hope this post might be useful! If you have any questions, leave them below in the comment section!

The Mermaid Collection is currently on sale with a launch promo on NABLA's website (10% off on the entire collection and shipping for 1,90 € if you spend more than 19 €) for all European countries 'till July 22nd!

Did you buy something from this new collection?
If so, what did you purchase?
Let me know what's your favourite shadow (and your least favourite, too)!