Product Review: Gabrielle Faust Mineral Make Up by Overall Beauty

In a former life, I was a goth diva. This was before corporate America devoured me and spit me out as some horribly watered-down punk rocker (okay, my hair is horribly cute, but still, DAMN THE MAN!). Because of this, I jumped at the chance to sample Overall Beauty’s new line inspired by acclaimed vampire novelist Gabrielle Faust. (What? You haven’t checked out The Eternal Vigilance vampire series?? Go forth, minions!)

For the environmentally-minded amongst us: the eye shadows I sampled are vegan, mineral cosmetics. They are hypoallergenic and contain zero dyes or carmines.

Colors available: “Sanctified Snow,” “Love Lost,” “Hourglass Sand,” “Vampire’s Kiss,” “Indiscretion,” “Misanthrope”, “Karmic Knight”, and “Aftermath.”

Ease of use: I was sent a sponge tip applicator, but used my own brush one instead. Especially with mineral make-up, I think it’s easier to use the brush applicators because you can control exactly how much you put on. You can also use it as a paint-brush, wiping the excess on a cloth or your arm and applying a new color to the same applicator. The samples I was sent were difficult to open, but extremely easy to apply.

Longevity: One of my biggest concerns is always regarding longevity. Am I going to look like a bedraggled lunatic after a few hours? How often will I have to reapply? For the most part, the make-up lasted between six and eight hours. I didn’t apply it heavily (again, the whole corporate America thing), so it’s possible the make-up could last up to twelve hours with heavier application. It also doesn’t smear easily. I have a toddler who likes to give sloppy kisses, and they never resulted in the smearing of my eye shadow.

Overall impression: The colors are vibrant and work well in both a work setting and recreational setting. You’ll need to apply the make-up heavier than usual if you want it to show up in pictures, but they are long lasting (I’ve had mine for a few weeks and haven’t even put a dent in them) and don’t require constant re-application. The nifty names give them an added “cool factor.” I mean, come on, wouldn’t you love to tell your friends you were wearing “Sanctified Snow” with highlights of “Vampire’s Kiss”?

This first look is light and versatile. You can wear it to work, around the house, at the supermarket – pretty much anywhere. It’s a blend of Sanctified Snow, Hourglass Sand, Misanthrope, and Love Lost.

Below is a more dramatic look. The colors really stand out when you blend them together. Colors used were Indiscretion, Love Lost, Sanctified Snow, and Karmic Knight.

Here’s a closer view of the dramatic look. You can see the individual colors better.

The Sanctified Snow is great for lightening the top lid while a mixture of the darker colors makes the eyes “pop”. My eye lashes aren’t overly long, but the color selection makes them seem thicker.

A note about the “photo shoot” – it took four adult women and a toddler to take these pictures of my eyes. Seriously. Without Ashley, Rachel, Petey, and Dorian, you would be looking at drawings from a coloring book instead of the real deal.