Quo Cosmetics Fall 2018 Collection

Autumn is the perfect season to experiment with bold color and create seductive runway inspired looks. This year Quo’s collection features smokey shadows, matte lips and subtle pops of shimmer. They’ve also included a luxurious gold brush set that will be the envy of all your friends.

The Lunar Eye Shadow Palette ($20.00) contains soft neutrals and dark mattes to create both classic and playful looks. Blend the deeper hues for a dramatic effect and use the shimmers to brighten and highlight. The texture is silky and soft with buildable saturation and versatile coverage. I wish the colors were more vivid but the compact is travel-friendly and the large mirror is great for application. 

The Sweet Magnolia Face Palette ($18.00) has sleek packaging and comes with 2 highlighters, 1 blush and 1 bronzer. The deeper highlight is soft, lightweight and radiant for a natural glow but I’m not crazy about the bronzer. The pigmentation is faint and monotone so the color doesn't really enhance, define or sculpt. Fair complexions might have better luck with these shades.

The Face Palette doesn't work for me but the Matte Lipsticks ($14.00 ea) are to die for! Seduce is a peachy coral hue that looks amazing on all skin tones, Addict is a pink tinged burgundy that I can’t get enough of and Date Night (my favorite) is an irresistible brick red that makes your pout smolder. The texture is rich and velvety for smooth creamy glide and buildable lightweight coverage (you definitely need these in your life).

If you you’re looking for the perfect holiday gift for makeup lovers, don’t miss out on the new Brush Set ($55.00). It comes with a powder brush, blush brush, foundation brush, all over shadow brush, and concealer brush (almost everything you need for full-face application). The sophisticated gold handles, incredible craftsmanship and soft fluffy bristles are impressive but I was even more ecstatic about the stand!

The brushes stick to a magnetized bar so you can store and display them on your vanity. Standing them upright also prevents germs and makeup from transferring between brushes and keeps the bristles in their original shape so they last longer. 

This collection is available exclusively at Shoppers Drug Mart.

Quo Summer 2018 Limited-Edition Makeup Collection

I’ve had just about enough of the scorching heat-wave plaguing Toronto but new makeup always makes me feel better...well that and a pitcher of fresh Sangria loaded with fruit. This year Quo kept it simple with luminous lip gloss, rich bronzer and brilliant highlighters to enhance your summer glow.

The Lip Gloss ($10.00 ea) and the Eye Creams ($10.00) look very similar. Both have multidimensional iridescent shine but the shadows dry down into a long-wear finish while the gloss remains moist and supple to keep lips nourished and comfortable. 

The first and third tubes (from left to right) are both Eye Creams but the blue appears silver on the skin. I’m not a huge fan of liquid shadow (it has something to do with the dampness and application process) but these hold up quite well and resist creasing. The color applies like a sheer, metallic overlay so they might work best layered over regular eye shadow to accentuate and highlight. Once dry, there is no stickiness or fading so the pigment stays put all day with very little mess. I am still experimenting but I like the glamorous effect.

The second and last tubes (bright pink and snowy shimmer) are lip gloss. They apply smooth and lightweight with a unique lustrous finish that looks dazzling in sunlight. The pink was a bit of a letdown. I expected vibrancy and drama but what I got was a light wash of color suspended in a silvery base that looks kind of awkward. It works much better as a mid lip highlighter to give the illusion of plumpness. The white gloss shows up glittery blue so you really have to swatch these to know exactly what color you’re getting. I thought this hue would be too interstellar for me but it gives my lips an interesting tinge with scintillating sparkle that looks very cool!

Having a show-stopping summer glow is a must and with the new Illuminating Drops ($20.00) you can gleam from head-to-toe. The golden liquid is highly concentrated to create a natural sunkissed look or dramatic strobing. Wear it on the face and body or mix some into foundation, BB cream and primer to enhance luminosity. I love how weightless, hydrating and bleandable the pigment is. The shimmer disperses seamlessly without settling into lines or scattering and the dropper provides precise application. You might need to set the dewy finish with powder but it looks amazing on the legs and arms.

The Quo Face Palette ($20.00) is available in 2 shades – Orion for fair skin and Terra for medium to deep complexions. Usually Quo’s bronzing powders are too light for me but this one is just right for natural looking contour. The chocolatey brown has a luxurious, velvety texture for superior blending and buildable coverage. It is also deep enough to enhance your tan and create definition for a sculpted profile. The shimmery highlighter has a lovely candlelight effect and the pink blush is soft and flattering.

The brushes from Quo are always great and this limited-edition collection ($60.00) is the prettiest design yet! I’m calling it mermaid chic because of the multicolored chrome handles and pretty splashes of pink, blue, green and purple. Even though these are almost too pretty to use, I did several tests before decorating my vanity with them.

The set comes with a prismatic silver makeup bag and all the brushes you need for a full-face including: brows, blush, shadow, contour and powder. The bristles are incredibly soft and flexible so they feel great on the skin and blend all types of makeup seamlessly and efficiently.

Quo is available exclusively at Shoppers Drug Mart

Quo Cosmetics Spring 2018 Limited-Edition Makeup Collection

Many beauty brands have started launching their spring collections and I'm looking forward to floral prints, warm bronzers and bright colors. When it comes to Quo Cosmetics expect to see large palettes featuring pale pink, soft grey and subtle pops of shimmer. For the nails it’s all about glistening pearl and solid shades.

The Face Palette ($20.00) in Golden Girl includes 2 highlighters, 2 bronzers and 2 blushes. The pigments are very mild, sheer and neutral – designed to provide a warm sunkissed glow offset by a light pink flush. These aren’t colors I would normally wear. The silver highlighter is too white, the bronzer is a bit light and the pinks appear a tad chalky on my complexion. I think these hues would look more flattering and prominent on fair skin tones.

The Eye Shadow Palette ($18.00) in Royal Ore contains 3 grey tones (light, medium and charcoal) contrasted with stark white. When I first saw these colors I immediately thought – smokey eye, because there isn’t much else you can do with so much grey. The texture is quite silky and although the pigmentation is sheer, the color can be enhanced for more depth. I was hoping for more vibrancy and variety but if you don’t have basic greys in your collection these might work for you.

The Quo by Orly Limited Edition Nail Polish Collection is more interesting. Many of the pearlescent finishes have a hint of metallic color with a pretty sheen. The formula is easy to work with and once dry the iridescent effect is quite eye-catching. My favorites are Petal to the Metal (pale pink-purple) and Electrum - an elegant blue-grey. There are also 2 bold hues: Second Hand Jade and Stiletto on the run - a bright red.

Quo Cosmetics is available exclusively at Shoppers Drug Mart

Quo Cosmetics 2017 Summer Collection

While browsing Shoppers Drug Mart this summer, you may notice the pretty seasonal patterns in Quo’s new collection – inspired by sunny, tropical vibes. Like many of the brand’s previous palettes, most of these pigments are soft and feminine, offset by a few deep hues for contrast. The range also includes lip color, bronzer and brush sets.

The packaging is chic and trendy – reminiscent of wild travels to exotic destinations.

Everyone loves a good summer bronzer and this pretty compact includes a trio of shades to lightly highlight the skin. The shimmer is quite subtle – more like a dusting on top, while the bottom pigment is matte, creamy and smooth for easy blending. The effect is mild radiance rather than high-impact strobing and the illumination or brightening effect seems to come from the color itself rather than the shimmer particles. None if these shades provide a bronze look on my skin tone but they do create luminosity that looks pretty in the sunlight. The bronzer retails for $22.00.

There are 2 shadow palettes in the collection – Sunset Eyes features bronze, pink and champagne shades while Garden View contains browns, navy, pale pink and yellow. It would have been nice to see a bit more variation and vibrancy for the season, but soft hues can be quite elegant.

With these shadows you definitely need a good primer for adhesion and color enhancement since they are light, sheer and silky. Some of the powders initially apply a bit chalky but simply smoothing them out creates an even finish and I love the dusty rose color at the end. The first 2 neutral shadows are suitable for blending and highlighting while the last 3 are your statement shades – well matched but a little faint for my taste. To amp-up the color, I deepen the crease with bold pink and create a nice gradient. With a base and a few layers, it is possible to intensify the colors a bit more.

Garden View has a few deep shades (which is nice), and 2 mild hues that seem a little out of place. I don’t think I’d wear yellow or baby pink with ashy brown or navy so I’m not quite sure how I’ll use them together. The dark hues can create smokey looks and the texture is quite soft. The palettes retail for $16.00 each.

Quo makes fabulous, synthetic brushes and the Flawless Face 3-Piece Set ($40.00) includes a foundation brush, powder/bronzer brush and highlighter brush with a red cosmetics bag. The brushes are soft yet taunt enough for precise stippling buffing and blending – suitable for powder and liquid. The quality is good (with minimal shedding) and they provide a nice, even finish for everyday use or professional kits.

 Quo is available exclusively at Shoppers Drug Mart

Quo Cosmetics 2017 Limited Edition Spring Collection Review

Quo’s new spring collection features colorful marbled packaging and fresh, uplifting shades inspired by a mellow color palette.

From highlighter, blush, bronzer, shadow and lip crayons, the range includes some of the season’s softest hues contrasted with bright pops of color and warm summery tints.

The Down To Earth Face Palette contains 3 highlighters, 2 bronzers and a peachy-pink blush that is perfect for the season. With the exception of the bottom right bronzer which has a beautiful orange undertone that can also be used as blush, all the powders have subtle pigmentation. The highlighter at the top right has a beautiful luminous finish for a natural glow while the other two are sheer and pale. Although the silky texture is easy to blend, the formula lacks intensity and isn't very buildable. On fair skin these mild shades may work but I prefer richer pigment.

The Heat It Up Palette contains light pastel hues and a pink blush that transmits sheer and vibrant. The shimmery hues (top right and bottom left) provide a lovely sheen but the beige bronzer disappears on my skin tone and the lightest powders are a bit bland and chalky. It’s a shame that the color payoff isn’t better because the packaging is gorgeous! The face palettes retail for $20.00 each.

The Eye Shadow Palettes ($18.00) are a bit better in terms of pigmentation but you still need a good primer and some layering to achieve anything close to full-coverage saturation. No Pressure contains smokey plum and 3 iridescent hues that appear sheer and almost identical on the skin. Although the mint, pink and yellow tints are overshadowed by a strong silver undertone, the frosty finishes can be used to highlight the face.

Rock It includes navy, brown, peach and cream with sheer color payoff. The blue adds more depth for crease shaping and definition but you still need to pack on the pigment and maybe pair these shadows with others in your collection to enhance their effect.

The Brow Palette comes with 2 powders, 1 highlighter, eyebrow cream and a double-sided applicator. The deepest brown is a bit ashy but still rich enough to fill in sparse areas so brows appear natural and full. The sheer highlighter provides just enough coverage to help accentuate the shape of your brows and the cream helps tame unruly hairs to keep everything neat. For just $12.00 the palette is handy for travel and quite stylish!

I didn’t have great results with some of the face powders but I love the Matte Lip Crayons! The slender shape is perfect for outlining and filling in color and the creamy, lightweight texture feels soft and comfortable without drying out the lips. The bright red is stunning and the smooth, velvety texture glides across the skin effortlessly to provide vivid color that can be layered and intensified. The crayons retail for $12.00 each and twist-up for easy access (no sharpening required).

Quo Cosmetics is available exclusively at Shoppers Drug Mart

Quo 2016 Holiday Collection: True Artist Lip & Cheek Palette Review

Quo has so many gift sets to choose from it can be difficult to pick favorites. Today I’m featuring another rather large palette from the holiday collection which includes eye shadow, lip color, bronzer, highlighter and blush.

If you like neutral tones, the True Artist Palette has a lot of them! There are 24 shades ranging from taupe, gold, brown, silver and cream plus a few greys, blue and black for contrast. I also like that the outside of the palette has sticker swatches displaying all the colors.

The texture of the shadow is smooth and slightly creamy but the pigmentation varies throughout. Some of the rich browns, nude tones and bright baby blue apply medium coverage and can be enhanced while a few others are sheer with very little color. There are some flattering shimmers, rich crease contours, mild transition hues and nice highlights but you may have to layer heavier to achieve maximum intensity and I highly recommend a good primer to prolong wear.

For everyday use, the shadows provide soft day looks and you can deepen things up with the smoky shades. The top row has too many white tones for my taste and there is also a lot of beige. I would have liked more color variation and pigmentation but I am still able to create some nice effects. I wouldn’t really classify this as an “artist palette” because the formula isn’t quite there but for beginners and those who prefer simple looks it gets the job done.  

The lip glosses are my favorite thing about the palette. There are 3 nude shades and 3 berry-red tints that are quite flattering. The deeper tones are light, sheer and moisturizing with a bright pop of color and you can amp-up the pigmentation a little for more saturation. The nude hues are also quite nice with gold, clear and pink undertones that add luminous shine. The only downside to having lip gloss in a large palette is that you can’t reapply on-the-go.  

The last row consists of blush, bronzer and a highlight but overall they didn’t have the color pay-off I hoped for. The last blush applies quite light even though it looks deeper and the browns are too sheer for contouring so I use them as eye shadow.

This palette retails for $45.00 exclusively at Shoppers Drug Mart and although not every pigment is a winner, there are definitely some pretty hues. If you are looking for a multi-purpose palette from this collection I’d go with the Color Wonderland set which you can read about HERE.  

Quo 2016 Holiday Gifts: Colour Wonderland Eye, Lip & Cheek Collection Review

If you really want to impress the makeup lovers on your holiday list, surprise them with an all-inclusive, multi-purpose palette that will knock their socks off. The Color Wonderland Set is impressive! There are a whopping 52 eye shadows, 6 cream liners, 18 lip glosses, 2 blushes, 1 bronzer, a face powder, liquid eyeliner, mascara and applicators – everything you need to create a wide variety of amazing looks!

At first glance the palette looks like a simple black box but as you lift the lid, three large trays of makeup slide out one after the other revealing a wide array of pretty pigments in complexion flattering hues.

The first layer contains 26 eye shadows in neutral tones, gold, purple and pink with both shimmer and matte finishes. Usually I’m attracted to sets like this because of the amazing variety but from experience I know that quantity doesn’t always equal quality. In this case I was pleasantly surprised by the pigmentation. Overall the shadows aren’t super saturated but they do have decent color pay-off when layered over primer. Some start off sheer to medium with the ability to be intensified nicely when applied heavier and the deeper hues reach full-coverage for pretty contrast against the softer shades.

The silky, soft texture blends nicely so you can contour, define or fade them out for a beautiful gradient. Although the palette comes with old-school sponge tip applicators that loosely sit in their slots, they are actually quite effective for grabbing loads of pigment at once. The small, flimsy blush brush didn’t fare so well but I have a ton of other options in my collection and to be fair there isn’t much room for anything larger.

The blushes are very sheer and the colors didn’t work for my complexion. I would have liked at least one rich shade and a lot more pigmentation. The bronzer is way to light for any type of sculpting and actually works as very subtle highlight.

The second tray slides out from underneath the first to reveal another 26 eye shadows. The blue row (as I like to call it) contains a gorgeous navy and pretty grey tones for a fabulous smoky eye. In the adjacent row I love the cranberry, deep brown and light rose but the shades are quite neutral and there are a few that seem to repeat including a couple creams, gold, pink and shimmery grey. It would have been nice to see a bit more color variation but there are a lot of usable basics and everyday hues.

The third tray at the front of the palette slides out to display a pretty selection of lip colors. I expected these shades to be very sheer but to my surprise they are vivid and beautiful! There is a great range of deep berry, bright red, orange and nude plus a unique selection of gold, soft pink, bronzy-pink and a stunning rosy-bronze-mauve that I can’t get enough of! The finishes are not as glossy as anticipated (which is great) and most have a creamy, comfortable formula with a hint of shine. Some shades show up metallic, shimmery or satiny and most have good color pay-off from medium to full with just one or two sheers. I should also mention that most of these look much better applied and some don’t show up on the skin like they appear in the palette.

Once all the trays are open there is a sunken compartment in the middle containing 6 gel liners in grey, blue and black. The cream applies smoothly to create fluid, lines but the formula isn’t water-resistant or smudge-proof which have been ideal.

Overall I think this set makes a wonderful gift for any beauty junkie starting out with makeup or anyone who craves a large variety of pigment to experiment with. I like the eye shadow and love the lip color so I will definitely be using this to create fun looks for the season. The collection retails for $65.00 exclusively available at Shoppers Drug Mart.