A few weeks ago I got an e-mail out of nowhere saying that H&M was revamping their Beauty Department and they were re-launching with 700 products at the Toronto Eaton Centre that very week!
700 products is no freaking joke either. They’ve got all the bases covered too. There are eyeshadow palettes ($12.99 CAD), single eyeshadows in every single colour of the rainbow ($7.99 CAD), lipsticks, lip primers, liquid lipsticks, foundation, eye liners, liquid liners, concealer… The list goes on and on.
I mean just look at that colour range!
Nail polishes as far as the eye can see! Lipsticks out the wazoo!
I have a few of the products to review, so here’s a look at what I’ve been applying to my face lately.
H&M has a few nine pan palettes to choose from, although they are more in the “safe” zone for colours. (Green was the wildest shade in any of the palettes.) The palettes are priced at $12.99 CAD which is fairly amazing given that most drugstores are now selling palettes in the $20 range.
The Smoky Nudes palettes is a neutral lover’s paradise. It has your typical brown transition shades, your lighter highlight shades, a few midtone shimmery shades (although that middle shade is a total glitter bomb) and a darker colours to deepen everything up. They swatch well and so far wear well, but they can be a bit powdery at first touch, so be sure to tap off that brush!
You’ll notice right off the bat that the packaging on these products is pretty freaking sleek. Given how luxurious they look, you may be taken aback by just how light they are. Keep in mind that although they’re gorgeous to look at, the products are priced in the drugstore range, so you won’t get the added weight that comes with a high end product. (This is neither here nor there, but it’s worth mentioning because when I picked up my first product I was taken aback how light it felt!)
The Pure Radiance Powder Blusher in Apricot is a very, VERY pale peach. On my skin tone it just doesn’t show up enough. However, I did swatch some of the other blushes while at H&M and they are definitely pigmented, this just wasn’t the right shade for me as it’s too close to my own skin colour.
The True Matte Finishing Powder is very, VERY mattifying. I wouldn’t recommend it too much for dry skin, but oily folks – you’ll love this one.
As you can see, the Warm Beige True Matte Finishing Powder blends right into my skintone (good match!) and the Apricot blush almost does as well. Both look rather chalky in the swatch, but I don’t feel they applied that way on my face.
I’m running low on my MAC Prep + Prime for lips, so I wanted to give H&M‘s Lip Fixation Primer a try. This isn’t as slippy as the MAC version – it definitely has a lot more grip. AND THE SMELL IS INCREDIBLE. It’s vanilla, but even moreso than the way MAC lip products smell. Loving the primer so far!
The lipstick I have is Candy Apple. It’s a creamy, easy to apply red shade that wears well with the primer. It has some slip to it so it won’t wear as long as a matte, but I had no issues when I wore this for several hours at work. The lipstick far less scented compared to the primer – almost nothing at all really.
Very, very vibrant and exceptionally good colour payoff with very little pressure.
A bit of a random grab – this is the Colour Essence Eye Pencil in Into The Blue. I wanted to grab an eyeliner for variety, but I haven’t tried this one out yet. I can tell you that this swatched easily without tugging on my skin though. Two thumbs up for that!
Their nail polish selection is nothing to scoff at either. At first glance, they’ve got about 50-60 shades! The one pictured about is December Dawn (LOVE THE NAME) and it’s an iridescent white pearl with pink/gold reflects. Gorgeous.
And finally, the piece de resistance: a red eyeshadow. H&M‘s lineup of single shadows is immense. We’re talking every single colour of the rainbow! And it’s not like it’s an easy thing to find a red eyeshadow (a personal favourite eyeshadow colour of mine, if you’re unaware), especially at a reasonable price and NOT limited edition.
HNNNNNNNNNNNNGGGG. Just look at that! Solid, stunning, matte RED!
Using a few of the products from their recent launch, here’s what I came up with:
On this day I didn’t apply any foundation, but I have the Apricot blush on my cheeks (really not that visible against my skin).
For the eyes, I used the In The Red single shadow as my lid colour, and then built up the outer corner and crease with dark and medium browns from the Smoky Nudes palette.
Final Thoughts
The one thing I really want to point out with the H&M Beauty Department is that while there are certainly “wearable, natural, neutral” looks to be created amongst their products, there are also a ton of products in fun, exciting, colourful shades. Their single shadows impressed me and if you’re looking for a particular shade to try out, their range might be the best way to do it. The single shadows are reasonably priced at $7.99 CAD and the variety in colour is unheard of. The eyeshadow quality is also top notch as I experience little to no fading throughout the day on my eyelids.
Overall, I’m impressed that H&M launched with such an immense range of products and colours. I think there’s something for everyone in this line and what I’ve experienced of the quality so far is quite good.
Let me know if you’ve tried any of the new stuff? Or even the old stuff? How does it compare?
This post features press samples sent for consideration.
OMG THAT RED!!!!!
I KNOW RIGHT?!?!
Ohhhh, I haven’t been this excited about a makeup brand for a long time and you made me want to try everything! I’ll need to get them online because I think the nearest H&M to me is 3 hours drive away in Victoria.
Shireen L. Platt recently posted…Hold On To Your Summer Glow with Dr. Hauschka
Someone just told me their beauty stuff isn’t available online yet. 🙁 I’m going to check and see if they will be at some point though. Standby!
Just found from PR that they don’t have ecommerce (yet) in Canada. I hope they develop it soon!
Thank you for checking and dang, I’ll just have to wait. 🙁
Shireen L. Platt recently posted…Hold On To Your Summer Glow with Dr. Hauschka
THAT RED! I am super impressed they had a shade like that, the pigmentation is insane! Definitely interested in their single shadows now!
Zoë recently posted…Quo Fall 2015 Collection
I KNOW! It’s totally unexpected given that it’s relatively all drugstore prices! Best way to try out a new line I think – grab the most colourful shade and see how it plays out!
That eye look is ON POINT, HOLY! I hadn’t heard the best things about the H&M stuff elsewhere, but now I absolutely need to look into their shadows and that lip primer. Also, I need that exact nail polish. Enabled again…
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Thanks Trysh! I had never thought to mix red shadows with browns before (always used black previously), but I think it actually looks way better with the browns. Or maybe that’s just this particular red shade being incredible.
I also hadn’t heard great things about the H&M products. At first swatch, I wasn’t too impressed with the shadows in the palette but they played out totally differently on the lids. Easy to blend and decent pigmentation.
The polish is wonderful. I didn’t snag a shot because I hadn’t applied it yet when I took the photos, but I’m wearing it now and it’s gorgeous. It’s that kind of crisp, cool winter morning colour that I just loooove.
HOT DAMN! I have never ever thought about owning a red eyeshadow…. until now. Freaking GORGEOUS!
Rebekah recently posted…wet n wild mellow wine color icon blusher
Red eyeshadow is absolutely my favourite makeup thing ever. I used to think it was red eyeliner, but nope… it’s red shadow. There’s something so ridiculously unexpected about it (because no one ever wears it) and yet it actually IS flattering.
Rocking the grown-up Sonny Moore look. LOVE IT, of course!
😀 /kiss
UNF DAT RED!!! Seriously love this. You make me want to sport a red smokey eye!!!
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Go for it and then show me the pictures! I want to see what you come up with so I can try something new on myself!
Wowowo! What a fantastic collection – 700 products is definitely ambitious but it looks like they executed it well! That red eyeshadow on you though…
Stephanie recently posted…IMATS Toronto 2015 | Haul & Coverage.
700 is insane. I expected the quality to be lower because there was so many, but everything I tried was either good or great caliber, which makes me a happy camper!
i HAVE to try the shadows!!!
jenn f recently posted…Clarins’ Breakout Star for Fall*
I can’t help but think they’ll all be amazing. I mean… if they make a RED SHADOW and do it right… I kind of half faith in the entire line, you know?
Ooh, Candy Apple- my kind of red! That lip primer sounds promising too. And wow, that red shadow was made for you! Love the pigmentation 🙂
Jen recently posted…Look of the Day: A Perfect Storm
It’s rather unreal that they made such a pigmented red shadow. I wasn’t expecting it at all. Even when I swatched it in store I was like “well… I guess it looks okay….”. lol
I actually saw that red shadow in another blogger’s post and immediately thought of you!! Your FOTD with this is “da bomb” to throw in a super old reference, but it’s the one I thought of!
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Oh really? Do you remember who it was? I’d be curious to see what they put together with it!
And thank you! <3
Oh it was just a shot of the store counter on I’m not a Beauty Guru’s blog!
MizzJ recently posted…Guest Post | Danielle of Darling Magpie on her Fall favourites!
Ohh I see. I thought someone else had purchased the red and I was intrigued!
HOLY CRAP THAT RED AND I’M IN LOVE WITH IT TOO AND YOUR LOOK.
I didn’t even realise reds were hard to find (but then again, I don’t really /wear/ red, but couldn’t you use a red blush as eyeshadow too?), but damn, H&M has outdone itself. I went to check out the range a few weeks back and I really wasn’t a fan of the plastic packaging. It was really really light and I thought it was kinda fragile/cheap feeling. I do love the hexagonal blushes, though most of the blushes were disappointing for me. (The lighter shades pretty much disappeared when blended in, much like your Apricot :()
I didn’t get a chance to check out the eyeshadow pencils though–so will do that next time!
Well red just isn’t an eyeshadow colour anyone ever really wears. And same with red blush. I don’t even think I own a red blush. I may have some that are very dark pinks, but very few are RED. (Clinique’s Cola Pop is close, but it’s darker.)
I feel the same as you do about the packaging. I don’t like the lightweight feel, but I think there’s no option for a brand that has to keep their costs down for the typical H&M shopper.
True, but I actually own red blush. In both cream and powder format, surprisingly. (Sleek’s blush palette in ‘Flame’, but I guess none of the shades in there are ‘true’ reds)
Oh interesting. I’ll have to take a peak in my collection as to what may be a red blush… I think the closest I have is maybe Illamasqua’s Tweak, but it’s not… RED.
Good lord! I wonder if the shadows are parabens free.
Fluores recently posted…What EOS lipbalm did to my lips (rash/blister and super dry lips)
I’m afraid I don’t know! 🙁
Hi,
this is a bit desperate, I know, but apparently I missed the Color Essence Eye Pencil in Into the Blue — and I really, really “need” it (and the quality). Do you happen to have it still, and would you be willing to sell it? I don’t care how much (or little is left). I live in Sweden and have 100 % positive feedback on eBay and makeupalley.com (since -99). Thanks for your time and keeping my fingers crossed.
Hey there – I’m so sorry, but I no longer have this eyeliner.