#makeup pr

A little while back, I contacted Profusion Cosmetics to let them know I really liked a brow pencil I received in one of my subs and to ask for a couple samples of other things to try. I did include my YouTube channel and was up front about being a REALLY small channel (at the time, I had less than 50 subscribers; I'm still a small channel, but now have more than twice that). I honestly expected them to completely ignore me the way another company had, or if anything, to just send one or two smaller items. Most companies want a much larger reach than I have. Even Octoly requires 1000 YouTube subscribers before you qualify for their program. So, yea, wasn't expecting much.

Instead, Profusion blew me away and put me on their PR list! Their response to my email was so encouraging too: "First of all, we love you. You have a very honest, relatable and unpretentious way about your channel and content and that is exactly what Profusion is all about. We’d love to send you some samples!"

Props to Profusion for recognizing smaller channels! I've had other fairly well known companies (I haven't even tried the high end like Urban Decay etc, so these are generally affordable companies who are lesser known than, say, Cover Girl or Maybelline) completely ignore me. And I get it. My little channel isn't going to give any of them much in the way of exposure, and companies want the biggest bang for their buck, so I really appreciate Profusion's trust.

Even better? Most of the products I received (including the one mini palette, the Flawless Luxe palette, and the Pro Contour Case that I purchased) are amazing quality, especially for the price point. Most of these items run $8-$12. The Flawless is $20 (it comes with a mirror, 48 eyeshadows, 5 eyeliner pencils, 1 dual-ended brow pencil, 3 brushes, a mascara, and a sharpener). The mini (which is not available on their site, so must be discontinued) cost me a couple dollars at most. I've been using them for awhile now, so the following reviews aren't first impressions.

Flawless Luxe Eyeshadows :: My biggest complaint about this eyeshadow book is that it's not purse travel friendly (I have a spot that needs reapplication no matter how good the shadows—it's a quirk of my eyes, not a technical issue) and the mirror is awkwardly placed. That said, there's a beautiful range of colors that make this an all in one eyeshadow palette. There are a few that don't work with my coloring, but the shadows are pigmented and blendable.

Flawless Luxe Eyeliners :: Sadly, these are a bit too hard to use on my eyes—I'd have to press too hard to get the pigmentation I'd like and they'd tug. I much prefer a softer liner like Urban Decay's 24/7. That said, the black works really well as a brow pencil and the others can be used as lip liners, though a couple of them are in colors that I don't use. A couple of these will probably end up in my Project Beauty Share box, but the colors I'm more likely to use elsewhere on my face will be kept.

Flawless Luxe Mascara :: The formula is on the thicker side, and the mascara tends to thicken more than it lengthens. It's a little clumpy, but not horribly so, and it's easily fixed without losing coverage using a second wand. It is a beautiful dark black on par with Urban Decay's Perversion. I had to use two coats to get the kind of lash coverage I like. Sadly, though, it did transfer to my under eye. It's not a bad mascara, but not my favorite either.

Flawless Brow Pencil :: This was on par with the previous brow pencil I've tried from them. Nice application. The only problem here was the colors included, and that's just a risk you take with these all in one palettes. Fortunately, one of the lip liners works well in this pencil's place.

Flawless Luxe Brushes :: These are travel sized brushes that are pretty sturdy and soft, though the bristles are a bit long. I think the length of the bristles that makes them a bit awkward to use. They pick up and apply color well.

Mixed Metals Peach Palette :: While beautiful, this was a bit of a mixed bag for me. Most of the colors perform well and pigmented, there are a few that don't work as well for me. Some just die on my skin (a color match issue), others apply on the sheer side and don't build up for me. However, the metallics are gorgeous and the misses are the minority in the palette. While it could be used to create a full look on its own (even with the misses), I tend to use it as a support pallete rather than a solo palette.

Peach Liquid Lip :: This is a really pretty rose gold color that's a bit too light for me on its own. It does work as a topper to adjust color or add shine with a touch of glitter. It does dry down a bit sticky, so it's not bad, but also not a favorite. (That said, one of my girls keeps borrowing it, so once I film the update for my channel, it'll probably go to her. lol)

Peach Matte Lip Pencil :: As with the liquid lip, this is too light for my skin. That said, it's creamy and pigmented and applies well.

Peach Eyeshadow Brush :: The Peach items came in a really nice package that included the palette, liquid lip, lip pencil, and this brush. This is a full sized brush that I like to use in my crease. It's sturdy with a rose gold ferrule, the bristles are soft and the right length. Very pleased with it.

Pearl Eyeshadow Mini :: As you can see in the photo, this mini is REALLY mini. Despite my experience with the Peach and Flawless shadows, this surprised me. I expected tis palette (being sold for a dollar store price and probably an older palette since it's not available at the Profusion site). The shades are soft and shimmery with great pigmentation, and are very blendable. I would have liked one of the pinks and one of the lighter colors to be replaced with a green and maybe a yellow, but other than the color selection, I'm really happy with it.

Contour Pro Makeup Case :: This palette is a nice mix of warm and cool tones, with one really deep shade and two highlighter (one with shimmer, one without). I tend to mix the cool, deeper contour with one of the warmer middle range colors. They are soft and pigmented, and I recommend starting light and building up to what you like as they can apply quite heavily if you don't.

Highlighter Pro Makeup Case :: I love the range of colors in this palette. They impart a beautiful, buildable glow (though I haven't tried to go outer space blinding with it; and I suspect the palette wouldn't suit a person who prefers that level of shine). A couple that I use more frequently are getting a pebbled surface, but they aren't getting hard pan and are still usable. It's become one of my most reached for highlighters.

Blush Studio Icon Collection :: This palette comes with six shades, from a light pink and peach to a bright pink to a deep purple-pink. Two of the colors are matte, the other four are shimmers. They are surprisingly pigmented, so care needs to be taken when applying to avoid clown face. This palette is as good or better than my Nyx Sweet Cheeks palette (which has 2 more colors and goes for $20) and is only $5. Highly recommend.

So domy tried these and is overall impressed. There were a few misses, but the price of these is astoundingly low for the quality. Very pleased with my purchases, despite a few misses. I wish the peach items were more suited to my skin tone, but they generally perform really well. I had this brand on my “to try” list and am happy with my experience.