Clinique introduced a very pretty compact for spring! The Milly Pretty in Prints Compact ($36) is characterized by the exuberant prints and colors for which fashion's Milly is known. The silver mirrored compact features a versatile eye shadow quad in rich browns and delicate pinks plus a coordinating cheek color. It's a bargain at $36!The palette comes in its own colorful Milly drawstring pouch - cute and useful for storing earrings - applicators, and a how-to card. You can see from the photo above that the design of the pouch is reflected in the compact, a nice touch.
I always love the combination of pink and chocolate. The shades flatter each other. The look you can create with these shades will make you pine for spring. It's tender and soft.
I swatched all shades using a sponge-tipped applicator, and I took my photo inside in direct sunlight. The shadows are shown above the blush. At the top is the ivory shade, almost invisible on my arm except for the shimmer. It's the perfect base to create the look on the lids, though. The other three shades are swatched in the top-down order shown in the palette photo above. I adore the shimmering bronze-brown shade. I'll be using it a lot - with our without the other shades in the palette. The rich matte brown shade is a perfect liner.
The blush is beyond gorgeous. To my eye, it's a true pink. I applied it fairly heavily on my arm so that you could see the shade. I love it!
The instruction card says to sweep the ivory shade from lash line to brow. Layer the pink shade over the lid to the crease. Contour the outer corner of the eye with the shimmering brown, and then define the upper and lower lash lines with the matte liner. You could do that, or make your own mix. I think you'll like it.
You can find the Milly Pretty in Prints Compact at Clinique counters nationwide. I purchased mine at Neiman Marcus.
Photo courtesy of Clinique