Zoeva Plaisir Box: Blanc Fusion, Caramel Melange, Cocoa Blend eyeshadow palettes + giveaway!!!

For this Holiday season, Zoeva has come out with the Plaisir box. What it is? A luxury gift box containing 3 eyeshadow palettes, two of which are brand new to their line. Inspired by chocolate, you can find a white, milk and dark chocolate inspired eyeshadow palette in this boxed set. Zoeva themselves call it ‘an ode to the fine art of confectionary’ and I think that is an apt way of describing these palettes. I already love me some Zoeva palettes, which is why I included a little surprise for you at the end of this blog post.

Zoeva Plaisir Box: Blanc Fusion, Caramel Melange, Cocoa Blend eyeshadow palettes

You can buy the palettes individually on the official Zoeva website. They retail for €21.80 a piece. The Plaisir Box retails for €60 a box, which pretty much means you will only get the shipping for free, which was only €3.50 in my case. Fortunately for me, I found this boxed set on Black Friday when Zoeva had 20% off their website. This means I didn’t end up paying too much: around €50 including shipping. If you consider that and Urban Decay Naked palette retails for nearly €60 nowadays, then you will understand that this was a good deal indeed.

Packaging

The palettes come wrapped in this luxurious looking box. It is almost like opening a box of bon bons. Instead of sweet goodness, the box contains the three palettes. The box feels very sturdy and will be great for either storing the palettes for the long term, or to just keep on your vanity and store other make up or beauty bits in it.

If you open the box there are 3 palettes inside: Blanc Fusion, Caramel Melange and Cocoa Blend. If you have been following this space, then you know I love Zoeva palettes. I already reviewed some before in this and this blog post. The quality is consistent and pigmentation is great. For me it was all about trying some new and unique shades.

What is so good about Zoeva palettes is how slim they are. The design is also lovely. They look great, but the cardboard packaging does leave some people wondering whether they couldn’t have come up with some sturdier packaging. The cardboard easily bends and breaks if you’re not careful, but personally I haven’t had any issues with the palettes I already own.

Doesn’t this trio look amazing all together? You can clearly see what inspired each palette. There is a palette inspired by pralines, caramel and white chocolate. Can you say yummy? Time for a closer look at each palette individually.

The Palettes

Blanc Fusion

Blanc Fusion

Blanc Fusion is the white chocolate inspired palette. Featuring 5 shimmers and 5 mattes this is the type of palette that will allow you to create the most neutral looks of the three. All 5 shimmers are in the top row, while all the mattes are at the bottom half of the palette.

The shades range from a metallic gold, a golden bronze, a highlight and light gold to some soft matte brown with both warm and cool undertones that would make the perfect gradient. The stand out shade in this palette is of course the golden yellow bang in the middle of the palette.

• Noble: looks like a white, but in fact is infused with a golden shift when it hits the light. Surprise, surprise it’s a duochrome.
• Single Origin: shimmery pale gold
• Visions of Gold: warm yellow with golden sheen
• Late Bloomer: warm toned intense metallic gold
• Sweetness Lingers: golden toned bronze, almost taupe shade
• Travel inspired: matte flesh tone shade, great for blending
• Joy in a Box: matte light brown, transition shade for the crease
• Conched: matte medium brown with a cool undertone
• Question of Taste: matte medium brown with a warm undertone
• Last Bite: matte dark brown

Caramel Melange

Caramel Melange

With 6 mattes and 4 shimmers, Caramel Melange may seem a bit tame at first, but like Blanc Fusion this palette packs a mean punch with some unique shades I haven’t seen before. The caramel inspired palette is much more warm toned and also includes some deeper tones.

This is something I like about the Zoeva palettes: they complement one another beautifully. They are versatile enough of their own accord, but if you are missing a shade you simply open up another one and you will find a shade that will blend in perfectly with the rest. It’s like owning one giant palette that just keeps on giving.

• Wax Paper: matte off white with a warm undertone
• Universal Delight: matte soft brown with a warm undertone
• Aftertaste: matte intense orange toned brown
• 182 C: shimmery golden brown
• Liquid Center: intense metallic copper toned brown
• Alchemy: matte reddish toned medium brown
• Start Soft: matte medium brown
• Finish Sensual: matte dark brown
• Almost Burnt: warm toned shimmery gold
• Edible Gem: deep dark brown with red undertone and golden glitter

Cocoa Blend

Cocoa Blend

A perfect companion to the two previous palettes is Cocoa Blend. This is an oldie but goodie in the Zoeva make up line and many people rave and have raved about this. Myself included. Cocoa Blend is definitely the darkest palette in the selection. Featuring 7 shades that include shimmer or glitter and only 3 that are matte, this palette again offers something slightly different.

• Bitter Start: matte cream
• Sweeter End: shimmery rose gold
• Warm Notes: metallic cranberry
• Subtle Blend: dark shimmery golden brown
• Beans are White: intense matte dark, almost blackened, brown
• Pure Ganache: intense metallic orange toned gold
• Substitute for Love: matte warm toned medium brown with golden glitter
• Freshly Toasted: matte warm toned dark brown
• Infusion: intense dark, almost blackened, brown with golden glitter
• Delicate Acidity: shimmery taupe with mauve undertones

Swatches

All three palettes in a row! Here you can clearly see how each palette is more intense and dark. The most neutral of the bunch is Blanc Fusion. But don’t be fooled: the golds in this palette really push it to the next level. Caramel Melange is mostly warm toned. I’m thinking Morphe 35 O dupe? Cocoa Blend offers some smokier options and each palette includes some unique finishes.

Swatches all on a row. At first glance these palettes may look a little bland. Especially Blanc Fusion: all those mattes how on earth will that make for an interesting look? When it comes to pigmentation then Caramel Melange takes the cake. Each shade looks intense and while some shades, again in that bottom room, seem a little samey samey in the swatch they definitely serve their purpose in an eye look.

Texture wise all of these shades are buttery smooth. Not a single one is coarse or stiff. They blend perfectly and with a primer they stay put all day. If your question is whether Zoeva eyeshadows are worth investing in then I would say yes. These palettes cost almost as much as a L’Oreal or Max Factor palette, but the shades in these are much more unique and easier to work with.

Make Up Looks

Blanc Fusion

Noble (brow bone)
Single Origin (inner corner)
Visions of Gold (crease)
Late Bloomer (lid)
Sweetness Lingers (lower lash line)
Travel inspired (blend shade for crease)
Conched (outer V)
Question of Taste (blend shade lower lash line)
Last Bite (eyeliner)

For my first look with Blanc Fusion I decided to incorporate as many shades as possible as is my usual mojo when trying out eyeshadow palette. I was pleasantly surprised by this palette. The yellow tones work surprisingly well on my pale skin, but I can’t wait to see what this palette will do for someone with a lot of golden tones in their skin tone. Especially Late Bloomer surprised me as it went on like liquid gold while it is a powder.

Caramel Melange

Wax Paper (brow bone)
Universal Delight (blend shade for crease)
Aftertaste (crease)
182 C (inner third lid)
Liquid Center (2/3 of lid)
Alchemy (blend shade for crease)
Start Soft (blend shade lower lash line)
Finish Sensual (outer V)
Almost Burnt (inner corner)
Edible Gem (lower lash line)

When I bought these I thought Caramel Melange would be my favorite. These orange toned warm notes really suit my eye color and always make my eyes look more brown than without it. What I like about this palette is that it is very unlike anything else I own. I also love how wearable this is. You don’t have to go for the intense copper of course, but that would be such a shame not to use, just like that intense orange toned brown.

Cocoa Blend

Unfortunately I cannot list exactly what I did for this look. I had to use my pictures from the review that went up earlier this year, because I was sick for most of last week. So I hope you don’t mind. What I do know is that I used Delicate Acidity all over the lid and Beans Are White as a smokey liner. You can view the previous review here.

WIN WIN WIN!!!

If you looked closely then you must have been wondering: but Maaike, the pictures of your Cocoa Blend palette look used? Well that’s because I already owned Cocoa Blend. I still decided to buy the boxed set despite that and thought: wouldn’t it be a great palette to put in a giveaway? 2016 saw quite some milestones for the blog in recent months: I posted my 1000th blog post, saw my blog reach 500 followers AND I am about to hit 300 subscribers on Youtube. In short, given the time of year, I thought it was time to give back.

What can you win?

• When entered in the giveaway you are eligible to win one (1) Zoeva Cocoa Blend eyeshadow palette.

The giveaway is open internationally. Please note that once the package leaves my house, I am no longer responsible for what happens to the package. I will use standard shipping in a bubble wrap envelope. If you wish to receive your prize in a different manner, then the shipping and packing costs are to be paid for by the winner. The palette will be kept in a smoke and pet free environment.

What do you do to win?

• Leave a comment on this blog post, saying you enter the giveaway. In your comment, please explain why you feel you should win this eyeshadow palette.
• Follow this blog: via e-mail, wordpress reader, or bloglovin’.

The giveaway is opened until Monday 26 December 2016 midnight CET. For extra chances you may tweet about this giveaway, share on Facebook or post on Instagram. Please include evidence of your activities with your comment on this blog post. I will be posting about the giveaway in the next two weeks on Instagram and Twitter as well, so follow me on those platforms to enhance your chances of winning (@indiequeen84) by retweeting and regramming my posts.

The winner will be picked randomly by a randomizer and notified on Tuesday 27 December 2016 via e-mail. Please make sure that your comment includes a valid e-mail address. The winner has 24 hours to respond to the e-mail. If there is no response, I will use the randomizer to pick a new winner. Any entry that does not meet all the stipulations specified above will be disqualified from entering.

I hope you enjoyed this blog post and that you enjoy this giveaway.
Break a leg to all those that enter.