pixi Ultimate Beauty Kit Review, Photos, Ingredients

Oh, yes, October.  For many of us, that means the fall is in full-swing, but for cosmetics companies, that means the holiday season is about to start.  pixi just launched its new Ultimate Beauty Kit ($40.00, Target.com), with 32 shades of eyeshadow, 16 shades of lip gloss, and 8 shades of blush.  *swoon*  They even went ahead and mailed me one, so I decided to take some photos, in addition to the usual ingredients/application analysis:

Eyeshadow:  Wearable, light coverage, blendable

The eye shadow included in the pixi Ultimate Beauty Kit is made mostly of mica, a naturally-occurring group of silicate minerals found in different types of rock.  In cosmetics, mica has light-reflective properties.  It is also rich in magnesium stearate, a lubricant that increases the lipid content of the eye shadow, making for easy application.  The overall effect is the eye shadow in the pixi Ultimate Beauty Kit has light coverage, and makes for easy, blendable application.

The shades included in the pixi Ultimate Beauty Kit are surprisingly wearable, with only one or two “shocking” colors, a bold purple and a raspberry-esque pink.  The rest of the shades run the gamut from work to date night, which is a rare find for a large makeup kit. All of the shades:

Ingredients in pixi Eye Shadow:  Mica, Magnesium Stearate, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Dimethicone, Polybutene, Isopropyl Myristate, Bis-Diglyceryl Polyacyladipate-2, Phenoxyethanol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Propylparaben, Methylparaben. May Contain: [+/- Iron Oxides (CI 77499, CI 77492, CI 77491), Yellow 5 Lake (CI 19140), Mica&Iron Oxides (CI 77019, CI 77491), Mica&Titanium Dioxide (CI 77019, CI 77891), Mica&Titanium Dioxide&Tin Oxide (CI 77019, CI 77891), Mica&Titanium Dioxide&Iron Oxides (CI 77019, CI 77891, CI 77491)].
Lip gloss:  Sheer coverage, medium consistency, lightly flavored

pixi lip gloss is one of the few my boyfriend doesn’t mind me wearing, because it wears more like a balm than a gloss.  It’s sheer and has a medium consistency on the lips due to the high Bis-Diglyceryl Polyacyladipate content.  Bis-Diglyceryl Polyacyladipate is often included in cosmetics as an emollient with high-water binding properties.  Although the concern about petrolatum in cosmetics is largely unfounded, many companies have switched to Bis-Diglyceryl Polyacyladipate as a suitable alternative, and Bis-Diglyceryl Polyacyladipate does indeed feel and wear just like petrolatum-based lip glosses.  It’s definitely more about hydration and sheer color than shine.

Some bloggers claim Bis-Diglyceryl Polyacyladipate can be a skin irritant, but this is due to a very high concentration of one component (adipate acid) only (American Chemical Society, 1957).  In general, Bis-Diglyceryl Polyacyladipate is non-irritating, and has even been proposed as a possible substitute for lanolin and lanolin alcohols (Fachhochschule University, 2010).

Ingredients in pixi Lip Gloss:  Bis-Diglyceryl Polyacyladipate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Pentaerythrityl Tetraisostearate, Microcrystalline Wax, Cetearyl Alcohol, Ozokerite, Castor Oil (Ricinus Communis), Jojoba Oil (Buxus Chinensis), Mineral Oil/Coco Nut (Cocos Nucifera) Oil, Aloe Barbadensis Extract, Tocopheryl Acetate, Starch/Sodium Hyaluronate, Flavour, Methylparaben, Propylparaben.

Blush:  Medium consistency, wearable, blendable

The pixi blush included in the kit is reminiscent of the eye shadow, with a high concentration of mica and magnesium stearate.  However, the blush also contains hydrogenated soybean and olive oils, which make it a little thicker in consistency and richer-colored than the eye shadows.  It wears fairly well on the skin, though it doesn’t last all day.  The shades are shown below (lip glosses are on the outside):

Mica, Zinc Stearate, Dimethicone, Nylon-12, Lauroyl Lysine, Magnesium Silicate, Hydrogenated Soybean Oil, Hydrogenated Olive Oil, Hydrogenated Jojoba Oil, Vinyl Dimethicone/Methicone Silsesquioxane Crosspolymer, Tocopherol, Sea Salt (Maris Sal), Tocopheryl Acetate, Phytosterols, Rosa Canina Flower Extract, Propylene Glycol, Water, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Tribehenin, Ceramide-2, Rapeseed Sterol, Palmitoyl Oligopeptide, Lonicera Caprifolium (Honeysuckle) Flower Extract, Lonicera Japonica (Honeysuckle) Flower Extract, Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil. May Contain: [Titanium Dioxide (CI 77891), Iron Oxides (CI 77492), Iron Oxides (CI 77491), Iron Oxides (CI 77499), Red 7 Lake (CI 15850:1), Ultramarines (CI 77007), Manganese Violet (CI 77742), Carmine (CI 75470), Yellow 5 Lake (CI 19140:1)].

Bottom Line

The pixi Ultimate Beauty Kit makes a perfect color kit for those who are:

a.)  interested in soft, subtle, and naturally sophisticated make-up;

b.)  those who are interested in natural skin care and cosmetics;

c.)  those with little time to get ready in the morning (the colors are sheer and blendable);

d.)  teenagers or those just starting with cosmetics  (the colors are sheer and hard to mess up!)

For instance, I applied the boldest and sheerest shades in the two photos below.  Even the boldest shades didn’t look too out there!

Me, in the boldest shades!

Me, in the lighter shades.

So, yes, I am a fan of the pixi Ultimate Beauty Kit.  It’s a great gift, and it really is an amazing value.  I’ll be using it on mornings I’m ultra-rushed and on the go!