Ooh, more minis! Minis are so cute. This time they're mattes. Just your standard colors, nothing exciting, but they might be a good choice for someone who wants to try mattes and doesn't want to commit to a full bottle of just one color.
Here's the set. The first bottle is supposed to be a matte topcoat, mine accidentally got swapped for regular topcoat. Smoke and Mirrors, Alabaster, Dark Romance.
Dark Romance. Matte black creme. This is a pure black, no shine, no shimmer. Well, okay, it has a little shine. Mine was more of a satiny finish than a matte. If you prefer a totally shine-free matte, you could always top it with some matte topcoat. Great coverage on this one, was opaque in one coat but I did two anyway.... Cause I'm like that.
Smoke and Mirrors. Matte foil silver. A matte foily metallic, like a matte version of... say... Zoya Trixie? This reminds me a lot of Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics Spanglemaker- a metallic silver that's neither sparkly nor shiny.
Alabaster. Pure matte white. This is bright clean white, no undertones or hints of color to it. White-Out white. Unexpectedly smooth for a matte white. This has the most matte finish out of all of them.
I wish I had a bottle of Color Club Matte Topcoat to show you, but my kit had a little mix up and I ended up with shiny instead of matte, like I mentioned above. If I do get my hands on a bottle of Color Club Matte Topcoat, I'll definitely review it. I was waiting to get *all* of the matte topcoats until I did my comparison, but there's still a few I don't have, like this and the Barielle.
The formula on these was good. I had no problems. They were smooth, didn't dry *too* fast while applying (mattes have a tendency to thicken while applying) and the end result was a matte nail that was completely smooth and dry in under 10 minutes.
I love the mini bottles, I think they're adorable. The packaging is super cute. The colors aren't really unique or exciting, but I'd call this the Entry Level Matte Kit. It's a good way for a first-time matte user to test the waters. The mini bottle of matte topcoat makes this even more versatile. For less than the price of a bottle of OPI, you can try three matte shades and a matte topcoat. Or, if you're like me, you'll just take them out and admire them cause the little bottles are just too freakin' cute.
REVO LA ia an upcoming art exhibit featuring lots of various artworks and photography by such artists as Audrey Kawasaki, Shepard Fairey, and Mr. Brainwash. What makes this event unique is that seeks to raise Funds & Awareness for 'Sekolah Dasar Balem Wamena' – a non-profit foundational school impacting the future of West Papua in Indonesia.
What is REVO? REVO is a movement rooted in the concept of LOVE. We seek to think beyond ourselves, while redefining our modern conception of necessity. REVO is an idea in motion. A way of living. A noun. A VERB. Essentially, REVO thrives on the idea that ONE person is all it takes to trigger a domino effect of positive change.
REVO is NOT a cause in and of itself. Rather, REVO exists to motivate and mobilize everyday people into taking REAL, creative steps toward relieving, restoring, and bringing HOPE to others in desperate need of compassion and grace. There are a lot of noteworthy organizations out there doing great work already. REVO simply helps these organizations to keep doing what they've been doing.
What is the goal of REVO LA? Our goal at this time is to put on an art show this Spring (2009) that will heighten awareness of West Papua, Indonesia's broken school system. The money raised by this event will help fund "Sekolah Dasar Balem Wamena" (SDBW), a model school, which has recently become a light of HOPE in the corrupt regions of West Papua.
Through REVO LA, SDBW will be able to offer these children much better learning material, as well as provide them with larger teaching grounds, so even more students can attend. Most of all, with SDBW in place, students are less likely to fall into the hands of abusive teachers (for more information on this current atrocity, be sure to read our cause page).
How does REVO help others?
The way REVO has been carried out thus far is through citywide events (i.e. art shows, fashion shows, benefit concerts, etc) with a THREE-PART PURPOSE:
* » Heighten awareness about various forms of social injustice. * » Raise funds for organizations that are already set in place. * » Provide an opportunity for communities to come together for a purpose much greater than themselves.
A little history: It all started a couple of years ago when Nina Brav found out that her friend, Kristie, was supporting an orphanage in Malawi with her own paycheck. Inspired to help her, Nina organized an art show to raise funds for them. It was at that art show that Nina was approached by two people from Tennessee and Louisiana. They wanted to know what they could do in their hometowns to help the causes that were important to them. And in that moment, the idea for REVO was born. Everyone is a revolutionary. Everyone is able to make a difference. Choose a cause that you are passionate about and start your very own revolution.
Since that first art show, REVO has spread to fifteen states and five countries. It won the MySpace Impact Awards in 2008. Over one hundred thousand dollars has been raised in two years for causes including the Grace of God Orphanage, Blood Water Mission, Invisible Children, Not For Sale Campaign, Mocha Club and Stop the Traffik.