A strange thing about being five years post-college– something like a French minor, which seemed like so much work at the time, is SO easy to forget. Like, poof, je me souviens de rien! Or close to rien anyway. That doesn’t stymie my love of French culture and history though. I went to Paris for my honeymoon (where I bought my first red lipstick ever! La Roche-Posay Orange Laser) and gorged myself on all of the history there. The Concierge was around the corner from the flat we were staying in, which was a royal palace used as a prison during the Revolution. We walked the Place de la Concorde, where the guillotine was erected during the Revolution and the streets ran with blood. One evening we drunkenly wandered by La Place de la Bastille and bought an absurd amount of candy from a street vendor… the same place where the Storming of la Bastille, another prison, basically started up the French Revolution. Though several years ago, I love reflecting on the sites of the French Revolution that I have visited, and pining for all of the cheese and wine I had. Oh Paris!

How are a bunch of random memories about French Revolution historical landmarks relevant to makeup, you ask? Well, it’s all thanks to Andi, owner of Baroque Cosmetics, which opened up this past June. Her very first line was Viva La Revolution, a set of eight shadows celebrating the French Revolution (which means, of course, I can wear my great Paris memories right on my face). She also has not one but TWO Miyazaki inspired collections: A Heart’s a Heavy Burden (Howl’s Moving Castle) and Always With Me (Spirited Away). In addition to her shadows, she also has a line of blushes inspired by Art Nouveau artists (including a yellow one for Klimpt!!). Andi was an INCREDIBLE sweetheart and recently gifted me with a beautiful pressed quad of four of her amazing shadows, including three from the Viva La Revolution collection and one from the A Heart’s a Heavy Burden collection. She didn’t ask me to do this review (so I hope it’s ok!) but I am really impressed with the shadows and want share swatches of these colors, because guys. GUYS. They are GORGEOUS.

Come in, child, come in…

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