LORAC Unzipped Cheek Palette & Alter Ego Lipstick Set Review & Swatches

Did you know that LORAC is actually the founder’s name (Carol) spelled backwards and is pronounced “La–Rock” (not Lo-Rack)? I wish every SA would know how to pronounce it correctly so that when I ask about a LORAC product, they don’t look at me silly! ;D Today I’ll be featuring the newest member of the Unzipped family called Unzipped Cheek Palette which is a palette full of many gorgeous cheek colors!

The set

The Unzipped Cheek Palette & Alter Ego Lipstick Set is currently Ulta-exclusive. It includes a cheek palette containing 4 beautiful blushes and a full-sized nude lipstick. The palette is limited-edition but the lipstick is permanent and sold separately. The price for the set is only US$30 which I think is an incredible deal considering the quality and amount of product in the palette, not to mention there are 4 color options that I think would suit many skin tones.

The Unzipped Cheek Palette

The pearlized palettes is made of a thin but sturdy cardboard box with magnetic closure. It is lightweight, travel-friendly, and includes a full-sized mirror. There is a clear plastic covering the blushes with the brand’s logo printed on it. I’m glad the shade names are printed directly on the palette and not on the cover.

There are 4 cheek colors included in the palette (all unscented). We have everything from a pale pink to bright pink to brown/bronze and we also have 2 different textures to choose from — matte (x2) and shimmery (x2). The colors are fully customizable; you can combine the shades to create new colors or mix the textures to tweak the effect on your cheeks however you please.

I am very impressed with the quality of these blushes. The powder is extremely finely-milled and blendable. The colors are intensely pigmented and may look intimidating at first but you can certainly apply them lightly for a sheer wash of color on the skin provided that you use a loose-bristled brush (such as a stippling brush) and a light hand.

The blush pans are not too big or too small and you can easily fit most of the blush brush in the pan without touching the adjacent color. However, since the powder is so soft, it tends to create quite a powder kick-up once you dip your brush in it. From my experience, powder excess falling into the next pan is very common with this palette and I find myself flipping the palette down and tapping off the excess after every use to avoid color mix-up.

• Underrated – medium rosy pink; matte
  The “medium” color. I can see this shade being the most wearable on all skin tones. It has very nice color payoff and shows up easily on my medium-toned skin. The texture is soft and super blendable albeit slightly powdery. Though with a gentle blending motions, it applies beautifully on the cheeks without looking chalky.
• Unashamed – bright, blue-base pink; matte
  This color is very bright but fear not! When applied lightly, it translates to a nice, youthful pop of pink on the cheeks that I absolutely adore. I barely have to touch the tip of my brush to get a good color payoff on my skin. It is easy to sheer out and blend to a soft finish.
• Unapologetic – medium golden bronze; shimmery
  I suppose you could use this color as a bronzer but the amount of shimmer and its golden tone might come off a little unnatural on the face. I prefer to use it as a cheek color better. I think the golden tone compliments my yellow-toned skin really well. It shows up nicely on my cheeks and similar to Unashamed, a light touch of a brush is all I need. Despite the amount of shimmer, it still applies and blends nicely to a natural finish.
• Unimaginable – pale peachy pink; shimmery
  At first I thought this shade would not show up on me at all but I was wrong. With a gentle swirl of the brush in the pan, it picks up more than enough pigment to show up a nice, peachy pink on my cheeks. The shimmer in the formula adds just the right amount of luminosity to perk up my complexion without looking glittery. It is the most wearable color for me and one that I seem to use most often.

The wear time is impressive as I did not see any major signs of fading throughout the day even when they are applied lightly. I expected Unimaginable to wear off at day’s end but it stayed on long and strong just like the rest of palette.

 Full face comparison

Alter Ego Lipstick in Girl Next Door

Girl Next Door is a creamy peachy pink nude lipstick that applies with a fully opaque coverage in one pass and leaves a flat matte finish. I am not crazy about the color as the pastel base seems to clash with my skin tone regardless of how sheer or light I apply. It looks nice in the tube but not so much on the lips (or at least on my lips). I always have to top it with a lip gloss to make the color more presentable.

Formula-wise, it is thick and looks heavy although it feels lightweight once it sets. It has a rather dry texture that tugs slightly and reveals every lip line and dry spot on the lips. It is also tricky to apply to a smooth and polished finish without a lip brush. The wear time is roughly about 2-3 hours which is decent.

A different lipstick color would have made this the ultimate set to have. Even with a dark, intense smokey eye, I think Girl Next Door would still be a difficult shade to pull of on most skin tones. The cheek palette, however, is a must-have. I am completely happy with it and could not think of a reason for anyone not to buy it especially if you can score it during a sale or with a coupon (which Ulta does so every often). The palette alone is well worth the price tag in my opinion. :)

Purchase