affirmations and makeup (ashley strong x morphe affirmation magic)

January is a time of renewal but also of transition. It can be difficult to shift from that go-go-go holiday mindset back to the pace of everyday life. Thankfully, there are ways to address the transition. For some, that means writing out a list of New Year's Resolutions. For others, that means making plans with friends and family members. For me? It involves lots and lots of positive affirmations. After all, what better way to start off a new year than with a healthy dose of positivity? So far this month, it has been a little difficult for me to get back into the groove. My focus is off and I am still dreaming of the magical holiday moments from December. But there are affirmations to help welcome in the positive and focus my mind on all the good things that life has to offer. What does this have to do with makeup? I have been reaching for the Ashley Strong x Morphe Affirmation Magic Artistry Palette a lot lately. In fact, when I found this affirmations inspired eyeshadow palette, it was intentionally set aside so I could lean on it once January rolled around. I wanted to make sure that I started the new year on the right foot. 

For those that are not aware, Ashley Strong was the winner of the YouTube series, Instant Influencer. I remember being really happy that she won...but she has not posted to her YouTube channel in a year or so. I suppose a lot of beauty creators have shifted to TikTok and other short-form mediums, but for me, YouTube is where I like to watch makeup-related material. There are just certain things that cannot be condensed into a one or two minute video. (I'm aware that this makes me sound outdated, but that's okay. I suppose that I am!) At any rate, when I saw that Ashley Strong palette for sale at Winners, it was a no brainer. I wanted to see what her collaboration with Morphe was like, even before I realized that there were affirmations inside. The Affirmation Magic Artistry Palette opens in the center to reveal eighteen different eyeshadow shades. On each side, there were little hand written notes from Ashley herself. On one side it said: Slow down. Stop right there. Breathe in hold for five seconds, and breathe out. There, isn't that better? Hi beautiful, welcome to your day. Do me a favor! Say each shade name out loud as you use them or find a shade name you need to hear out loud and use it. Let this self empowerment inspire you. Remember that the secret to your happiness is inside of you. Have fun!" On the other side of the palette is said: Let go. Let the love you gave yourself today fill you up for all of the days passed. Breathe in, hold for five seconds, and breathe out. There, feels good, right? You're ready now, like I knew you would be. Own it! Whatever it is. What a fabulous way to start the day.

In addition to the kind words written on either side of the eyeshadow palette, this Ashley Strong x Morphe collaboration also includes very cleverly named eyeshadow shades. As you can see from the image above, some of the names include: I Am Calm, I Am Focused, I am Powerful, I am Loved, and I Am Thankful, to name a few. These are definitely a mood booster. Some days, I like to follow the advice shared by Ashley and use the eyeshadows with the affirmation that I need most. Other times, I read them all aloud and choose the eyeshadow shades that I feel like using. In terms of the colour story, this palette has a lot of warm colours and rich colours. There are lots of greens, purples, browns, and blues. It is an interesting selection of colours and there are many colours that are new to my makeup collection. I like that there is a good variety here and it is possible to create a lot of different looks. I also like that there are some shimmery and glittery shades. That being said, the glitters are a little chunky and don't have that much pigmentation. The shimmers are really creamy and beautiful to work with. There is a gorgeous holographic shade (I Am Creative) that wows. And the matte shades are shockingly beautiful and smooth. All in all, this is a really stellar eyeshadow palette. I just wish that the glitter formula was a little bit better and easier to work with. 

To create the look, shown above, some I Am Happy and I Am Brave was applied through the crease. Then I Am Loved was worn all over the lid with I Am Creative (that incredible holographic shadows) applied on top. A bit of I Am Thankful was added to the outer corner for some depth. Along the lower lash line was I Am Unstoppable and some more I Am Creative. It was a dramatic but fabulous makeup look. I was really happy with the way this particular look turned out, mostly because of that I Am Creative eyeshadow shade. It looks beautiful in pictures but even more dynamic in person. That is definitely the star of the Ashley Strong x Morphe Affirmation Magic Artistry Palette. All in all, it is a unique and beautiful eyeshadow palette. I love the interesting colour story, the variety of finishes, and the way this palette manages to combine both inner and outer beauty. 

Have you tried the Ashley Strong x Morphe Affirmation Magic Artistry Palette? How are you starting off the new year?