Press sample. Affil code

Juvia’s Place Afrique Collection is here!!! It has been finally released after months of teasing the packaging and the overall idea of a collection celebrating AFRICA as a continent! And as if you didn’t have enough to celebrate, Juvia’s Place also arrived to ULTA! The collection isn’t available there yet and it has mostly sold out at Juvia’s site, but I suggest you sign up for restocks as they are getting shipments and adding stock frequently.

The entire collection consists of the Afrique Palette ($20), the Afrik Liquid Lipstick ($12) and Two blushes ($8 each). The whole collection is also available as a bundle for $45 – and 10% off with our affiliate code BEAUTYCULT.

Africa is a bold continent, and as a Latina, our culture is entangled with African roots. I’m from Cartagena, Colombia. One of the ports of the new world that actually celebrated its independence this past July 20th; where slaves were brought in by Spaniards, that eventually composed what is today the very mixed population of my country.

A little bit of facts to further explain my excitement:

Colombia is largely Afro descendent. It has the third largest black population outside of Africa and the second largest in Latin America, after Brazil. The black population officially is 26% of the population, experts put it at 36-40% or 11 million.  Afro-descendants can be found in regions such as Choco, Buenaventura, Cali, Cartagena, San Andres Island, and throughout the country. (Source: Afropedea)

We have a festival in November where we celebrate our African roots and if you google “champeta” or “terapia” you will find a mixture of music that fuses African rhythms (soukous, highlife, mbquanga, juju)

Bright colors are always associated with the African culture, a continent with a rough history but that rises everyday, slashing the norm and trying to break the stigma.

I may not be African, but I am certainly celebrating when my fellow African friend Chichi (owner, Juvia’s place) has continuously succeeded with a brand that celebrates those roots.

But enough of that! Let’s get to the good stuff.

The Afrique palette ($20):

Cote D’Ivoire: a bright cobalt blue, quite pigmented and soft but buildable.

Dakar: ORANGE! true honest to goodness orange. Not neon, not red or yellow base. True to color Pantone Orange.

Niger: Kelly green

Togo: an icy foiled silver teal

Bintou: matte dark mauve burgundy

Cotonou: foiled navy blue

Aya: matte basic yellow, it needed some layering for bright true to pan color. definitely use a primer under these to allow better application of the matte formula.

Cameroon: clay sienna brown

Angelique: clean white silver

Kisi: A milky chocolate, very light colored and required some layering, meant as a blend color or as a base.

Fifi: Foiled red

Kofi: a warm gold shade that has micro sparkles in the most soft pink. The effect is quite stunning and a surprise to what I thought was a regular old gold staple. Kofi is the king of this palette.

For reference, these swatches were made over a moisturized arm, no primer or base but I do recommend some primer/base for true to color application. I didn’t have any staining on my arm which was a nice surprise.

More swatch porn, in different lighting:

Afrik Liquid lipstick ($12 OR $10.50 WITH CODE BEAUTYCULT):

A bright pink based red, it’s stunning and comfortable but the applicator could’ve been thinner in my opinion.

Reds like these should have sharper than life applicator to minimize errors and for sharp cupid bow angles. Other than that, the formula has some transfer but as I have stated before, I rather a comfortable lipstick even if it marks my cups. Its a Summer red, a look at me red, a: Im here to rock this party-red. DONT MISS OUT ON THIS RED!.

More pics.

The Blushes are two shades of coral, both can be sheered or layered.

They are $8 ($7.20 with code BEAUTYCULT).

Seraphina: A light creamy peach coral

Bella: A darker almost red bright coral.

The entire collection is out now at Juvia’s Place and you can save 10% with our affil code BEAUTYCULT. The tune of this entire collection is quintessentially summery, and even if you are afraid of color, you can start adding pops to your look with a light wash of blush. I’m not asking you to fully embrace color overnight, but I beg you give it a small chance: lower lash lining a neutral eye with the COTE D IVOIRE look (blue) will add an unexpected interesting edge without compromising. Start little… Red lips and mascara can also take you a long way.

And to Chichi, one day reading this: congrats friend, so so proud of everything you’ve accomplished and excited to celebrate your amazing continent!