After a Personal Color Analysis, the very first thing most of my clients do is this:

They buy makeup.

They stop at the drugstore on the way home, or they wait for my makeup list to show up in their inbox so they can carefully craft a shopping list.

So when Christine Scaman announced the 12 Blueprints Cosmetics, I was pretty excited. My clients are generally more enthused to shop for makeup post-PCA than anything else, especially if they've spent their lives wanting to wear it but not knowing what to buy.

I was also extremely skeptical. I'm picky about makeup. I want great colors, great pigment, great staying power, and great packaging. I had no interest in using, selling, or recommending makeup I didn't care for. I had the chance to see the makeup for myself when Rachel Nachmias and I traveled to Asheville together for drapings, and I was impressed. I went home and placed my own order.

I’d compare the 12 Blueprints quality to MAC. It’s a step above most drugstore brands, but it’s not quite high end, mostly due to packaging.

Here are my completely honest thoughts on the 12 Blueprints Cosmetics, divided by Color, Quality, Packaging, and the Bottom Line.

Color:

Surprise! The colors are top notch. There have been a couple duds, normal in the first stages of launching anything. A Light Spring lipstick was pulled because it looked like chalk on the lips, for example. Color is clearly the main draw here, and Christine hasn't disappointed. Some of these products are colors I've wanted to add to my studio kit for ages, but haven't been able to find easily, or I haven't been able to find in formulas that are cost-effective for studio use.

The blushes are a standout for me where color is concerned. Many seasons face underrepresentation in blush, and that problem is solved here. The winter blushes are particularly stunning. Bright Winter’s Enchantment is one of my favorites.

Always remember: no two women within the same season will wear their makeup exactly the same. While most seasons only have one blush available, there are multiple lipsticks listed for each season.

Quality:

I'm a blush fiend and the blush is pretty amazing. It reminds me of MAC’s classic powder blush. They're extremely pigmented, and finely-milled without being powdery. I find them easy to blend, with good color payoff.

Lipsticks come in several finishes and the quality is somewhat variable, depending upon your personal lipstick preferences. Some of the matte lipsticks can be quite dry, while others are creamy. The creme finish is lovely. My favorite is the high gloss, which gives a nice jeweled shine without looking wet or oily like a lipgloss.

A few of the autumn lipsticks have a fabulous metallic quality that can be hard to find without winding up in glitter bomb territory. I'm especially smitten with the True Autumn choice of Flame here, for example.

As for staying power, the range goes from good to awesome. I wore True Brit recently from about 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. and that's with eating, drinking, chatting, and probably biting my nails. It wasn't at full-strength that entire time, but nonetheless, I was impressed. I've had others wear off a little faster, but it just depends. In any case, they won't disappear quickly.

Lipsticks do have a slight scent, sort of a clean vanilla. I find them much more mellow than MAC, which smells too sweet and ice cream-y to me. However, I don't have any extreme scent sensitivities, so your mileage may vary.

Note that the lipsticks and glosses do contain lanolin, if you are sensitive to lanolin.

Packaging:

The packaging is quite cute, actually, black with a nautilus motif.

Lipstick comes in a semi-matte bullet which bears a striking resemblance to the standard NARS lipstick packaging. The bullets are lightweight and streamlined, also similar to the standard NARS, with a nonmagnetic closure. They look adorable when you whip one out of your purse to reapply.

Some colors are quite soft, and may be prone to breaking off at the base. Be careful not to twist the lipstick up too much before applying, or the pressure may cause the bullet to break.

Blush comes in a little plastic pot with a clear screw top. The screw top is a touch aggravating if you're used to snap containers, but it doesn't mis-thread. My main issue is that it's quite bulky, and the plastic portion of the lid sometimes falls out. The pot is similar in diameter to the Clinique Cheek Pop line, but a fair bit thicker with a slightly domed lid, and that makes storage bulkier than I'd like. I do appreciate that the top is clear, because I like to see my blush.

The Bottom Line:

I’m a fan! I’ll be stocking them in my shop, and using them personally as well as in my studio. It’s great to have a line of colors that won’t be discontinued in 6 months, which as an analyst is highly irritating, because I prefer not to recommend discontinued items to clients. However, I will continue to also use other brands personally, as well as in my studio. I'll still be out there swatching makeup.

If you're really into the whole package of luxury cosmetics, these might not be what you're looking for. They're not intended to rival Tom Ford, no one's going to resell them on eBay for $50/pop, and the packaging isn't particularly thrilling.

But if you're looking for tried-and-true seasonal colors, a nice, reliable formula, and a reasonable price point, you're in the right place. Mine have found a comfy spot in my makeup stash.