We tried Tanya Hennessy’s sold out Models Prefer collection to see if the hype was real

If you asked me what my perfect world looked like, carbs, cosmetics and comedy would all definitely get a start on my list of must-haves. So imagine my glee when YouTube funny girl, hysterical comedian, and everyone’s imaginary best friend, Tanya Hennessy, announced she was launching her very own makeup collab with Priceline powerhouse Models Prefer, entitled, and I kid you not, The Carb Collection (phenomenal).

So when we were lucky enough to get our hands on the range (it actually sold out online the very day it launched), we knew we had to test every one of the products to see if they were worth the hype. Well, spoiler alert: they are. Get ready for a rave. And sleep with one eye on the Priceline site, (or head in store, where you can still nab it) because it could be restocked any day now.
 

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The Palette

It was no surprise to me that the palette packaging (a slimline peach situation) and its name (How Good Is Bread!?) delighted me, because it’s as fun and cheeky as you’d expect of any brainchild of Tanya’s. What did surprise me, though, was just how much I loved the shades inside.

It’s a true desert-island style neutrals-but-not-boring-neutrals edit: there’s four no-nonsense mattes (a cream, a latte, a mahogany and a cocoa), three silky-smooth shimmers (in glimmering shades of bronze, chrome and copper), and one glittery cool-toned gold that is so packed with sparkle that you feel inclined to submit an application for Ru Paul’s Drag Race with a single swipe – and I say a single swipe because all eight shades are packed with pigment. Not bad for $25, eh?

The shade names are the real kickers, though. With hilarious (and eerily relatable) shade names like Cardio Is Hardio (truth), Unsupportive Bra (been there) and Cake For Dinner (no comment), every colour is a chuckle waiting to happen. But because Tanya likes to keep us on our toes, she named the last shade in the palette ‘Brown’. No prizes for guessing what colour that one is….

The only downside is that you can’t look at the thing without immediately craving carbs, because every shade’s pan is the shape of a slice of bread – and TBH I don’t really see umpteen trips to the bakery as a downside. 11/10, onto the next.

Tanya Hennessy for ModelsPrefer How Good Is Bread!? Eyeshadow Palette ($25, priceline.com.au)

The Mascara

Let’s talk lashes. In a surprise twist that will shock absolutely no one, it’s also hilariously named: yep it’s legitimately called the ‘I Can’t Apply False Lashes So This Is It…’ Waterproof Mascara.

Well, the good news is, there’s no need for fiddly falsies after a coat or three of this – it’s super pigmented, a true eye-defining black, and I’ve been wearing it all arvo without any signs of those evil under-eye mascara smudges, so the waterproof claim checks out; the stuff doesn’t budge.

The wand is pretty thick, so there’s a bit of twisting and turning to get to every last lash, but the tapered style does help to add extra volume to the outer corners. Full marks for the shade name on this one too, because ‘Midnight Snack’ is far superior to a basic ‘black’ moniker. Gold.

Tanya Hennessy for ModelsPrefer I Can’t Apply False Lashes So This Is It… Waterproof Mascara ($16, Priceline.com.au)

The Brushes

The plastic case the brushes are housed in is completely covered with a sprinkle pattern and the zipper is even in the shape of a teeny piece of fairy bread, so prepare for the cravings to kick in. No joke, the bh team spent the arvo following the launch making plates of the stuff – legitimately, I’m still finding sprinkles on my desk.

As for the brushes inside, they are (surprise, surprise) fairy bread themed too: the bristles are pink, the ferrules (the part the bristles burst out of) are rose gold, and the handles are filled with plastic sprinkles so convincing you want to break the brushes open in a bid to combat your sugar craving (don’t, because, again: they’re plastic).

The case contains four brushes: two for eyes and two for face. There’s a flat and fluffy option in the eye department (so your smoky eye just became easier, or for the eyeshadow novices like me, actually doable) and the face-friendly duo have your bronzer and blush needs covered. They all feel like fluffy butter on your face and their blending powers are real.

Okay, that’s a wrap, I’m off to re-purchase all the ingredients for fairy bread…

Tanya Hennessy for ModelsPrefer I Don’t Know How To Use Any Of This Essential Brush Set ($40, priceline.com.au)

Main image credit: Models Prefer/Priceline

Which product from the range looks like your fave?