unleash your inner artist
Foreword
Friends to the blog (hugs!) know just how much I adore all things created by Lisa Eldridge. It is a privilege to review her products at the same as she launches them. This post is dedicated to her Eyeshadow Palettes. They were released more than a year ago, so I am fashionably late with my review. However, I do hope that you will find it helpful.
Curious? Then please keep on scrolling
About the Product
Lisa Eldridge Eyeshadow Palette (62 USD; Made in Italy) - is a collection of 6-pan eyeshadow palettes, described as buttery smooth, pigmented, and long-lasting.
Packaging: true to the Lisa Eldridge aesthetic, these palettes are purely luxurious. You get a sleek golden compact with a magnetic closure and a high-quality mirror. All palettes are customizable, so you can purchase refills (they are sold separately for 14 USD each) and create your own color stories. Each palette is 5.7 g/0.2 oz and the refill is 1g/ 0.04 oz, which is about a standard amount you would get from other brands in the same price range. This design is great for on-the-go or travels.
Formula: according to the brand, there are seven innovative shadow formulations in this range including Velvet, Metallic, Satin/Metallic, Top Coat, Luminous, Seamless Matte, and Lustre. Except for the latter and Metallic, I have tried the remaining five. You can find a complete list of all ingredients used here.
Cruelty-Free🐇
Texture, Finish: now, across the board, all finishes feel equally smooth to the touch. They are finely milled and true to color. I would say that Velvet and Seamless Matte are both relatively creamy for a shine-free, pearl-free formula. Satin/Metallic shade in my Myth Palette called Faded Amethyst is unlike any other shadow I have tried. I would describe it as a pressed form of a magnetic shadow formulation that you would usually only find in Italian-made makeup products.
Shades shown: Raw Sienna (Seamless Matte) & Mercurial (Luminous)
My favorite finish has to be Luminous. Shade Mercurial in particular is the most gorgeous sparkly duochrome that shifts from teal-green to pastel lavender. I would love to see more shades in this stunning formula as it is uber-pigmented, buttery smooth and so easy to work with.
One thing I have noticed about my palette is that some finishes are so soft, with frequent use they form a hard pan, which makes it difficult to pick up the product. Now, there are ways to go about it. For example, you can gently scrape off and repress the top layer or use soft tape to lift the hardened part.
Shade Range: when it comes to trendy or classy colors, Lisa Eldridge has got you covered. You can choose from a plethora of warm, cool, and neutral tones as well as some fun pops of color.
Swatches
Myth Palette (L-R): Violet Stone, Victorian Trim, Faded Amethyst, Mauve Decade, Illusionism, Nocturama.
Singles (L-R): Mercurial, Raw Sienna.
Swatched on bare skin, without primer. For reference, I use shade 7 in the Seamless Skin Foundation range (reviewed here). Please note that the shadows appear more vibrant in real life and may reflect differently in photos because of the ever-changing, natural lighting.
Application: you are the artist here, so brushes and fingers work just fine. With the shadows that I own, I have experienced no fall-out or product kick-up. I do use an eyeshadow primer with mine, simply because my eyelids tend to get oily and crease. Both Velvets and Seamless Mattes appear relatively sheer initially, however, they can be built up easily. It is almost impossible to go overboard or pick up too much product with this formula. Generally, I must note that the Lisa Eldridge shadows fuse beautifully. If you take your blending game seriously, you might appreciate the ease of working with these palettes.
Sparkly shades are best applied with fingertips.
For more ideas, I would recommend watching the tutorials available on the Lisa Eldridge website, as they are phenomenally helpful. I also love using these shadows together with the Seamless Glide Eye Pencils (reviewed here).
Wear: on average these last up to 7-8 hours on me, before I notice any graceful fading. Purple tones are usually tricky, as they lose their vibrancy quickly. However, the Myth Palette performs quite well in this regard. There are no patches, no fallout. Glittery shades become more wet-looking as the day goes by.
Verdict
Although I have not tried every single palette in this range, I must admit that Lisa Eldridge created something special here. First of all, I adore the idea of being able to customize a personal palette from the shadows available on the website. I like that you can buy single refills and reuse the compact. Secondly, I find that all shades presented to us are both modern and timeless. There is a color story for everyone. Thirdly, the shadows practically blend themselves and appear smooth on the lid. A great option for beginners, professionals, and beauties of a particular age. You won't have to worry about these shadows not blending well or looking chalky. My only wish is to see more glittery shades in the Luminous finish (I am somewhat of a Niffler after all). Other than that, excellent launch that gets an A rating.
More online:
lisaeldridge.com (Global)
selfridges.com (Global)
spacenk.com (Global)
Purchased product; full disclaimer here