Product Review | E.L.F. Cosmetics Retro Paradise Eyeshadow Palette


Product Review | E.L.F. Cosmetics Retro Paradise Eyeshadow Palette ($14, Target stores and online and E.L.F. Website)

Product Details (from Target's website):  Retro paradise is at your fingertips with this vibrant, Bahamas-inspired e.l.f. 18 Piece Eyeshadow Palette. High shine metallics and ultra-pigmented mattes in bright and neutral shades allow you to create your own tropical fantasy!

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Review:  This was an accidental purchase, or so I say.  Here's the back story, just scroll down if you don't want to hear it.  I have been enjoying re-creating more challenging and creative eye looks lately and also using more color.  Me going out of the house with them is another story, but it's been pushing me to practice my eye makeup skills.  I went to Target to pick up some drugstore palettes with vibrant shades because every time I try a colorful eye look, I feel S.O.L. since most of my eyeshadows are neutral tones.  I had already planned on getting the E.L.F. 18 Wonders Eyeshadow Palette which I ended up ordering online.  I originally wanted to get the Opposites Attract Palette in store but the shades were not too vibrant or were somewhat similar to the 18 Wonders Palette.  While walking along the aisles, I spotted the entire Retro Paradise Collection and went ahead and bought this one.

Typical of most of E.L.F.'s larger palettes as of late, the packaging is pretty similar except for maybe the design or color; but it is housed in a plastic case with a clear plastic cover (this does not come with a box).  It does look cheap looking and the clear flap is the not sturdiest.  I'm pretty sure if I dropped this palette, it would split in half.  Let's just say, the packaging is not  anywhere close to a Pat McGrath palette.  But then again, we are talking affordable drugstore makeup here.   

The palette comes with 18 eyeshadow shades with mattes and metallic finishes.  The palette also has some neutral shades should you want to do a more subtle look.  The formula is nice.  The shadows are soft, creamy and easy to blend.  I love that they blend well on top of other shades.  However, the pigmentation isn't my favorite especially on some of the lighter mattes such as the shades Baja Mar and Tropicana.  I had a hard time swatching them and had to do it a few times (see swatches of the entire palette below).  The metallics are beautiful; but they are soft so they have quite a bit of kick back.  For a $14 palette,  I'm not going to complain about that.  

I re-created an eye look using this palette.  Once I post that look on my Instagram (@thelovelist1) sometime next week, I will update this blog post.  Overall, the palette is not bad.  The pigmentation on the metallics are wonderful.  The darker mattes are pretty.  The ability of the shadows to blend on top of other shades is amazing.  The inconsistency of pigmentation on some of the lighter matte shades are not my favorite.  The packaging is very cheap, if I am being honest.  But as I mentioned before, it is a drugstore palette.  If you want a great drugstore palette with a solid packaging, try the L.A. Girl Pro Artistry Eyeshadow Palette.  If you love colorful shades and do not care much about cheap packaging, you might like this palette.  If you are not into vibrant shades and flimsy plastic casings, you will not like this.  I say if you want to try this palette, go ahead and see for yourself.  It's so affordable so it won't hurt the bank as much.  I will continue to use the palette to practice re-creating various colorful looks, but other than that, this will not be something that I will use regularly.







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