Veracious Product Review: Kryolan Variety V3 Neutral Eye Shadow Compact

Hi, everyone! Happy Friday! Hope you all have a fantastic few days in store. What better way to ring in the weekend than with a stunner of an eye shadow palette?! When I attended IMATS last Fall, I was eager to discover products from established makeup artist brands that are not easily accessible through other retail channels. Kryolan had been on my radar for ages and their booth at IMATS was really a sight to see! Packed with countless vibrant grease paints and special effects gear, my attention was surprisingly drawn to one of the most subdued, unassuming products among the bunch. Go figure! Despite the neutral appearance, the Kryolan Variety Eye Shadow Compact in V3 Natural was undoubtedly something special. Since my shadow stash was hugely lacking in matte shades, I knew this palette would fill a key gap in my collection. 

Before delving into the review, a few tidbits about Kryolan. The brand was founded back in 1945 following the end of World War II and was greatly inspired by the art and glamorous aesthetic of 1920s Berlin. The creator of the brand was a chemist who sought to blend the needs of theatre performers with the most cutting edge cosmetic science. Kryolan has been completely family run since its inception and continues to focus on creating products for professionals, focusing on unique colours for the stage and screen As per their website (www.kryolan.com), their motto is "Makeup as a Science" which works to highlight their intended melding of beauty and technology. All very interesting! 

Now onto the product at hand! The Kryolan Variety Eye Shadow Compacts come in three colour families, each consisting of 18 unique shades. They are housed in silver lightweight metal cases with the Kryolan logo on front an a full list of shade names on the back. They also include a small natural-haired eye shadow brush and a generously-sized mirror. 

The shadows in the palettes are designed to offer a creamy, soft powder formula that can be applied dry only. They feature "micronized" pigments allows for a sheer, but buildable application and long-wear.

The V3 Natural palette offers 18 shades with a comprehensive mix of warm, neutral, and cooler tones. The top two rows offer a variety of warmer and neutral colours, including hues of white, buttery yellow, beige, peach, butterscotch, chocolate, and rust. The bottom row is decidedly cool, including hues of grey, taupe, navy and black. All of the shades are fully matte, with no hints of sheen or shimmer. 

Here's a closer look at the shades:

I attempted to swatch the shadows, but because so many of the shades are pale and neutral (and because the formula is semi-sheer), they weren't translating well enough to truly demonstrate the colours. Instead, I thought I'd show off the shades via a couple of makeup looks I created with the palette!

Here is an eye look using several of the warmer shades from the top two rows of the palette. I love the way they blend together for a truly sculpted, tonal look!

And here is an eye look I created using the cooler tones from the bottom row from the palette. I popped just a touch of a warmer beige hue above the crease for a touch of contrast: 

Now that you've seen some of the shades in action, here's a full breakdown of the ins and outs of this palette: 

Pros:

• The shadows are soft and quite easily blendable
• Each shade is a slight variation of the former, which makes it easy to create a subtle gradient in your eye look
• A perfect mix of warm, neutral, and cool tones- this should really work for all eye colours!
• The formula is quite versatile- you can wear the shades very sheerly or built up for a bolder look
• A versatile palette overall- this can be used to create anything from an ultra nude to a full-on smokey look
• These shadows really wear true all day!
• Compact, sturdy palette with giant mirror is perfect for travelling

Cons:

• These shadows are not "buttery" and instantly pigmented- you do have to add layers to get a bolder look
• At $63.50 USD, these palettes are not budget, though I'd say that they're still a good value, given that you get 18 shades!

Overall, I am so glad I snagged this palette at IMATS! I did get it at a special show price as well, which was a nice bonus! While I don't reach for this daily, or sometimes even weekly, it's only because I'm a shimmery shadow girl at heart. That said, if I'm feeling matte vibes, this is the only palette I'll grab! The shadows blend perfectly, can be worn sheer or built up for more intensity, and the comprehensive shade variations allow for a subtle transitions for a flawless look. Given how nice this palette is, I'm definitely interested in trying more from Kryolan, including the bolder-hued Variety Eye Shadow Compacts! 

Have you tried anything from Kryolan? What are your favourite matte eye shadow palettes?

Thanks for reading! :)