Veracious Product Review: Natasha Denona Eye Shadow Palette 5 in #10

Hi, everyone! I've you've heard of Natasha Denona eye shadows, you probably know two things about them: a) they are insanely pigmented and b) they are ridiculously expensive. The brand's initial releases were incredibly beautiful shadow palettes that feature the most lovely selection of 28 shades each. Perhaps the prettiest eye shadow palettes I've seen! Problem is, these 28-palettes are $239 USD each. They actually offer a payment plan, which is another hint at their popularity and their price. Although the value of the larger palettes is actually pretty good (less than $10 per shadow, and they're top-notch), when makeup products are much more than $100, I just can't pull the trigger. As such, I thought Natasha Denona shadows would be forever beyond my grasp. That is, until I spotted the newer Eyeshadow Palette 5s at IMATS! These 5-pan palettes from the brand are $48 USD each, a price that felt much more do-able. So here we are! 

The Natasha Denona Eyeshadow Palette 5s come in white plastic packaging with a clear portion on the front that allows you to see that shadows inside. The packaging is by no means luxurious, but feels sturdy enough and is also quite sleek and compact. There are an impressive 13 palettes in the collection, including colour palettes from blues, to neutrals, to pinks. Each of the shadows in the palettes are individually named and are 2.5g each (MAC shadows are 1.3g each).

I had a terrible time choosing which palette to buy, as each and every option was beautiful with at least one truly standout shade in each. In the end, I opted for #10, a stunning mix of golds and purples. 

The shades in palette #10 are:

Satin Skin- a neutral mid-tone brown with subtle silvery shimmer

Vintage- a mid-tone cool metallic plummy neutral

Aubergine- a matte, deep eggplant purple

True Gold- a glitzy, glittery cool olive gold

Nina's Orchid- a semi-matte, vivid warm lilac

Here are swatches of the shadows on my inner arm (MAC NC15 skin tone), using fingers and no primer underneath (first in natural light, then under my artificial bathroom lighting). As you can see, they are beautifully pigmented! 

And here is a look I created during my first go-around with the palette. I focused True Gold on the lids, Nina's Orchid on the inner crease, Satin Skin on the outer crease, and Aubergine and Vintage on the outer corners of the eyes. These aren't the clearest photos, as I took them with my phone (there will be a proper Look of the Day using this palette in my next post), but hopefully they give you an idea of how the shades work so nicely together! 

So the swatches look great, but how do they wear? How is the formula? Here's a full breakdown:

Pros:

• As expected, these shadows are all beautifully pigmented. The matte shade (Aubergine) is the driest, least vivid of the bunch, but still builds up nicely
• The shadows wear true to colour all day long with barely noticeable fading over the course of a 12-hour day
• All of the shadows are incredibly blendable and smooth
• The variety of finishes in the palette allow for truly endless, multi-dimensional combinations
• The glittery shade (True Gold) is incredibly pigmented (how many times can I say pigmented in this review, seriously!?), which is rarely the case with glitter shadows
• The packaging, though basic, is sleek and functional
• Natasha Denona products are not tested on animals! 

Cons:

• I experience a great deal of fallout when applying these shadows, so I always have to do my eyes before my base when using this palette (which is not my typical order). Luckily, there is very little fallout throughout the day after initial application. 
• Some might expect more luxurious packaging given the near $50 price tag!

Fallout aside, I could not be happier with this palette! The shades are unique and vivid and all work wonderfully together. The wear time and pigmentation are top-notch and the glittery shade does not irritate my eyes whatsoever. Despite the bold hues in #10, the two left-most shades can be used to create an everyday neutral look and all you have to do is add a pop of True Gold or Nina's Orchid to transform a look into something special! So while I will probably never bite the bullet with the Eye Shadow Palette 28s, I can definitely see more Palette 5s in my future! 

If you're interested, you can check out Natasha Denona Eye Shadows on Beautylish, here! 

As I mentioned above, you can keep your eyes peeled for a Look of the Day featuring this palette on Wednesday!

Have you been tempted by Natasha Denona shadows? Are you a fan of purple and gold eye shadows? What's been your favourite eye shadow palette of late?

Have a fantastic week! xo

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