New Year, New Eyeshadow Palettes
Foreword
Happy 2020! Welcome back to my beauty-obsessed corner of the Internet. We are about to ring in the new year in the coolest fashion by talking about Rihanna's latest creation: Snap Shadows. These are dainty, but mighty - curious to know more? Then please keep on scrolling.
About the Product
Fenty Beauty Snap Shadows Mix & Match Eyeshadow Palette (25 USD; Made in USA) is the brand's first launch of the decade. There are eight different palettes in this permanent collection; six pans each. When buying two palettes, you get 5 USD off.
Packaging: there are so many things I want to praise the brand for when it comes to this packaging. First things first, although palettes looks the same (pocket-sized, lightweight plastic case with high-quality mirror inside), you quickly distinguish between each and every one by looking at the number (front side) and at the colorful sticker (backside). Yes! Every shadow pan has a. name and b. corresponding/color-matching sticker. Genius little details like these make my inner neat freak jump with joy.
Another unique thing about these is that you can snap two palettes together, thus creating your very own 12-pan color story. The case is not magnetized, however, any two palettes still"click" safely together [Lego-style]; a feature so perfect for organizing/storing/travels.
Formula & Texture: I have tried all eight Snap Shadows at Sephora and from what I can tell there are at least four finishes here (matte, metallic, sequin, glitter). Not every palette has all four, but if you pair a couple together, you might be able to create a variety of textures that you are comfortable working with. I did not try any other Fenty Beauty eyeshadows in the past, but from what I can tell the brand did a nice job formulating mattes (pigmented, smooth, easy to blend) and metallics (creamy, buildable). I also love pressed glitter (only present in palettes 4 and 6), which is finely milled and when carefully applied doesn't have that much fallout (if any), reminding me of Charlotte Tilbury "disco" sparkly toppers and Urban Decay Moondust Eyeshadow.
The only finish I am not that keen on here is what I would call "sequin". You know that type of shadow that is sort of a hybrid of metallic and shimmer? I only have one pan like this in the palette 4 called Stunt Queen. This texture gets all crumbly in contact with a brush, but if you use fingertips, you will notice just how quickly a thick coat forms over it (not a massive fan, because you'll have to scrape it off eventually).
These are gluten- and cruelty-free
Application: do not judge an eyeshadow palette by hand swatches. Sometimes great swatches do not equal great palette, similarly to how okay swatches do not equal bad palette. I will be very honest by saying that some of the shadows here made me feel a bit underwhelmed when I was swatching them on my arm; however, when I was applying them to my lids with a brush - they were a dream to work with.
Some mattes can be a bit misleading, because they appear sheer-ish when swatched, but on your eyes they transform into a smooth cloud of "watercolor". You can build these up with ease too, without your eyelids turning into a chalky mess. With pressed glitter I do recommend patting it on with your fingertips over some sort of a tacky base - clear glitter glue or Urban Decay Heavy Metal Glitter Eyeliner (my personal go-to). Metallics can be taken to a whole new, borderline-foiled level when used together with something like MAC Fix+.
Please click to zoom in
As always, all of my swatches are raw and unedited (no finger-licking, priming, added saturation or other tricks here)
Colors: the brand did a wonderful job creating various color-themes, ranging from basic neutrals all the way to pastel metallics. When I was buying mine, I figured I would go for two palettes that I could get the most use out of. My choice: 3 Deep Neutrals and 4 Rose. I love the fact that I can create some basic day-time, smouldering night-time or fun party-time looks with these petite Snap Shadows.
Shades Shots Fired and Spice Trip might look a bit mweh swatched, but on the eyes they can get quite smokey and intense (especially when layered). Do not underestimate these!
Wear: I have been testing both of my palettes for about a week now and must admit that these shadows do last all day long (in my case up to 10 hours; I always prime my lids). Metallics have a tendency to fade a touch quicker, but mattes will be there for as long as you want them to. As for pressed glitter - there was no fallout, except when I accidentally rubbed my eye (which is technically my fault). Brighter shades did not fade. Overall, I am impressed.
Wearing a mix of both palettes (3 & 4) on the photo above*
Verdict
Do you own eyeshadow colors like these? Most likely. Are these budget-friendly and amazing? Yes. Do you need another eyeshadow palette? It is up to you. Do I recommend these? 100%. While I am not madly in love with every single color story (after all there are eight palettes here and I am trying to be reasonable), I am very happy with both that I showed you today. I think the shadow quality is great; I adore this modern design a lot and highly encourage you guys to play with these next time you are at Sephora. All in all, I give Snap Shadows Mix & Match Eyeshadow Palette a solid A and hope to see more of Rihanna's palettes in the future (with at least one pressed glitter shade in every palette - ah, magpie dreams!).
What do you guys think about this launch? Let's chat some more in the comments!
More online: sephora.com
Purchased products; full disclaimer here
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