Part of it has to do KVD's track record - I have yet to try anything from this brand that isn't good, if not great. Maybe not my particular taste, but I can't fault anything for lack of quality. (I'm sure there have been clunkers - no brand is free of them - but in terms of my experience, it's been really solid.)
The other part....well, I'll admit it, I fell in love with the design. I mean, just look at this external packaging. Isn't it beautiful?
Thankfully, the actual palette has the same design repeated. It is a paper-and-cardboard type of palette, so not as sturdy as the rubberized plastic casing of the usual palettes. Ultimately it doesn't matter to me too much because....pretty! *pets palette*
It also comes with a little guide on the back that lists all the shade names, with an asterisk next to the ones that are band new. The others have appeared in other palettes. (If you're avid collector, this might be something to consider, as 11 out of 24 shades are repeats.)
They also suggest a particular application technique that is reminiscent of the Le Métier de Beauté "couches de couleur". Not just pairing the two shades that are placed together, but actually layering them one over the other for different effects.
I will do a separate post showing the layered effects. it was too much to add to this one!
The inner top flap also has some suggested applications for different looks, which is a nice use of usually blank space, and more practical than the loose cards that are sometimes included in bigger palettes - and which inevitably get lost.
The palette itself is protected by a clear plastic sheet that also lists the names of each shade, as it rests over them. It's nice for keeping the interior surfaces clean. I was actually a little surprised that a palette of this size didn't come with a mirror, but since it's not likely one that I would use outside of a location that would have a mirror available (home or hotel room), it's a negligible point.
The top left quadrant contains the following:
Dark Throne (new) - satin-finish charcoal black that mostly reads as matte when applies. Soft but dense texture and great pigmentation. Blends, builds and diffuses well, no fallout on application, but can drop down a bit if not worn with a primer.
Precious (repeat) - champagne-pink with a strong shimmer. Soft, creamy texture, and good pigmentation. Blends beautifully, builds up to a point.
Sunset Blvd (repeat) - yellow gold, a mix of shimmer and very fine microglitter (which doesn't really read in the swatch). Generally soft, creamy texture, though you can feel the microglitter. Okay pigmentation when swatched, but did not adhere as well when applied, and had fallout. Does best when layered over another shadow, or cream product.
8 Bit (new) - muted teal shimmer with subtle golden iridescence. Soft, creamy texture. Great pigmentation, easy to blend.
Holy Bible (repeat) - light silver shimmer. Soft texture, very slightly powdery. Good pigmentation, buildable.
Oddfellow (repeat) - matte black with teal microglitter. Drier texture that applies a little more patchy, making it more difficult to blend out. Glitter falls out with blending, best when patted over a sticky primer. (Overall, Oddfellow does MUCH better when blended over Holy Bible, as per the suggested pairing. The combo ends up looking steel blue and quite stunning, and effectively nullifies the powderiness.)
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| Dark Throne and Precious Sunset Blvd and 8 Bit Holy Bible and Oddfellow |
The lower left quadrant contains the following:
Instaglam (new) - silvery-pink shimmer. Soft, very slightly powdery texture, good pigmentation that builds up well.
Stupid Autocorrect (new) - soft burgundy shimmer with subtle pink iridescence. Creamy texture, excellent pigmentation, blends beautifully. (And awesome name.)
Smile Now (new) - pale peach satin with subtle pink duochrome. Soft, slightly powdery texture and sheerer pigmentation that builds to medium.
Cry Later (new) - warm medium brown with a satin finish and bronze microglitter. Soft texture, slightly powdery, with great pigmentation. Blends well. Glitter adheres better than in Oddfellow.
Queen (new) - reddish brown shimmer with teal duochrome (same style as MAC Club and UD Roach). Soft and creamy, with excellent pigmentation and blendability.
Bukowski (repeat) - vibrant turquoise shimmer. Dense, slightly drier texture, which has no effect on the great pigmentation. Applies and blends well.
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| Instaglam and Stupid Autocorrect Smile Now and Cry Later Queen and Bukowski |
The top right quadrant contains the following:
Babe (repeat) - red-violet satin with a touch of blue shimmer. Slightly drier texture and sheerer pigmentation, buildable to medium. A little stiffer to blend out.
Piaf (new) - gunmetal grey shimmer. Soft, creamy and dense, with excellent pigmentation. Blends easily.
Geek (new) - satin-to-matte pale peach with a beige undertone. Soft and very smooth, with great pigmentation. Blends beautifully, and makes for an excellent base shade.
Fallen (repeat) - intense bronze shimmer. Butter-smooth and intensely pigmented. By far the most pigmented and dense application in the palette.
Birdcage (repeat) - chartreuse shimmer. Smooth and soft texture, okay pigmentation. Blends and builds well.
Gunner (repeat) - forest green matte base with green microglitter. Drier texture, with sheer, patchy application, and glitter fallout when applied alone. Best over primer or blended over Birdcage.
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| Babe and Piaf Geek and Fallen Birdcage and Gunner |
The lower right quadrant contains the following:
Galore (repeat) - golden-champagne shimmer. Soft and creamy texture, with good pigmentation. Applies and blends smoothly.
Hexagram (new) - olive shimmer with faint copper duochrome. Soft and creamy, great pigmentation. Blends very well. This is a beautiful shade, a more subtle variation on the Queen/Club/Roach duochrome.
Arcadia (new) - silvery-lilac shimmer. Very soft and creamy, with great pigmentation and a bit of fallout upon application because of that softness. Very easy to blend, sheers out almost too easily.
Wonderland (repeat) - matte eggplant purple with dark pink micro glitter. Drier texture, though ok pigmentation and doesn't apply patchy. Glitter falls out a bit, and blending is a little stiff, but not problematic.
Countess (new) - matte warm beige. Very smooth, fine texture, a touch dry. Sheer to medium pigmentation. Blends easily. On me, this is the perfect nude shade to use on the brow, or as a base on the eyelid for a natural look.
WTF (repeat) - rust red shimmer. Slightly dry, soft texture. Ok pigmentation, but buildable. Blends well, not patchy.
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| Galore and Hexagram Arcadia and Wonderland Countess and WTF |
Availability: Exclusive to Sephora and www.sephora.com. Price is 66$ CAD and 55$ USD.
Pros: Gorgeous packaging, beautiful shade range, generally blendable textures and good to intense pigmentation for the shimmers and satin/mattes. Excellent value. The suggested blending pairs are usually quite gorgeous. (Separate post coming to show those combinations.)
Cons: The matte+microglitter shades have spotty application - sheer, fallout, patchy blending. Lack of matte shades decreases versatility. Nearly half of the shades are repeats.
(I purchased this item. Post is not sponsored or compensated. Opinions are my own.)
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