ELF Retro Paradise Eyeshadow Palette
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New for Summer is the ELF Retro Paradise Eyeshadow Palette and folks, it’s COLOURFUL so you know I’m excited!! I couldn’t wait to get playing and testing this little beauty!
With shades to whisk you away (in your mind of course, thanks Covid) to tropical sands, shimmers to make you feel sexy and mattes to get you in a Summer mood, this palette is a cracking mix of fun, fun, fun!
But there’s looking good and being good, so time to put this little number through it’s paces!
Alright, now if you follow my insta stories (come on I know you all do 🙂 ) you will have seen a couple of looks by now, so some of this information may not been brand spanking new. I have been doing a little first impressions as I go with instagram story tutorials while I played and created looks with the palette because I really wanted to put these shadows to the test.
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The Palette
Elf say: “Retro paradise is at your fingertips with this vibrant, Bahamas-inspired eyeshadow palette. High-shine metallics and ultra-pigmented mattes in bright and neutral shades allow you to create your own tropical fantasy!” ELF
We have an 18 pan palette. 6 metallic shadows, 12 matte shadows.
The shadows are a mix of cool and warm tones and I love that there’s real pops of summer colours while still having more neutrals to pair with.
Blendability
The shadows are easy to blend. The matte shades are a bit crumbly and definitely need tapping off the brush before application but they don’t appear patchy when applying to the eye and they blend easily which is key.
The metallic shades are dreamy. They are very pigmented and apply easily with a brush or finger.
Overall we have great pigmentation in the shadows. The pastels are more of a wash of a tone which is very pretty, the darker tones have more depth and the metallics are very pigmented. ‘Sea ‘Salt’ is the only metallic which is more of a light shift of a glitter rather than an heavily hued shadow.
Longevity
I am really impressed by the wear time of the metallic shades. There was no creasing throughout the day and my eye makeup still looked fresh many hours on.
A small amount of the glitter from the metallic drops down throughout the day but this is minimal and to be honest, I didn’t mind it.
The matte shadows tended to wear a little more easily but this is to be expected. They wore evenly and it was more of a gentle fading of colour than patchiness.
Favourite Shadows
In terms of Shade:
It’s tricky but it’s a mix between Paraiso and Disco! They are just so beautiful!
In terms of formula:
The metallic shadows are a stand out for me! The mattes are great and a solid addition to a collection but the metallics are just very gorgeous to work with.
Least Favourite Shadows
In terms of Shade:
Spiced. For me this shade tends to show up my dark under eye circles and that essentially I’m tired and poorly! This is a shade which with the correct pigmentation would work amazingly on a deeper skin tone, I just wish it was a touch more pigmented as I’m not sure if it might pull up ashy.
In terms of formula:
Spiced. It’s just a tad too crumbly and lacks a punch in pigmentation. Great for a wash of colour though.
Colour Range & Swatches
Well, I could’ve squealed with excitement the first time I sat down to play. I felt like a kid in a sweet shop! The colour range is great! It makes me want to go to a 70’s disco, an 80’s roller skate party and a Bahama’s beach party all in one. I love that we have pastels mixed with moody blues and blacks that are juxtaposed with sultry browns and bronzes, with a hint of pink for a pop. It is indeed popping!
Claims
ELF is a vegan friendly and cruelty free brand.
Read more about ELF’s stance for Black Lives Matter here.
Price
ELF Retro Paradise Eyeshadow Palette £14
My Thoughts
Is it the most wearable for every day palette? No. But is it hella fun? Oh yes! Look if you aren’t afraid of colour or wish to branch out and play with a few summery shades then this palette might just be for you. To add to that are some beautiful gold and bronze, more traditional shadow shades that can be worn for day time or amped up to full blown smokey looks for the eve.
What I can say is this is FUN and it’s a bargain. Call me impressed.
A welcome palette to my collection.
Available at Elf.co.uk and in Superdrug £14
Here’s some looks I created using the Elf Retro Paradise Eyeshadow Palette!
Follow me over on my instagram @amyschapter for story tutorials and IGTV’s!
If you love a colourful eyeshadow palette then have a peek at this Huda Beauty one here!
Looking for a highstreet hero foundation? Why not check out this review!
