Kevyn Aucoin • The Essential Eyeshadow Set - Palette 1 • Eye Shadow

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notagoodidea on 5/30/2011 11:38:00 AM more reviews by notagoodidea

Age: 56 & Over   Skin: Very Oily, Fair-Medium, Neutral   Hair: Blond, Wavy, Medium   Eyes: Brown    

Fab colors, not too much shine. I would have replaced one of the very similar browns with a dark matte brown suitable for eyeliner. Great quality! UPDATE--- Deducting one lippie for too much shimmer. Got a good look at myself in natural light. Yikes!

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Absalom on 1/28/2011 3:33:00 AM more reviews by Absalom

Age: 36-43   Skin: Sensitive, Fair-Medium, Neutral   Hair: Brunette, Wavy, Medium   Eyes: Brown    

This is for Palette #5 the berry-ish brown palette.

I love this. It's not too frosty or shimmery.
The colours blend well together and stays on all day. The colours are familiar but unusual. I love the quality of KA's line.
I need all the other palettes and blushes!

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*TOP REVIEWER* pocky on 5/6/2009 9:33:00 PM more reviews by pocky

Age: 30-35   Skin: Normal, Fair-Medium, Neutral   Hair: Black, Straight, Medium   Eyes: Black    

I'm not sure if I'm reviewing the right palette but mine says The Essential Eyeshadow Set Palette #1 on the bottom so it must be the right one. To my eyes, the colors look more like ivory, tan, cool taupey brown, peach, and slate but whatever this palette is fabulous! The colors have a slight shimmer without being frosty (which I HATE) or glittery (which I hate even more) and the texture is divine--velvety, soft, and blends like a dream. This is a very nice palette for a basic everyday look for work or dinner. After I bought this palette, I realized that my Chanel Dunes and Dior Incognito palettes are very, very similar to Kevyn Aucoin's #1 palette. I think the Chanel comes the closest so if you already have it and can't spare $56 for the same look, don't get the Kevyn Aucoin. Not that I don't love all three but even product junkies are watching their wallets these days. Keep in mind that neither the Dior or Chanel are dupes. They just happen to be very similar. Chanel Dunes has a dark matte chocolate brown instead of slate, doesn't the fifth color which would be the ivory, and the taupe is lighter. The quality of the Kevyn Aucoin palette is as fabulous as the other reviewers have mention but no one has mentioned the packinging. This palette is sleek and slim, which is a nice change! As lovely as they are, I personally find the Chanel quads and Dior quints a bit bulky. It's not like the pans hold that much more shadow since it's just the compact that's bigger.

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*TOP REVIEWER* remychic on 4/9/2009 9:10:00 AM more reviews by remychic

Age: 30-35   Skin: Dry, Fair, Neutral   Hair: Red, Straight, Fine   Eyes: Brown    

I agree with many of the reviewers, this is an HG product. I have been wearing it for a couple of weeks now and I thought the colors looks so boring in the container but tried them anyway based on MUA reviews. So glad I did! The formula is silky and long wearing and I don't have any problems with flaking or smudging. But it is the colors that are the real jewels here, especially the golden brown. I have tried various combinations with the 5 colors but the one I am most pleased with is lining my eyes with the dark brown/black, using the golden brown on the lid and highlighting with the ivory. The colors are neutral but superb, they are soft and glowing with a very subtle luminescence to them. They are perfect for day wear without being boring on. I love this pallette and will definitely repurchase as it is now a staple in my eyeshadow wardrobe.

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*TOP REVIEWER* kyasha on 8/21/2008 6:27:00 PM more reviews by kyasha

Age: 25-29   Skin: Combination, Olive   Hair: Black   Eyes: Brown    

HG eyeshadow palette. I bought it because I needed something warm-toned for everyday. I watched a youtube video on Kevyn Aucoin and he stressed how trends come and go, but classics remain. I love the dark red compact case; it is very professional and sophisticated. These eyeshadows don't crease. I bought it online at Sephora. Update: I have oily lids and the doe brown color (opposite of ivory) seems to fade after a few hours. Will have to use primer for specific colors.

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CallistoLuna on 5/4/2008 11:00:00 PM more reviews by CallistoLuna

Age: 25-29   Skin: Combination, Fair, Neutral   Hair: Red, Wavy, Fine   Eyes: Blue    

This is a great basic palette to have in your arsenal. The colors are beautifully neutral with superior blendability and do stay in place for the day. The packaging is slimline with an elegant burgundy finish and a sturdy locking mechanism and fits into the palm of your hand: making it highly suitable for toting around in a handbag or purse.
The palette comes with two dual end brushes: one has a brush applicator and the rest are sponge tipped. These are okay if you want to transform your day look into a night look, but I still think using a brush gives better results than the sponge tipped applicators (for convenience sake though, these are great to have).
Palette #1 includes 5 semi-matte shades of ivory, brown, mustard, chocolate and melon. Perfect for any look that you don't want to look overly shimmery, but just "done".
The only draw back is the price of these palettes. At AU$100 (US$55), the price is very steep but the powders are well pigmented, so you don't need to apply a lot of them to get coverage. I recommend this palette (or palette #2, #3 or #4 for that matter) for event looks that demand a classic touch: perfect for bridal makeup, and the price might make it an excellent gift to give a bride or bridesmaid. Someone at KA has done a lot of work in thinking about the aspects of this palette. The colors have been expertly co ordinated and the packaging is all one could want for traveling. I strongly recommend checking this one out.

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Mahrou on 4/8/2008 5:33:00 PM more reviews by Mahrou

Age: 25-29   Skin: Combination   Hair: Black   Eyes: Brown    

not cheap but yet the product is absolutely worth every penny.

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kickyouonce on 4/5/2008 1:00:00 PM more reviews by kickyouonce

Age: 36-43   Skin: Sensitive, Fair   Hair: Brunette, Fine   Eyes: Hazel    

Gorgeous palette and flatthering - but a bit pricey for my current status!

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clay2626 on 3/29/2008 6:57:00 PM more reviews by clay2626

Age: 25-29   Skin: Oily   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Brown    

Boring, at least that is what I thought when I first received this item after buying it on line, I had to packed up and ready to return when I thought I would give it a couple more tries, glad I did! At first this colors look so ordinary and boring but once you put them on (and they stay on!) they are so pretty together and there are so many different options. I love most of KA's items and this is a good product, will for sure repurchase once I run out. These colors are long lasting and I have oily lids which means usually by noon I have nothing left (even with a base), these are the most long lasting colors I have ever purchased.

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secreteuphony on 1/25/2008 1:32:00 PM more reviews by secreteuphony

Age: 19-24   Skin: Combination, Fair   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Brown    

This is my HG eyeshadow. It's the perfect palette and the one I use pretty much everyday. The color combination is great and gives you endless possibilities. I love that it's not overboard on the shimmer so you don't get that drag queen effect. This palette takes me from natural barely there to smokey and lasts longer than anything I've tried. (Lancome, Revlon color stay, MAC, L'Oreal, Clinique), and doesn't flake like the others do. Hooray! Def. worth the price. The only negative point is that it's so damn hard to find.

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*TOP REVIEWER* mermaidmaenad on 1/23/2008 8:06:00 PM more reviews by mermaidmaenad

Age: 44-55   Skin: Dry, Fair, Cool   Hair: Blond, Wavy, Coarse   Eyes: Blue    

there is no eyeshadow on the market that stays on the eyes for as long as this does. the colors are wearable-- this is a 'warmer' palette but still neutral. other have gone into detail about the colors in the palette, so i will give a small rundown:

1-a pale peach with SLIGHT shimmer,
2-an espresso brown that looks almost black, matte or satin finish..cant really tell on me
3- a mid tone, red based brown with a matte finish
4-a chocolate brown with a matte finish,
5- a shimmery bone high lighter color

bendability- excellent
wear-ability- excellent
buildability-excellent
durability-excellent
but, in all seriousness, KA eye shadows are the most long wearing of them all. these are eye shadows that must be experienced.

i am nw15 mac with pink undertones, blue eyes. this palette can work, imo, on any skintone.

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shbea on 12/19/2007 3:58:00 PM more reviews by shbea

Age: 36-43   Skin: Dry, Fair-Medium   Hair: Blond   Eyes: Brown    

This is QUALITY product that will last forever. I did not understand the different look comments, but thats the only way to describe this first rate product. i ordered it sight unseen bc i go for a rainbow of browns, usually i cannot wear a pink or cool brown, but these i can wear. They seem too "glowy" AT FIRST, but somehow thats just the makeup mirror, in normal mirror throughout the day, looks normal/nice and lasts and lasts. the only reason i probably would not buy again is because a: they will last forever, and b: when i finally do go to buy to replace them, there will be different color options.

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jillbanks on 9/23/2007 9:47:00 PM more reviews by jillbanks

Age: 30-35   Skin: Normal, Fair-Medium   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Green    

Wonderful eye shadow. If you are looking for something in normal colors but go above and beyond normal-looking, then this is for you. I wear this palette all the time so it was worth the money. Nice pigment, goes on smooth, blends well... everything you want in a good shadow.

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lipglossgal on 12/17/2006 7:33:00 PM more reviews by lipglossgal

Age: 44-55   Skin: Normal   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Brown    

Again, I won't go into the color description since everyone has done a great job doing that already - this is the most gorgeous palette ever. The shadows are a dream to apply and are very "glowy" looking. It really brightens up my eyes...adore it! I'm buying a backup.

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*TOP REVIEWER* piggiejan on 11/17/2006 2:36:00 PM more reviews by piggiejan

Age: 19-24   Skin: Other   Hair: Brown   Eyes: Brown    

i'm not going to repeat what everyone else has been saying and start describing colours etc - but hopefully the picture will help a little.

that all said, i'll add my two cents. if you want something for a classic / professional / netural eye - then this palette is worth considering. it might be a little pricey for what seems to be standard and pretty basic colours, but the texture and quality of the shadows is excellent. smooth, pigmented, non-chalky and applies like a dream. its one of those idiot proof palettes that you can use when in a hurry. the darker shade helps to take the look from a day to a more dressed up night look if necessary.

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*TOP REVIEWER* 3blindmice on 8/31/2006 1:34:00 PM more reviews by 3blindmice

Age: 25-29   Skin: Normal   Hair: Black   Eyes: Hazel    

I think this is a wonderful palette. I was quite concerned that the colours would be too warm for my colouring, but they're just really pretty neutrals, with a bit of oomph. What really surprised me was their ease of blendability and the smooth pigment contained in each one. I don't have to do layers and layers of any of the shades to get them to show up. With just a flick of the brush I get great colour payoff. And it's not hard to blend either, very smooth and easy. The finish on these shadows is so very nice, not matte or frosted, but just slightly glowy. And they don't crease or made my lids look crepey or dry. I would even venture to say, that I could very comfortably live with just this shadow palette if I was forced to get rid of the rest of my makeup. It's that good. I could wear these colours for the rest of the year exclusively, and not feel boxed in or stifled within my colour choices. Very nice indeed.

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

*TOP REVIEWER* filmart on 2/7/2006 6:36:00 AM more reviews by filmart

Age: Unknown   Skin: Combination, Fair, Cool   Hair: Brown, Curly, Coarse   Eyes: Green    

These shadows have an incredibly silky texture, and they're very long-lasting. I was also very impressed with how soft the mustard and melon shades looked on, since such colors normally make pale, cool-toned coloring like mine appear sickly. I will probably not purchase any of the other three palettes, since there's not enough variety between them (including the fact that they're all shimmers), and I don't understand the need to include a black or charcoal shade in each set. But in terms of quality, these are definitely worth their price, as well as repurchasing.

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hym8ntz on 4/30/2005 6:42:00 PM more reviews by hym8ntz

Age: 19-24   Skin: Normal   Hair: Black   Eyes: Brown    

Love Love Loved this eyeshadow set! All the colors blended in so easily..and you could create so many looks...depending if you're feeling au naturel, smokey and seductive, etc. The brushes were actually worth keeping because they worked as well as the big brand name ones out there. Definetly do not throw them out! The palette one is for warm colors..while palette two is for cool ones. I chose the warm ones. Kevyn Aucoin is a makeup genious and created some of the most unforgettable looks for celebrities..now you can too!

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*TOP REVIEWER* a67penguin on 4/22/2005 9:06:00 AM more reviews by a67penguin

Age: 36-43   Skin: Combination   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Green    

These eyeshadows are the best I've tried, hands down (well, OK-- they tie with Shu's, but probably b/c the same factory makes these or something). This is a great palette of neutral, but not boring basic browns. Slight shimmers. You can mix/match to your hearts delight, and best of all, the pigment lasts ALL DAY LONG. Much nicer to buy a palette than an e/s single and wonder how to pair it up. $55-- but well spent.

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*TOP REVIEWER* divafx on 3/6/2005 12:26:00 AM more reviews by divafx

Age: 25-29   Skin: Acne-prone, Fair, Warm   Hair: Red, Straight, Fine   Eyes: Green    

This is a great palette. The entire palette retails for $55 but you get 5 shades so you are paying roughly $11 a shadow which is equal to many department store brands. If you can get your hands on this it's worth the money. Palette 1 is a collection of warm shades while Palette 2 is a collection of cool shades. I tried Palette 1 and was pleasantly surprised. At first glance the colors look pretty basic and boring. In Palette 1 you get a slightly shimmering white, a medium chocolate brown, a medium melon color, a slightly shimmery medium/deep taupe brown, and a very pretty deep charcoal/taupe shade. After a little experimentation I found you could really create quite a few different looks with this palette including the ever popular smokey eye. The applicators that come with this set are actually quite nice compared to the usually generic and very forgettable applicators you normally get with eyeshdow palettes. I'm actually keeping and using these instead of throwing them out. The colors are well pigmented and go on smoothly with no creasing. They blend beautifully. I was experiencing a severe allergic reaction at the time I tried my set out and I was worried that the colors were going to accentuate my swollen eyelid and flaking skin. I couldn't have been more incorrect. The white shade has a light shimmer but the shimmer actually reflected light away from my flaking skin and puffy eyelid! I was very impressed since even my favorite Bobbi Brown shadow had only accentuated this. I'm thinking for those of you with a few extra lines on your lids or aging eyelids this would definitely be your Holy Grail shadow. For the rest of you, this shadow will just make you look gorgeous. I wore this all evening with no fading, creasing, or creeping. The most impressive thing about this shadow was that it didn't flake like so many of my other favorites. I always use medium to deep browns to accentuate my crease and no matter how many times I tap off the excess I still get a few errant flakes of brown under my eyes. That didn't happen with this shadow. It actually seemed to adhere to my brush so the color went exactly where I put it and nowhere that I didn't. That was a first for me. I actually didn't expect to be impressed by this palette. It just looked so basic to me and there are so many great eyeshadow brands out there, could anyone really improve upon eyeshadow? Apparently someone could and did. I'm so happy I tried this set. Think I'll have to add both palettes to my pro kit to save me time on undereye cleanup. :) Worth every penny!

15 out of 16 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No