For a while there, it seemed like all the new drugstore eyeshadow palettes looked… relatively the same. I’ve been so bored with recent releases, but I instantly snapped to attention when six new essence eyeshadow palettes dropped at the drugstore. Believe me, you’ll want to collect them all!

The new palettes are all relatively monochromatic with a clear color story, and named after iconic pop songs with a twist on the name. Call Me Maybe has turned into Coral Me Maybe, Born This Way to Bronzed This Way and so forth.

Each palette has six shades, balanced well with exactly three mattes and three shimmers. Aside from the shade finishes, the colors themselves are perfectly curated. Even though they’re what I consider mini palettes, there is enough contrast between the colors to create distinctly different looks.

The formula is cruelty free and vegan, fragrance-free, and is so easy to work with. Being only $3.99, they’re seriously a steal while adding something unique to your collection.

Let’s get into the eyeshadow palette swatches and looks!

Soft, pigmented, and buildable is how I’d describe these eyeshadows. The mattes are intense and blend softly without losing pigmentation, and the shimmers are buttery and high-impact. I do find the shimmers to apply more opaque with the fingers, or a wet brush.


The only downside I’ve found is that you get a noticeable amount of fallout from these shadows, especially the darker shades. I’ve gotten in the habit of applying a layer of loose setting powder under my eyes that catches any runaway shadow, making it easy to brush away. It’s not a dealbreaker, and is rather common for soft formulas… a trade off for the blendability.

I truly think these are currently some of the best drugstore eyeshadow palettes right now, from the formula to the well curated shade themes. I’ve recently been favoring mini-palettes that give me variety without a ton of shades I never use. For $3.99, these can add a lot of new looks to your collection. I hope they release even more— perhaps a gold/yellow or teal theme? One of my YouTube subscribers suggested a “Berry Superstitious” palette… genius!

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

I’m dedicated to inspiring you to discover and get creative with budget beauty, and live fabulously without breaking the bank.

© 2022 Slashed Beauty - Web development by Moss Web Works