After holding off for about 2 years, I finally bit the bullet and purchased the NYX Bronze Smokey Look Kit when NYX was on Hautelook a few weeks ago. It's no secret that I'm a rabid neutral fanatic, so you'd think that I would love the living snot out of this palette.
WRONG! There are actually very few things that I like about it, which really bums me out because this thing has so much potential to be a girl-on-the-go's best friend. "What is wrong with it?" you may ask... well, keep reading and you'll find out.
I'm just going to get the two positive things out of the way:
- The size is so puny that there is no way that I can't love it! I adore small space friendly packaging and this definitely fits the bill. Btdubbz, I have tiny hands and this thing still manages to fit in my palm.
- The mirror on this thing is ginormous (see 2nd picture in post), considering the tiny size. I like my mirrors big. ;)
The colors look absolutely gorgeous in the pan, right? You've got a decent range of shades, some mattes, some shimmers, and some glittery ones as well. In theory, these 9 little pans should be sufficient in making subtle day looks or some sultry night ones. Well, all of that potential fizzles out once they're swatched...
Whomp whoooomp! Everything is either too sheer or too powdery (or both) which makes for a very patchy, sheer, and fallout prone eye look. I do have a bit of a confession to make though: I don't really mind the mattes all that much! Sure, they're some of the most sheer mattes that I've ever seen, but they're not chalky and they blend well. I find them to be pretty decent transition shades or great for VERY subtle definition. However, everything else here is rubbish. Especially that dark brown one on the bottom left.
The next issue here is the lip colors. As soon as I popped open the little compartment that houses them and the little applicators, I knew I was going to hate them. Just look at those garish, frosty colors! And let me tell you that swatching them did not make the situation any better.
EWWWW! NYX successfully managed to put two of the mort horrendous and unflattering lip colors ever into one palette. Good job, NYX. These lip colors are like a solid lip gloss but with enough opacity to pass as a patchy lipstick. Both are relatively long wearing (3ish hours each), but whyyyyy would you want those abominations on your lips for even a minute. In terms of texture, both have a slippy feel close to that of gel lip glosses with no stickiness, but the shimmer in them makes it a bit gritty (the pink one more so than the bronze).
I'd say avoid this like the plague and save yourself $12.
Price: $12
Size: Unspecified
Availability: nyxcosmetics.com, but seriously... just don't.
Pros:
- Mattes aren't chalky and are easily blendable
- Travel friendly size
- Large and handy mirror
- Lip color wear time is good
- Lip color is not sticky
Cons:
- Sheer, chalky, or fallout prone eyeshadows
- 6 out of 9 eyeshadows are either unuseable or too hard to work with
- Unflattering lip colors
- Unpleasantly gritty lip color texture
- Uneven pigment distribution of lip colors
Cruelty Free: Yes
Overall Rating: 2/10 because I adore the packaging and I actually use the mattes regularly
Oh God, that brown lip color looks like a sparkly turd.
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