If you are a regular reader of my blog then you know that eyeshadow palettes are my biggest makeup obsession and I have absolutely no shame in admitting that and keep collecting them :) At this stage I have enough eyeshadows to last me a lifetime but there is this collector in me who wants to have all the palettes in the world and once I'm obsessed with something I am OBSESSED, lol!
I like to try different brands, to check their formulations, to compare the shades, etc. if you're a fellow beauty junkie you get the drill.
I wanted to get The Balm eyeshadow palette for a long time but was not sure what to go for, not sure about the quality as not too many people feature them on their blogs, videos. When FeelUnique was running some discount offers I finally decided to take the opportunity and ordered the Balmsai eyeshadow and brow palette by The Balm which was £20 at the moment (regular price £30).
And just look at the packaging, I just love it! All The Balm products have those funny packaging featuring pinup girls and cheeky quotes.
The Balmsai palette contains 18 shadows, including 3 matte shades suitable for filling the brows, good size mirror and eyebrow, eyeliners stencils. Even though it seems like it should be a large size palette, it's actually very slim and compact, and not much bigger than my hand. The eyeshadows are quite small, about 0.8g each, which was a bit of a surprise when I first opened the palette but it's not really an issue for me but for someone who will use them very regularly it might be.
The palette contains also a small magnetic pocket for the brow and eyeliner stencils, together with explanations on how to use them. To be honest, I haven't tried them and I'm not sure if I ever will, I would prefer there was some cheek or lip products instead or just a smaller palette but I'm not bother much by these stencils as they're securely closed in the little pocket.
All the eyeshadows are grouped into 4 sections: basics, splash of colour, brow shadows and liners which can be used wet or dry.
The pigmentation of most of the shades is good with the lighter colours definitely needing a primer underneath to help them appear more vibrant on the eyes. They're all very soft, some of them feel a bit more powdery but they all blend effortlessly on the lids and last around 8 hours in perfect condition.
The finishes vary from satin, shimmery to matte. The shimmery shades have a very subtle shimmer to them so would suit even more mature eye lids as they don't seem to accentuate any lines.
One thing that I found a bit disappointing about these eyeshadows is the fallout they create while applying them on the eyes. And while this is quite common issue for many eyeshadows from different brands, low and high end, I have to say, that the fallout with these eyeshadows is quite noticeable so doing your eye makeup first is probably the best option.
Now onto the swatches, as usual in my reviews, they're done without primer underneath.
In The Buff (Basics)
From left to right:
Wipe Out - very light beige with satin finish, perfect as a base for other shadows and as a brow bone highlight.
High Tide - very light beige with frosted finish, a bit powdery and definitely needs a base to pop on the eyes.
Hang 10 - very soft golden shade with satin finish, the pigmentation is very average and it needs to be build up to show up on the lids.
Dream Boat - light peachy pink with frosted finish.
Sandbar - grey-ish olive colour with pink iridescent, definitely needs a base to show the true colour of it.
Tubular - soft medium brown with golden sheen to it.
Mavericks (Splash of Colour)
From left to right:
Epic - muted medium brown with red undertones and satin finish.
Surf's Up - medium dark grey with frosty finish.
Big Kahuna - teal green with golden sheen to it.
Kawabunga - olive green with soft metallic finish.
Surfari - plummy purple with blue undertones and shimmery finish.
Pipeline - medium dark blue with frosty finish.
Curve & Angle (Brow/Shadows) and Catch a Wave
FOLLOW ME
Oh wow this palette is gorgeous the shades are so wearable and pigmented
ReplyDeleteCANDICE | BEAUTY CANDY LOVES
Ive never seen this palette anywhere, I've been lusting after The Balms matte palette that I will probably end up buying at some point :)
ReplyDeleteRachelShuchatMakeup
I am yet to try anything from the Balm and have always wanted to and I love the shades in this palette but I agree that £30 is quite a lot of money but if I could get it cheaper then I think I would give it a go :)
ReplyDeletePams Stuff and Things
Hmm I love the packaging and some of the shades, but I'd agree with you that it probably isn't worth the £30 price tag as I feel like you could get better quality for around that price. Really love that Big Kahuna shade, probably my favourite of the mix.
ReplyDeletevvnightingale.com
They look very pigmented! But I do notice fall out with many of the Balm shadows, especially in the Nude Tude! Which is such a pity x
ReplyDeleteKatina | www.katinalindaa.com
My fellow palette addict! This looks gorgeous and a bargain at £20, but not so much at £30! I really like theBalm products! xx
ReplyDeleteBeautiful palette. Have not tried anything from The Balm yet, other than Mary Lou Manizer, which is my HG highlighter. Love it. x
ReplyDeleteRenata | Speaking Beauty UK
While I do like the look of the palette, I find that The Balm is pretty expensive and I could easily get a cheaper alternative. I receive a single eyeshadow from The Balm through ipsy and I like it but am not blown away by the quality. Still this is a very pretty palette.
ReplyDeleteShireen | Reflection of Sanity
I've yet to try this brand svn though there's always things I have my eye on from them. This looks like a really good deal for the amount of shadows that you get. I love the Mavericks shades, so gorgeous x
ReplyDeleteBeauty with charm
I've always loved The Balm's packaging! I don't own any of their eye products, but I do own quite a few blushes and the translucent powder. This looks like a nice palette though. Especially that second set of swatches. Big Kahuna is SO pretty!
ReplyDeleteI adore The Balm's packaging! I want to try some of their blushes :) x
ReplyDeleteTheir products are a bit expensive but you can look around for some offers :)
ReplyDeleteThe Mavericks shades are what made me want the palette :) x
ReplyDeleteI agree, I wasn't blown away by the quality either! That's why I'm glad I got the palette on offer as I would be rather disappointed if I paid the full size. x
ReplyDeleteI love mary-Lou as well :) I want to try some of their blushes next :) x
ReplyDeleteI just can't get enough of palettes! :) x
ReplyDeleteIt is a shame, isn't it? I don't mind a bit of fallout but in this case it's quite significant and considering the price of this palette this shouldn't be the case. x
ReplyDeleteBig kahuna is my favourite in the palette, I wish I could get away with wearing it every day :) x
ReplyDeleteI don't regret getting it for £20 but if I paid 330 I would be disappointed as the quality of the eyeshadows didn't blew me away! x
ReplyDeleteThis is one of the latest palettes from The Balm but I haven't seen many reviews on it either. I'd love to get some their blushes next :) x
ReplyDeleteI agree that most of the shades are super wearable and you can use this palette from day to night :) x
ReplyDeleteSuch gorgeous shades, and the swatches look so smooth and pigmented!
ReplyDeleteI've only got Mary-Lou Manizer in my collection, but definitely want to add some more products from The Balm to my stocks - great post as always!
Jess, makingitupblog.com
I like The Balm, but I think most products are sadly overpriced. This palette looks gorgeous but looks small, I'd never fork £30 for it. Great review though!
ReplyDeleteMademoiselle-Lala.com
I don't feel the need to purchase The Balm myself, and I can see why you think £30 is over priced, but maybe £20 is too?
ReplyDeleteAngie x | Chocolate & Lipstick || UK Beauty and Lifestyle Blog
I don't own any eye shadows from the Balm. Actually, the only product I own from the brand is the Mary LouManizer, lol. For some reason, I've never been drawn to their palettes...I'm not sure why. The shades in the Balmsai are very pretty though.
ReplyDeleteBeauty Isles | An Island Girl's Beauty and Lifestyle Blog
Lovely review. The colors are pretty. It's a shame there's so much fallout
ReplyDeleteMade in Mauve // Bloglovin
I haven't tried any makeup from The Balm before, so I think I need to get shopping! All of the colours are gorgeous, it's just a shame about the formula not being amazing. They sound perfect for everyday looks when you don't want anything too special, though!
ReplyDeleteAlice / Alice Grace Beauty
x
It's a lovely palette, just needs some more work than others :) x
ReplyDeleteThe colours are very pretty but the fallout is definitely a negative. x
ReplyDeleteI just love the packaging of The Balm products, they're different, cute and funny :) And the palette is very pretty, just not as good as I expected it to be. x
ReplyDeleteI don't regret buying it for £20 because it's a beautiful palette, just needs more work, but £30 is definitely too much. x
ReplyDeleteThe palette is small which I don't mind because it's nice and compact but I do agree that The Balm product are overpriced here in UK. x
ReplyDeleteThanks hun! The palette is beautiful, the only downside is the fallout :( x
ReplyDeleteI don't have any eyeshadows from theBalm and I have never really been tempted by them for some reason. The swatches look lovely but the fallout thing would be enough to put me off. The eyebrow stencils look interesting - I don't know of any other palette that has that? Great review :) x
ReplyDeleteBrenda BusyBee
I've not come across this palette before - you get so many shades! I probably would go for one from Too Faced or something for £30 but not bad at all with the offer xx
ReplyDeleteJasmine Talks Beauty