Smashbox released a new collection of portable size eye palettes called the Cover Shot Eye Palettes. There are seven palettes in the collection ranging from bold to metallic and matte. Each palette contains eight shades with two basic shades with bigger pans and six shades that you can mix and match.
I had the pleasure of testing all seven and I have to say that It’s been a long time since I’ve loved every piece from a collection. Smasbox does excellent matte eyeshadows so I knew that the mattes would be awesome. But what surprised me the most is the quality of the shimmers. They are super pigmented, don’t have any fallout and feel like a mix in between a powder and cream to the touch.
The shimmery shades are sparkly but they have that sophisticated shimmer feel and don’t appear too glittery on the eyes. When applied wet they give out an almost wet look to the eyes which I love.
I know it’s hard to produce a product that will be consistent in quality especially when there are so many palettes. But I’m happy to say that all seven palettes have the same excellent quality.
The shade selection is also really nice. There are no repeats in the palettes and they gave enough variety so you can create different looks.
The seven Smashbox Cover Shot Eye Palettes are:
Metallic (foil finish) Featuring shades of gold, rose gold, bronze, copper, and pewter, it also contains an even layer of pearl that truly mimics metal.
Matte (high-coverage, velvety): It offers mattes that never fall flat, and it’s lush, soft, and velvety with ultra-high coverage—including shades in warm nudes, cool mauves, and a deep, dramatic black.
Golden Hour (creamy, lit-from-within shades): This palette’s finishes range from matte to sparkle, and the sultry, golden shades are rich and creamy so you can blend and build a custom smolder.
Softlight (soft-focus, wearable shimmers): The ultra-flattering hues include champagne and rosé-inspired colors to highlight the eyes with low-level shimmer for a subtle shine that goes on smoothly for a glowing look.
Smoky (effortless and modern): Perfect for creating a smoky eye, these mid-to-darker tones amp up intensity with a blend of matte, low-shimmers, and high-shimmer shades.
Bold (transformative and electrifying): It includes electrifying colors and transformers to make eye shadows really pop with an array of highly-pigmented, myriad of saturated, standout shades.
Ablaze (hot, desert-inspired shades): With shades in rich red clay and hot terra cotta, this palette captures the warmth of the desert in a range of sun-drenched shades—these dimensional pigments are perfect for adding depth and contouring.
I feel like you get a lot of different shades with every palette so you can create complex looks. The only palette that doesn’t have a lot of variety is the Softlight palette. The shades in that one are light so they would be perfect for people with fair and light skin and people who like simple looks. I’m one of those people actually. I love doing quick eye looks with just one eyeshadow and applying just a wash of color all over the lid.
If I have to pick a favorite I will go with Ablaze and Golden Hour. Both have shades that I like wearing on daily basis. You’re actually not going to go wrong with either palette. It just depends what shades you like so you can pick accordingly.
The Smashbox Cover Shot Eye Palettes are available at Sephora and smashbox.com and are priced at $29 each.
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