Dark and sultry eyeshadow shades mixed with shimmery neutrals is what I first noticed about the Hard Candy Sassy Eyes Eyeshadow Palette that I will be reviewing for you today. It’s been a while since I have tried anything from Hard Candy, and from the looks of it, they have stepped up their game. But we all know looks can be deceiving…especially when the price tag is almost too affordable. (Don’t act like you don’t know what I am talking about.)
In the Hard Candy Sassy Eyes Sultry Eyeshadow Palette, you not only get nine gorgeous eyeshadows, but a black eyeliner and eyeshadow primer too. It also comes with a little sponge applicator that should be promptly tossed into the garbage (or given to your two-year-old) because they do nothing for applying makeup well. All of this is encased in a hard tin case that makes it rather convenient and easy to either stick in a purse or suitcase. I think the range of colors in this eyeshadow palette is perfect for taking a makeup look from day to night. You get a mix of some soft everyday eyeshadows like the Social Butterfly and Innocence and also some vampy colors like Ms. Attitude and Banter. This palette also takes the guess work out for you if you aren’t sure what colors would pair well with what because all of these colors work well together.
From the top left going across:
Social Butterfly, Sweetheart, Innocence
Angel, Witty, Demure
Ms. Attitude, Smarty Pants, Banter
Social Butterfly: Creamy and shimmery shade great for highlighting under the brow bone.
Sweetheart: Pale matte pink with larger sparkles. (not a fan of large sparkles in eyeshadow)
Innocence: Beige shimmery shade good for highlighting under the brow bone.
Angel: Gold green eyeshadow shade that reminds me a whole lot of the NARS Gold Lame from the Kauai duo.
Witty: Shimmery mauve shade that would be pretty on the entire eyelid.
Demure: Pale and shimmery lilac purple that could also be used on the entire lower eyelid. This is a beautiful spring shade.
Ms. Attitude: Dark black with gold specks in it, perfect for a glamorous smoky eye.
Smarty Pants: A matte, medium tone gray that would look fabulous in the crease of the eye.
Banter: Smoky purple shade that is soft and creamy.
Before I go into my full fledged review, I wanted to point out that the NARS Gold Lame and Hard Candy Angel are pretty similar. The Gold Lame has a little bit more gold in it, but when I saw the Hard Candy Angel, I immediately had to get my NARS Kauai Duo to compare. It’s not a perfect dupe by any means, but enough that I had to show you.
My Thoughts on the Hard Candy Sassy Eyes Eyeshadow Palette: Sometimes when I see a spongy applicator, my mind immediately goes to thinking this item is complete junk. I really hate those applicators…can you tell? I didn’t have high hopes for this palette at all; actually I had no hope for this palette when I got it. But, I was pleasantly surprised, and my spongy applicator theory was blown to pieces. Read on.
How was the Pigmentation? This is where my mind was blown. I couldn’t believe how pigmented the Hard Candy Sassy Eyes Eyeshadow Palette was. I mean, it’s a drugstore brand! But almost every shade was creamy to the touch and full of pigmentation. I would say the only colors I was not a fan of was the Sweetheart and Smarty Pants because they were matte, which made them more flakey. Also, the Sweetheart had chunks of glitter in it; I always find that to be a bit creepy.
As far as my favorite shades, Ms. Attitude was amazing and gave off so much pigmentation that I way too much the first time I applied it to my eyes. I actually looked terrifying and like I had a black eye. So beware, a little goes a long way with the Ms. Attitude…it doesn’t mess around. My next favorite eyeshadow in this palette is the Angel because it’s very versatile and can be worn for every day or be made to look super glamorous for a hot date night or..whatever.
How was the longevity? This eyeshadow set came with an eyeshadow primer that worked really well. I applied this eyeshadow during the morning with the primer, and it lasted all day without touchups. I was impressed; I mean, this is a drugstore brand we are talking about here!
What about the price and where can I find this gem of an eyeshadow palette? This eyeshadow palette is a whopping $8.00 and can be found at Walmart! I am still in shock that this is only $8.00 because I would price it at around $16.00…which would still be a good deal. You can find this product HERE.
Anything else? If you have the Too Faced, Boudoir Eyes Eyeshadow palette, the color selection and overall design is very, very similar to the Hard Candy Sassy Eyes Eyeshadow Palette. I don’t have any color swatches, but if you take a look at it on Sephora.com, you see how similar it is. Check out the Too Faced Boudoir Eyeshadow palette here.
I think that Hard Candy cosmetics created an awesome product at a very inexpensive price. I love the color selection, the pigmentation and how easy it is to put together a variety of makeup looks with it. In the picture above I used Angel on my lower lid and Ms. Attitude in the contour and lower lashline to create a dramatic smoky eye. If you check back here on Monday, I will break down exactly how you can get this look as well as other eye makeup looks from the Hard Candy Sassy Eyes Eyeshadow Palette.
Have you tried any cosmetics from Hard Candy before? Let me know in the comments below and make sure you pick up this palette and then come back here on Monday to learn how to use it!
Have a great day!
xo,
Kendra
Note* This is a PR sample. There are affiliate links within this post. See disclosure page for details. All thoughts and opinions are that of my own.
I bought all three of the new palettes, but haven’t used them yet… I need your tutorial! Lol
I’m feeling like the phrase “this is a drug store brand” was rather overused and just made me feel lousy until I quit reading. I’m a mom on a fixed income, so the drug store is my freaking zone, and I find and rock great stuff from it.
Because she’s a makeup artist, I’m sure you can understand why she can’t consistently rely on only drugstore products. They constantly discontinue and revamp their lines and when people are paying top dollar for a service, they expect artists to show up with quality products. Sometimes clients even expect high end.