3/8/2016: NOT vegan
Here we start with the browbone colors. These colors are over-sized, which I have mixed feelings about. I feel like I want more of the other, brighter, more fun colors but at the same time how much eyeshadow do I need?
St. Tropez is gold glitter suspended in a translucent base. The base for me at least is transparent, but I'm fairly pale and on darker skin tones it might not be translucent. I absolutely adore this shadow because of its versatility. With or without a primer it looks great, and can be used for anything from a browbone color to inner highlight to even a small pop of glitter on the cheeks or temples.
Riviera is a light yellow-toned peach color. Nice as a fairly nude base on my skintone, but it may not be super versatile for darker skintones. Regardless, it could also be nice as a light, summery color to lighten up the eyelids.
La Croisette is a frosty antique white. Almost like buttercream frosting, this color makes me hungry. It's so creamy and wonderful. I love using this color as a browbone highlight, cheek highlight, or inner highlight. It also looks good layered over another color to tone it down a bit and make it more shimmery.
Swatches, as they appear in the palette. Swatches over NYX Jumbo Eye Pencil in Milk.
The party half of this palette. Each browbone color has two corresponding smaller colors. These are all frosty, with De La Mer straddling between frost and glitter.
Cannes is an orange-leaning gold.With or without a primer this shade is gorgeous and coppery.
Soleil is a dark, orange-toned brown. A toned-down and darker Cannes, if you will. Good for defining the crease or outer V. Also nice for making a smokey eye or lining the eye.
Jardin is the prettiest little quaint pinky peach. The epitome of lounging around on a hot sunny day with a sunhat and sweet iced tea, speaking in a Georgian accent.
Côte d'Azur is a light, subtle brown. Its nature leans slightly pinkyish, but it works nicely as a soft defining color.
Monaco is a hot fuchsia. My favorite color of this palette. I use it as an unexpected inner highlight of color, or pop it in the middle of an otherwise dark smokey eye for a surprise. Whatever you use it for, it will be pretty.
De La Mer is a dark cobalt that verges on charcoal. In the palette and photos online (including these) it shows up far more blue than in person. I was expecting a blue of equal intensity to Monaco, and was therefore sadly disappointedwhen I realized that it is nothing more than a very bluish gray. Yes, it appears blue sometimes if the light is just right, but it wasn't what I was expecting or hoping for. Nevertheless I use it to set blue gel liners mostly or use the shadow itself to line my eyes if I'm wearing my beloved Inky Six Mascara by butter London.
Swatches as they appear in the palette. All over NYX Jumbo Eye Pencil in Milk.
CONCLUSION
There are really only two colors that I am disappointed by, De La Mer and Riviera. If only De La Mer were brighter, Riviera were smaller, and there was some kind of green I would be in heaven. That's just color-wise, though.
As far as pigmentation goes, these are pretty good with or without a primer when you first put them on. After about half a day, however, these colors fade and crease like nobody's business. I haven't noticed St. Tropaz fading or creasing, but this could also be due to the simplicity of the color itself.
For a small palette, this thing is pretty versatile. You can create a very natural eye with just Riviera, La Croisette, and Soleil or Côte d'Azur. Easily you could make a brown smokey eye, with or without a pop of fuchsia. The Colors Cannes, Jardin, and Monaco with a winged line of De La Mer make for a colorful and fun summery eye.
Overall, I really like this palette. It isn't perfect, no, but what is? I am happy with my purchase and will continue to buy Too Faced products as long as I am addicted to makeup.
