Hi, how are ya, and welcome back to my review column! Do you want to know what’s the tea with the Jeffree Star x Shane Dawson collab? Then keep on reading.
I, like millions of other people, woke up early and waited anxiously at my computer to get my hands on the Jeffree Star Cosmetics x Shane Dawson Conspiracy Palette. It took hours and endless error pages, but luckily I was able to purchase one! Let’s get really real about the packaging, the color story, the formula, wearability and more.
Packaging
???? 4/5
This palette is unlike any other palette in the industry. It has a sleek prismatic shape with sturdy trunk clasps. The design of the palette is worth the purchase alone— it looks more like artwork than an eyeshadow palette. But you already know that just from the pictures, so let’s get into the nitty gritty of what we can’t tell from the marketing campaign.
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Design: Do we even need to discuss this one? I mean come onnnn! This palette has really outdone any other packaging from other brands, but did we expect anything less? Jeffree Star Cosmetics always goes above and beyond with their packaging. The smooth black prism design is completely original, yet it is very masculine, so if black isn’t your thing you might not like this one. But overall, they really did that!
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Weight: This palette is heavy hunny so be prepared! The weight makes it feel really luxurious and expensive, so I personally like it. It doesn’t feel like a dinky cardboard eyeshadow palette, but more of a display piece.
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Durability: This palette looks like it was built to survive. It has metal clasps to keep it sealed shut, and a heavy base and lid to protect the shadows. The palette also comes in a box with a sleeve, if you want to further preserve the outside image of your palette.
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Travel-ability: Now this is the category where I had to take a kiss away from my rating for. While I know Jeffree is famous for making fancy large palettes, the size and weight can make it hard to travel with. You can argue that this palette isn’t meant for travel, but the times I wear makeup the most is when I’m traveling, so I want to be able to take the shadows I love with me. The palette takes up a lot of space, so it isn’t entirely practical for travel, but it is worth it if you make the room for it. It also has a really high quality mirror on the inside, which has proven very helpful during travel!
Price
????? 5/5
The Conspiracy Palette retails for $52. There are 18 shadows in the palette, working out to about $2.89 per shadow, which isn’t unreasonable. There are definitely cheaper palettes out there on the market, but the packaging and the details aren’t there. For instance, we all know Morphe is able to create massive 35 pan eyeshadow palettes in the $25-35 range, but those palettes don’t have the same size eyeshadow pans as Jeffree’s. They also don’t have the intricate and expensive packaging that Jeffree’s has or the details of Jeffree’s, such as the different stamps in the eyeshadows. Buying a Jeffree Star Palette can seem like an investment, but if you use it consistently and take the time to appreciate all the details, the price is justified.
Color Story
????? 5/5
The Conspiracy color story is very unique. Typically eyeshadow palettes come out and we all look at them and think, Blah. Been there, seen that. But Jeffree Star, put out a boring overdone palette? *gasp* He would never!
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The top row: Your perfect everyday neutrals. As a neutral gal myself I really appreciate the top row. It has some nice transitional matte brown shades and a few glittery metallics. The top row has the shades I use and love the most, shhh don’t tell the next row!
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The second row: Where things get wild! This is the row that really stands out in this palette. With bright pops of hot pink, yellow, red, and Cheetos orange, the looks are endless! This row is not for the faint of heart. You better #werkgirl when you’re wearing these shadows.
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The third row: The cool older sister. If the second row is your wild child teen sister, then the third row is your adult self slaying the workforce. It’s full of more muted and cooler toned shades, but still packs a punch with some nice pops of maroon, light blue, and a deep green.
A really special aspect of this color story is that if you isolate each row, they each have their own color story that could stand alone. The rows were very well thought out, and each went really well together and by themselves. I gave the color story a 5/5 because this palette can really do it all. It has perfect everyday shades and some really bright pops of color so that you can make any look with it.
Formula
????? 5/5
There are three different formulas in this palette; matte, metallic, and foil, and oh she’s pigmented girl! These colors swatch beautifully and blend on the eye like a dream. They’re so buttery and smooth, and really easy to work with. You won’t be disappointed with the pigmentation. Typically, color matte shades are harder to create than shimmers, so if a matte formula performs well then you know it’s a good palette.
Wearability
??? 3/5
While I am a fan of the unique color story, I don’t think this palette is extremely practical for everyday use. The top row is good for everyday, but you can only make a few looks out of it. While there are other wearable shades throughout the palette, they don’t catch the eye as much as the bright shades. I think this palette is great for sparking creativity and improving your artistry, but its main focus isn’t everyday wearability.
Overall
???? 4/5
The Conspiracy Palette shocked the beauty community and broke records worldwide. Shane Dawson and Jeffree Star created an amazing palette together that is entirely original and exciting. It’s an iconic palette that is a treasure to add to your collection. I’m really pleased with it overall. It’s definitely worth the purchase, especially if you’re looking to add some pops of color to your eyeshadow collection.
And that’s the tea!