The Smashbox Mega Palette is, arguably, my new favorite palette. With 30 eyeshadows, 3 blushes, a bronzer, and a huge mirror, who wouldn’t? I received this palette as a Christmas gift, and I was so blown away by this product that I knew I had to do swatches and a review!
How-To Cards
Apologies for the quality of some of these photos – I was just about to do my makeup and I wanted to snap a few pictures of the Smashbox Mega Palette while it still looked pristine!
Okay, so obviously, the first thing you notice about the Smashbox Mega Palette are the eyeshadows. I’ve been using my Urban Decay Naked Basics palette religiously for the last month and a half, so I was overjoyed to see a few neutral shades that I don’t already own! The next things that caught my eye were the blushes and the bronzer. I don’t know about you, but I love a good rosey cheek, and to see three gorgeous pinky blushes just made me really excited to swipe them on my cheeks.
SWATCH OUT!
Eyeshadows from left to right: Beige, Almond, Golden, Chestnut, Fawn, Chocolate.
Beige: Now, I’m not sure if I’m just incredibly pale, or if this eyeshadow isn’t very pigmented, but you can just barely make it out on the end. I wasn’t very impressed by this color, which is quite a shame!
Almond: From the way this eyeshadow looked in the pan, I was expecting a matte taupey-grey color, but I suppose the name befits the product itself. This matte eyeshadow is really buttery and smooth. I can see myself getting a lot of use out of this one.
Golden: I’m a huge sucker for gold eyeshadow, and this is one is really great. It’s even more pigmented than UD’s Half Baked!
Chestnut: This matte eyeshadow is similar to Almond, but a little less pigmented. You kind of have to work for it.
Fawn: Another matte eyeshadow! I think this color will look excellent in a cut crease or for a somewhat subtle smokey eye.
Chocolate: Not as pigmented as the others, but still a decent matte brown eyeshadow! It works well for lining along the lash line.
L to R: Taupe, Peach, Citrine, Orange, Red, Umber.
Taupe: Again, this eyeshadow isn’t particularly pigmented, although it is at least noticeable on my skin! A bit of a disappointment, though.
Peach: A shimmery champagne eyeshadow – great for a wash all over the lid or an inner corner highlight.
Citrine: A rather bright and shimmery yellow eyeshadow. I wasn’t expecting it to be so yellow from the way it looked in the pan!
Orange: Out of all of the 30 eyeshadows in the Smashbox Mega Palette, this eyeshadow was the one that stood out to me the most. I’m pleased to report that this eyeshadow is incredibly smooth, buttery, and just as pigmented as I had hoped.
Red: I would deem this color as more of a burnt copper than an actual red, however this eyeshadow is just as creamy as Orange, so I have no complaints.
Umber: A metallic brown eyeshadow reminiscent of Smog from the UD Naked 1 palette.
L to R: Maize, Mint, Turquoise, Green, Blue, Dark Blue.
Maize: Don’t worry, this is the last light matte eyeshadow in the Smashbox Mega Palette that has terrible pigment.
Mint: While not actually mint, this metallic eyeshadow is creamy and pigmented. I would call it chartreuse.
Turquoise: A bright metallic green eyeshadow that is one of the more pigmented eyeshadows in the entire palette. Truly mesmerizing.
Green: Slightly darker than Turquoise, this eyeshadow is a little bit more grown-up.
Blue: A metallic blue eyeshadow with a silver tone.
Dark Blue: This dark blue eyeshadow leans way more toward the “dark” side than the “blue” side and it also has some small flecks of glitter. Not very good color pay-off, though.
L to R: Pearl, Pink, Lavender, Violet, Purple, Black.
Pearl: A lovely and very pigmented pearlescent eyeshadow. I’m definitely going to use this one on the inner corners of my eyelids!
Pink: A buttery, dusty-pink eyeshadow with tiny flecks of gold running throughout.
Lavender: This eyeshadow comes off a little less vibrant in person, but it definitely does still retain the lavender tones. A soft eyeshadow with a slight shimmer to it.
Violet: A metallic purple eyeshadow with decent color pay-off.
Purple: At first I thought this dark purple eyeshadow was completely matte, but on second inspection, it does have a few bits of glitter.
Black: This matte black eyeshadow isn’t nearly as pigmented or black as I had hoped, but if you’d in desperate need of a black eyeshadow, I suppose it would do the job.
L to R: Silver, Grey, Slate, Brown, Pewter, Glitz.
Silver: This silver eyeshadow is so smooth and pigmented, I can already tell I’m going to gravitate towards this shade for my New Year’s Eve makeup!
Grey: If Silver is too much for you, this eyeshadow might do the trick. It’s a little less metallic, but it is just as stunning.
Slate: Another metallic brown eyeshadow, and yet I can see myself using this one very often.
Brown: A pretty solid matte brown eyeshadow, if you ask me! Pretty close to Faint from the UD Naked Basics palette.
Pewter: This bronze-y eyeshadow doesn’t really match up with the name “pewter”, however if Smog and Darkhorse from the UD Naked 1 Palette had a baby, it would definitely be this.
Glitz: Okay, now THIS black eyeshadow is amazing. I swiped it on my arm one time and it was just about opaque! In the pan there are noticeable flecks of glitter, but they don’t really even seem to be there when you swatch it. A+ eyeshadow.
Blushes & Bronzer from left to right: Baby Pink, Sherbet, Glow, Bronze.
Baby Pink: If you pinched a baby’s cheeks and turned it into a powder, you would so totally get this blush. It’s very light, but I think it’s quite buildable.
Sherbet: A slightly coral-y blush that will be perfect for Spring or Summer, especially if you adore the flushed cheek look as much as I do.
Glow: Yes. Just… Yes. It’s like Smashbox took a highlighter and mixed it in with a blush and I am absolutely in love. I can already see myself wearing this happy and glowing blush all over my cheeks. What a fun shade!
Bronze: If you like subtle contour colors, you’re going to love this bronzer. It’s a pretty buildable shade, and I was pretty impressed with its blendability. Oh, and it’s not too orange. That’s a major plus in my book.
Final Thoughts on the Smashbox Mega Palette
Aside from maybe three or four disappointing eyeshadows, I would definitely recommend the Smashbox Mega Palette! The eyeshadows are really nice and creamy, and the blushes are just such a delight. At $39, this palette has great value for money.
Until next time…
Cheers!
x