Lisa Eldridge Myth Eyeshadow Palette review

I’ve lusted after a Lisa Eldridge eyeshadow palettes since their release last year. Now I’m happy I didn’t buy one. Why? Find out in my Lisa Eldridge Myth Palette review below.

One of my real-life friends and I swapped eyeshadow palettes we wanted to try, but didn’t buy.

I also was really curious, because I found all reviews I’ve seen very unsatisfying. You’ll see below that I’ve got plenty of criticism, but most reviews seem to criticise mainly based on personal taste. And let me make one thing very, very clear from the get-go: no, these aren’t as impactful like indie shadows. No, these textures aren’t indie-like. If you’ve seen the pics on the website, it should be crystal-clear that those formulas aren’t the thick, creamy mattes indie brands love right now, and shimmers aren’t those super-pigmented effect eyeshadows we’ve come to know. If that’s not your taste, stay away.

• More Lisa Eldridge reviews: lipstick (& foundation), lipgloss, lipgloss update

What is it?

Adorn your eyes in a rich synergy of decadent colour – from lavender grey and smoked amethyst to pure violet.
Myth Palette takes its inspiration from the Mauve Decade and Victorian Gothic hues.
Wear these shades alone, washed across the lids, for wearable, beautiful clouds of colour, or dial up with the darker hues for a dramatic eye look.

Lisa Eldridge homepage

Purple (hah!) prose aside, this eyeshadow palette features six shades with different finishes. (5.4g / 0.19oz for €59). We have four velvet (=matte) shades, one top coat and one metallic shade. (There’re more finishes in other palettes, but in this review, I want to concentrate solely on the Myth palette and its finishes.)

• Nocturama (velvet) is a very dark blackened purple that looks dark grey on the eyes.
• Illusionism (top coat) has pink-gold shimmers in a transparent base that performs atrociously. You need to pack it on for it to have any impact at all, but how?!?! With a finger, you immediately get hard pan, with a brush you find a few sad sprinkles of glitter on your lid. HOW. WHY.
• Mauve Decade (velvet) is a warm taupe.
• Faded Amethyst (metallic) is a shimmery lilac leaning dark taupe.
• Victorian Trim (velvet) is a rich magenta purple.
• Violet Stone (velvet) is blackened violet.

Formula

‘Velvet – A super creamy matte powder paint that grips and adheres beautifully to the skin, with a smoothing finish and even coverage. Can be applied with fingers or a brush.
Satin/Metallic – Satin smooth, densely packed soft metallic shine.
Top Coat – Multicoloured, sparkling pearls suspended in a transparent base. This minimal pigment formula is great for bringing a touch of light to the inner corner of the eye, or to add subtle extra dimension to the lid as a finishing touch.’

Lisa Eldridge homepage

Shade comparison and dupes

I only have one proper dupe, and that’s Buon Fresco from the ABH Modern Renaissance palette that’s nearly indistinguishable from Mauve Decade. I’d have thought that I do own many, many dupes for Faded Amethyst, because I do love a shimmery taupe, but no.

No comparisons for Illusionism and Nocturama – I don’t own many blackened shades and the less we speak about Illusionism the better. (I also don’t own glitter in transparent bases. It’s not my jam.)

Packaging

She is smol! (Smaller than an iPhone, actually.) And lighter than I thought.

The palette looks like brushed metal, and is pleasantly weighty (but still is plastic). You can remove the single eyeshadows and move them around or replace them with shadows from other LE palettes. (Eyeshadows are also available as singles.)

Application

The velvets

What’s wonderful about the velvets is that they aren’t a dead matte. There’s a very slight sheen to them, which makes them look like well-worn suede (that’s a compliment). For applying, especially for darker shades, I do recommend a natural hair brush. I got a lot of patchiness with my (Hakuhodo!) synthetic brushes. They blend out super easy. Incredibly easy, BUT they do (especially the darker shades) have some fallout. The shadows are soft, and nearly crumbly. (Which is a bit weird, ttbt, but smooshing those crumbs leads to a very pigmented application.)

Metallics/top coat

Same as with the velvets on all points, at least for the metallics. The top coat is a different animal. And awful. I can pick it up with a sponge applicator, but even that gives you just – pink glitters. If I wanted that, I’d go to Claire’s. I do NOT understand that formula.

Performance/Longevity

All shadows swatch soso. But – whatever, I want them on my eyes, not on my arms. And in a look, they do deliver. Blending them, building them up, layering them – no problem. I don’t particular like to use them as a liner, because on me, they crumble down my face during the day that way, but apart from that? I wore all looks for around 10hrs, and they looked perfect when I removed them. (As always, I wore them over primer – Nars’.)

Versatility/Looks

I can see four or five looks in this palette, which is rather good. I’ll chat about that when I talk about preference below. The go from light to dark, so it’s possible to do a full look just with the palette. I doubt though it’s dark enough for people darker than medium dark.

Lisa Eldridge Myth Palette review: Final thoughts

Looking at the Myth palette objectively, I can’t find any fault with it. (Nearly) every shade in the palette performs like it’s supposed to perform and as promised. I’ve two issues with it that mainly come from Lisa Eldridge’s YouTube video showcasing and demoing the palettes upon their release.

Both in the video and on the website, she claims that shades can be used with brushes or fingers. You can’t though. I mean, sure, you can. Once. Then you’ll have to deal with hard pan in your expensive eyeshadow palette.

That is especially true for the Top Coat shade. I wasn’t for the life of me able to get that on my eye, neither with a brush or a finger. A sponge applicator worked – somewhat.

Then, in the video she claims that there’s no fallout even with the dark shades. Fallout depends a lot on the brushes you use and if you load up your brush a lot or not. I don’t have the gentlest hand in the world, and I do get fallout, both with the velvets and the metallics.

It’s a no for me.

Now let’s chat about preferences. This won’t end up as my favourite palette, and that’s not because of the shadows’ performance. That’s simply because I have to pair the palette with other eyeshadows to make looks I like. I need a brighter, sparklier shade instead of the abysmal topcoat to jazz things up, one that serves as a focal point. I often choose palettes that way: does it include a shade I’d wear solo and also can build looks around? This one doesn’t have that, because Faded Amethyst isn’t that for me. It’s a bit too muted both in tone and sparkle.

I also thought to include four velvet shades a weird choice, especially as Victorian Trim and Violet Stone serve the same purpose and only differ in tone (a bit). In the end, you can totally create different looks with Myth, but they’ll look very similar.

In the end, I’d have loved to see one warm-toned shade in here, because all shadows have a grey base in some way. (I would’ve loved to see a light warm gold, for example.)

Price & Availability

Only at the Lisa Eldridge homepage. 5.4g / 0.19oz for €59.

Please note that this review is not sponsored in any way. We buy products ourselves, with our own money, and don’t accept exchanging goods, or money, for reviews. We are completely independent, and our reviews reflect that.