I Took the New CIATÉ LONDON Eyeshadow Palette to a Festival—Here’s How It Went

Task me with creating a flawless base that’ll last all night without budging? I’m game. I know what my skin texture looks good in. I know what skin tone and foundation shade to use. I know how to use powder and a setting spray to make my makeup stay in place. But put an eyeshadow palette in front of me? I’ll be the first to admit that I don’t know anything about creating a successful eye look. As a hooded eye girlie, I don’t have much lid space to play with. Not to mention, how do you blend? What colors look good on my skin tone? And if I don’t have an eyeshadow primer, will the shades still be pigmented? 

So, when I got the chance to review the new beautiful CIATÉ LONDON I Am Woman Eye Shadow Palette (heads up—you could score this beauty in your May box!), you can imagine I was a little skeptical. Here’s this eyeshadow palette with 24 gorgeous shades in the hands of a shadow newbie—how will this even play out? Then I remembered: I’m headed to the desert with some friends for a music festival. What better time to experiment with colors and really step into my creativity than now? The thought of that shifted my perspective from nervousness to excitement, so I packed my makeup bag with everything I thought I might need and got right to it.

My First Impressions of the I Am Woman Palette

The minute I opened the CIATÉ LONDON I Am Woman Eye Shadow Palette, I was in awe. I mean, look at those shades! Twenty-four matte and shimmer colors dedicated to the beauty and power of women—I was already sold on that alone. Plus, the color palette is beautiful: shades of purples, reds, and browns that I’m sure would look good on every skin tone. Then, I swatched some of the colors and knew this palette was going to be a good one, no matter my level of experience with eyeshadows. Each shade is buttery-soft and pigmented, which not only settled my nerves about creating looks, but also made me excited to get these shades onto my lids ASAP.

Creating My First Eye Look

For my first eyeshadow look, I decided to go all out (I mean, I’m at a music festival—why shouldn’t I?!). I took the brown No Apologies shade (because I will not apologize for stepping out of my comfort zone) and dusted it across my lids with a fluffy brush (I think that’s how the pros do it), all the way up to my brow bone to act as a base color. Then I took the violet color called Brave (because that’s what I am for mixing brown and violet together) and added it to the inner and outer corners of my lids to create a smoky eye effect. I also blended the same color along my lower lash line with a eyeliner brush to bring the whole look together. Lastly, I placed a mix of the purple shimmer Hear Me Roar and the pinkish shimmer Powerful (because that’s how this shadow was starting to make me feel) in the middle of my lid to really carry the look home. The end result? I felt like a powerful fairy! I was so proud of myself for creating a look with shades dedicated to empowering women, and received compliments on my eyeshadow from other beautiful, powerful women all night long—is that not what makeup is all about?! 

The Final Verdict

If you’re an eyeshadow newbie like I was, this beautiful palette is made for you. Not only are the shades absolutely gorgeous, but they’re buttery-soft and easy to blend. Another takeaway is that the multitude of shades make it a no-brainer for people wanting to experiment with makeup—there are so many color combos wanting to be blended on your lids. The possibilities are endless! Lastly, the theme of this eyeshadow palette really did it for me. I felt confident and proud to use something dedicated to the beauty and power of women. That confidence manifested during the night through the conversations and smiles I shared with other women about makeup. If you’re looking for an eyeshadow palette to make you embrace the beauty that comes with being a woman, the CIATÉ LONDON I Am Woman Eye Shadow Palette is the one for you.

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