September Rose Cosmetics Slush eyeshadow palette review

I think this palette deserves a bit of an introduction: say hello to the September Rose Cosmetics Slush palette. September Rose is a UK based indie brand and they have a few fun eyeshadow palettes. The Slush palette was their first release and it is a fun, bright, rainbow color story with a few pops of shimmer. There are 25 shades in total going from a pink through orange, yellow and green to blue and purple. Is this palette any good?

Review: September Rose Slush rainbow eyeshadow palette review

The Slush palette is exclusively available from the official September Rose website. It retails for just under €30 at €28.75 and of course you still have to pay for shipping. That still makes this palette a lot less expensive than many readily available high end brands like Too Faced, Urban Decay or Anastasia Beverly Hills. Not only that, but those brands also don’t have a fun, bright rainbow palette as part of their permanent line. September Rose Cosmetics does and that makes this a unique palette not only for its color story, but it is also a standout palette in terms of quality.

What does this palette have to offer?

Is this a true rainbow palette? Not quite. It is not a traditional rainbow with a red to violet color story. Rather, this palette features different renditions of a variety of bright shades that are loosely based on the colors of the rainbow. It doesn’t contain a true red, or a true indigo blue but it does have a raspberry shade, a neon orange and several greens, blues and variations on purple. While that may be off putting, I found that these shades combine into some stunning looks precisely because they are not based around primary and secondary colors, but have a bit more going for them.

What is the color story like?

What I appreciate about this palette is how each column is pretty much dedicated to a color in a gradient from lighter shades at the top and darker shades at the bottom. From left to right, the colors follow the rough layout of the rainbow. Each column contains at least oneshimmer, but in total the palette favors mattes over shimmers. Out of the 25 shades only 6 are shimmers and everything else is matte. That is still more than most colorful rainbow palettes as most usually don’t even contain any shimmers at all.

How does this palette swatch?

These shades are mostly of a good quality. There are a few dud shades in especially the blue and purple columns. There are a few shades that just don’t really translate that well, while others are complete stunners. So the quality is a bit inconsistent, but 90% of these shades still performs great. The variety in depth you get is great, which means that this palette is surprisingly versatile.

In terms of texture these shades are quite powdery and have a lot of kick up. The shimmers go on well, but perform best if you foil them or apply them with your fingers. The mattes blend easily and create a super stunning diffused look. These shades are easy to build up and not much product is needed in order to get the color pay off you see in the pan or a full on swatch.

3 Looks, 1 Palette

As per usual, I have created some looks using all the shades in the palette. In total I did three looks with this palette which I think are all very successful.

Look 1: Pink & orange

For the first look I paired some of the warm tones in the left side of the palette together. Pinks and oranges mix well and this look is warm, soft and perfect for the summer time. When you see this you immediately understand the name of the palette. This looks reminds me most of a summer time cocktail.

Look 2: Blues & greens

Time for a look that packs a true punch. The blues in this palette, while not all of them swatch well, still combine into a pretty look. That bright blue shimmer is one of the outstanding shades int he palette and blues and greens are always a good idea. The white in the inner corner is perhaps a bit harsh, but I hardly ever use matte whites in looks to begin with.

Look 3: Sunset eyes

And then I had a bunch of shades left: mainly the purples and some oranges and a pink or two. And lo and behold: the result is a stunning sunset eye look. I created a bit of a halo eye with the purple shimmer (another standout shade) on the center of the lid. The pinks and oranges create the prettiest, soft blend along the outer edge and they pair so well with the purples.

My final thoughts

I was pleasantly surprised by this palette. With indie palettes you never really know what you’ll get as there is not the same level of quality control as with major brands that you can buy in store. So the quality is always a bit of an uncertainty. But this had me excited when I started using it. The color story was one I wasn’t sure of at first as it is so bright and not a true rainbow. However, I have found that the quality of these shades is great (save one or two duds), they blend well and create some stunning looks. No true rainbow palette could create this as it would not have enough of the mid tones to create a good diffused blend. This palette, because it focuses on depth and brightness with a touch of shimmer, means that it gives you everything you need to create colorful looks that are easy to throw together.

Would I recommend the September Rose Slush palette?

Yes I would. This is one of the best indie palettes I tried in the past year. It is colorful and therefore great for the spring/ summer season and it is definitely more unique than most standard rainbow palettes. It has a good variety of shades and I can see myself using this a lot more as I can easily see 2 – 3 other looks that I could do with this palette. In short, if you are looking for a colorful, bright eyeshadow palette that is easy to use and gives you lots of options, then the Slush palette gives you just that.

What rainbow palette is your favorite?