I still have one Catrice 5 in a Box palette that I haven’t yet reviewed, so I wanted update you on Blue Smokey Look. I was of course hoping this would be as good as the others. Sadly, I feel this one isn’t my favorite. It is not a bad palette for sure, but it isn’t my favorite either. In this blog post I will try to explain to you why Blue Smokey Look is one of my least favorite Catrice 5 in a Box eyeshadow palettes.
Review: Catrice 5 in a Box 050 Blue Smokey Look
So as the other 5 in a Box palettes, this one is just as affordable. At just €3.99 this line has some of the best shadows for that price point. These palettes beat ELF bite size palettes, or Wet N Wild for me. Even this one, that was just a little less successful for me, I feel quality wise is still better than most very affordable eyeshadows out there. The price point of this palette is great and you still get some great shadows for that price point, it’s just that these shades don’t feel as rich and creamy as the other palettes and I feel the colors aren’t that great.
What does this palette have to offer?
Since this is a 5 in a Box palette, this is styled exactly like the other. It is a 5-pan mini palette that looks like it’s styled after a Natascha Denona mini palette, but these aren’t straight up dupes. Each of these palette are laid out differently. You get 2 shimmers and 3 mattes in a range from light to dark and the shades are all going together perfectly. So these palettes have lots going for them: they are small, affordable and a quick and easy look that is super easy to create too. In other words, this palette does all the work for you.
What is the color story like?
Blue Smokey Look is exactly what the name suggests: a smokey palette featuring a pop of blue. What I dislike about this palette is the fact that the blue is mainly accompanied by greys. I think too many brands think that cool tones need to be grey, which isn’t true. I think a cool toned brown or a navy would have taken this palette to another level and added more interest. Because all you get right now is a bunch of greys and a blue that isn’t stellar. The only thing truly special about this palette? The grey in the middle has a blue undertone.
What does this palette swatch like?
When it comes to quality this palette still has a lot going for it, but it is not as good as the others I tried int he line. Especially the shimmers feel a bit thin and need more building up than in the other palettes. They are still very workable shimmers though, just not as rich and creamy as the other palettes. The mattes are great in this. The lightest one is so light that it barely shows up on my skin. The other two greys have great pigmentation but as you can see in the swatch it’s all a little bit boring when you see all the colors together.
How does this palette apply?
As you can see the palette creates a beautiful cool toned look. The blue is vibrant enough and can be build up but it does look a little bit sheer even if you foil it. The other greys go with it really well and I feel the look comes together nicely. So the shades go together and against my fair skin this works quite well too. I can imagine though that if you have a warm undertone this won’t look the same as it may be too grey toned. I appreciate one of the greys being a bit more blue toned, but I would have liked there to be a different deepest shade.
My final thoughts
I like this Catrice 5 in a Box in Blue Smokey Look, but I don’t love it as much as the others. I feel the color story is very limiting and the shades that bring interest to the palette at first glance just aren’t the best quality. There are still some outstanding shades here, but the quality just isn’t consistent throughout the palette and with just 5 pans I feel each shade should be stellar. Add in the fact that the color story could easily be more effective and I feel this is not a palette I will want to keep around for a long time. It’s pretty, but nothing too special.
Would I recommend the Catrice 5 in a Box Blue Smokey Look eyeshadow palette?
While I didn’t love this one, I think this can still work for many people. It’s still easy to use and pretty much foolproof. So I think this is a great palette for the makeup novice. Also if you have a cool undertone and greys and blues really suit you, this will be a great palette for you. However, I think that most people may not love this one. I think there are other palettes in the line up that are much better quality and just as easy to use.
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