Violet Voss Matte About You Eyeshadow Palette

American indie brand Violet Voss, initially known for their affordable range of false lashes and cosmetic glitters, really came to prominence last year with the release of their liquid lipsticks. Then they released photos of their first ever eyeshadow palette, Holy Grail, on Instagram last spring, and it suddenly became one of the most highly anticipated makeup products on social media. Since then, they've gotten more attention through YouTube, Instagram, and IMATS, and have added a highlighter palette and three more eyeshadow palettes to their repertoire.

Matte About You was released this past April and is the third permanent eyeshadow palette from Violet Voss. It is described as "a matte eyeshadow palette" with "20 highly pigmented shades... Formulated with a selection of high-quality ingredients, blend seamlessly over the eyelids to create bold, long-lasting eye looks." What sets Matte About You apart from Violet Voss' other palette releases is that it only contains matte shades. It is housed in black-to-burgundy holographic packaging with a mirror spanning the entire lid, and has the Violet Voss logo and the name of the palette printed on the front. Each Matte About You Eyeshadow Palette contains a total of 36 grams of product (1.8 grams per shade), and retails for $45 USD. It is available through Violet Voss, Beauty Bay, and some of these other retailers.
Sweetheart, Infatuation, Sweet Talk, Mesmerized, and Mi Amor

Sweetheart is a light warm creamy white in a matte finish. This is a permanent shade. It has a soft, finely-milled texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It can be layered and blended out easily. It is lighter and warmer than Violet Voss Thanks a Latte (Holy Grail), lighter and more matte than MAC Brule, and more yellow than Anastasia Beverly Hills Tempera (Modern Renaissance).

Infatuation is a light-medium warm peachy beige in a matte finish. This is a permanent shade. It has a soft, finely-milled texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It can be layered and blended out easily. It is darker than MAC Orb, darker and more peach than Makeup Geek Vanilla Bean, and more yellowed than Viseart Sable (Neutral Matte).

Sweet Talk is a light-medium warm orange-peach in a matte finish. This is a permanent shade. It has a soft, finely-milled texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It can be layered and blended out easily. It is lighter than Violet Voss Transition (Holy Grail), similar to Makeup Geek Peach Smoothie, and lighter and more orange than Jeffree Star Courtney (Beauty Killer).

Mesmerized is a medium-dark warm rusted orange in a matte finish. This is a permanent shade. It has a soft, finely-milled texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It can be layered and blended out easily. It is darker and more muted than MAC Rule, more orange than MAC Brown Script, and darker and more red than Anastasia Beverly Hills Burnt Orange.

Mi Amor is a deep-dark pitch black in a matte finish. This is a permanent shade. It has a soft, finely-milled texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It can be layered and blended out easily. It is darker than MAC Carbon, and similar to Makeup Geek Corrupt and Urban Decay Blackout.

Mad Love, Crush, Smitten, Heavenly, and Tender

Mad Love is a medium warm peachy brown in a matte finish. This is a permanent shade. It has a soft, finely-milled texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It can be layered and blended out easily. It is lighter and more peachy than Violet Voss Smitten (Matte About You), lighter than Violet Voss Bestie (Holy Grail), and similar to MAC Soft Brown.

Crush is a medium-dark warm rosy brown in a matte finish. This is a permanent edition shade. It has a soft, finely-milled texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It can be layered and blended out easily. It is lighter and more pinked than Violet Voss Heavenly (Matte About You), darker and more rosy than Violet Voss R U Kitten Me (Holy Grail), and similar to MAC Swiss Chocolate.

Smitten is a medium warm caramel brown in a matte finish. This is a permanent shade. It has a soft, finely-milled texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It can be layered and blended out easily. It is darker and warmer than Violet Voss Mad Love (Matte About You), lighter than Violet Voss R U Kitten Me (Holy Grail), and more peach than Violet Voss Bestie (Holy Grail).

Heavenly is a medium-dark muted burnt orange in a matte finish. This is a permanent shade. It has a soft, finely-milled texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It can be layered and blended out easily. It is more orange than Violet Voss Crush (Matte About You), lighter and more orange than Violet Voss Tender (Matte About You), and darker and more brown than Anastasia Beverly Hills Burnt Orange (Modern Renaissance).

Tender is a medium-deep muted reddened brown in a matte finish. This is a permanent shade. It has a soft, finely-milled texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It can be layered and blended out easily. It is darker and more reddened than Violet Voss Heavenly (Matte About You), more brown than Violet Voss Desire (Matte About You), darker than MAC Swiss Chocolate.

Beloved, Adorbs, Yearning, Desire, and Passion

Beloved is a medium cool muted mauve-taupe in a matte finish. This is a permanent shade. It has a soft, finely-milled texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It can be layered and blended out easily. It is similar to MAC Quarry, lighter than Viseart Cendre (Neutral Matte), and more brown than Anastasia Beverly Hills Buon Fresco (Modern Renaissance).

Adorbs is a medium-deep cool mauve-brown in a matte finish. This is a permanent shade. It has a soft, finely-milled texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It can be layered and blended out easily. It is lighter and slightly more mauve than Violet Voss Skylar (Ride or Die), more brown than MAC Blackberry, lighter and slightly more purple than Makeup Geek Vintage.

Yearning is a medium-deep cool brown in a matte finish. This is a permanent shade. It has a soft, finely-milled texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It can be layered and blended out easily. It is cooler than Violet Voss Brownie Points (Holy Grail), warmer and more brown than Violet Voss Thirsty (Matte About You), and slightly lighter than MAC Brun.

Desire is a medium-dark warm terracotta brown in a matte finish. This is a permanent shade. It has a soft, finely-milled texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It can be layered and blended out easily. It is darker and more reddened than Violet Voss Heavenly (Matte About You), more orange than Violet Voss Tender (Matte About You), and and slightly darker than MAC Brown Script.

Passion is a dark warm wine-burgundy in a matte finish. This is a permanent shade. It has a soft, finely-milled texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It is darker and more brown than Violet Voss Wine N Dine (Holy Grail), similar to MAC I'm Into It, and cooler and more pinked than Anastasia Beverly Hills Red Ochre (Modern Renaissance).

Crazy Love, Romantical, Thirsty, Darling, and Sweet

Crazy Love is a medium-dark cool mink brown in a matte finish. This is a permanent shade. It has a soft, finely-milled texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It can be layered and blended out easily. It is cooler than Violet Voss Brownie Points (Holy Grail), more golden than Violet Voss Yearning (Matte About You), and slightly lighter than MAC Charcoal Brown.

Romantical is a medium cool taupe-brown in a matte finish. This is a permanent shade. It has a soft, finely-milled texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It can be layered and blended out easily. It is more brown than Violet Voss Beloved (Matte About You), lighter than MAC Charcoal Brown, and cooler than Anastasia Beverly Hills Warm Taupe (Modern Renaissance).

Thirsty is a medium-dark cool grey-brown in a matte finish. This is a permanent shade. It has a soft, finely-milled texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It can be layered and blended out easily. It is darker and more darker and slightly cooler than Violet Voss Romantical (Matte About You), more grey than MAC Charcoal Brown, and lighter than Makeup Geek Faux Fur.

Darling is a dark neutral coffee brown in a matte finish. This is a permanent shade. It has a soft, finely-milled texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It can be layered and blended out easily. It is more brown than Violet Voss Sweet (Matte About You), darker and slightly warmer than MAC Brun, and darker than Makeup Geek Mocha.

Sweet is a dark neutral plummy brown in a matte finish. This is a permanent shade. It has a soft, finely-milled texture, but goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It is darker and cooler than Violet Voss Teddy Bear (Holy Grail), more plum than Violet Voss Darling (Matte About You), and cooler than Makeup Geek Aphrodite.

Violet Voss has a palette called Holy Grail already, but in my opinion, the Matte About You palette is the real MVP. There is definitely some shade overlap in the Violet Voss palettes, especially in warm tones (if you haven't noticed already, Violet Voss loves the warm tones), but the Matte About You palette is so versatile and includes such a good variety of neutral mattes from warm to cool that you can genuinely work it with anything and on anyone (including brows, too!), making it the perfect palette for both personal and kit use. I also think Violet Voss has improved on their matte formula because every single one of the shades in Matte About You is buttery smooth and blends out like a dream. The mattes in the Holy Grail and the Laura Lee are good, but they're not as finely-milled and silky as these. I even like Matte About You more than Viseart's Neutral Matte palette (regarded as one of the best matte neutral palettes in the industry), which is smaller with less shades and double the price. I have literally used this palette every single day since I got it a couple months ago, whether alone or in conjunction with other palettes or pigments, and nothing in terms of shade range, texture, and price can beat it (Morphe is decent as well, and their prices really can't be beat for the quality you get, but I still find the shade range in the Matte About You to be more comprehensive). I just hope that Violet Voss gets picked up by a bigger distributor one day so that those of us outside of the US can get easier access to their products.

Violet Voss Highlighting Powders Palette

American indie brand Violet Voss, initially known for their affordable range of false lashes and cosmetic glitters, really came to prominence last year with the release of their liquid lipsticks. Then they released photos of their first ever eyeshadow palette, Holy Grail, on Instagram last spring, and it suddenly became one of the most highly anticipated makeup products on social media. Since then, they've gotten more attention through YouTube, Instagram, and IMATS, and have added a highlighter palette and two more eyeshadow palettes to their repertoire.

The Highlighting Powders Palette was initially released last May and is currently the only face product from Violet Voss. It is described as "a travel-friendly palette that features three iridescent hues that are ideal for strobing the complexion. Housed within a mirrored compact, [this] highlighter trio glides smoothly onto the skin and blends to a seamless finish. The lightweight formulation boasts longevity and high colour pay-off." It is housed in black cardstock packaging with a mirror spanning the entire lid, and has the Violet Voss logo and the name of the palette printed on the front. Each Highlighting Powders Palette contains a total of 12 grams of product (4 grams per shade), and retails for $25 USD. It is available through Violet Voss, Beauty Bay, Glamsaidey, and some of these other retailers.
Moon Gleam, Star Glow, and Unicorn Luster

Moon Gleam is a light warm champagne beige in a metallic finish. This is a permanent shade. It has a soft, finely-milled, almost buttery texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It is slightly darker than MAC Double-Gleam, warmer and more metallic than MAC Lightscapade, slightly more golden than Makeup Geek Lit, and similar though less metallic than Becca Moonstone.

Star Glow is a light-medium warm peachy gold in a metallic finish. This is a permanent shade. It has a soft, finely-milled, almost buttery texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It is lighter than MAC Global Glow, darker and more peach than MAC Beaming Blush, darker than Makeup Geek Midnight Sun, and darker and less metallic than Becca Champagne Pop.

Unicorn Luster is a light-medium warm pinked tawny gold in a metallic finish. This is a permanent shade. It has a soft, finely-milled texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It is darker and warmer than MAC Soft and Gentle, warmer and more golden than Makeup Geek Luster, lighter and more golden than Becca Rose Gold, and similar though less metallic than Becca Opal.

Violet Voss' eyeshadowpalettes have gotten a lot of hype and attention over the past year, but this highlighter palette just seemed to miss the radar, which is really unfortunate because they are just as soft and finely-milled and smooth and pigmented as many other very popular highlighting formulas out there (like Anastasia Beverly Hills' GlowKits or Makeup Geek's new highlighters). Maybe it's the mundane packaging (which is really quite lackadaisical) but inside holds three gorgeous shades that will work on all complexions, and apply beautifully while leaving a most stunning glow. It actually reminds me a lot of Makeup Geek's Kathleen Lights Highlighting Palette, down to the shades and the square pans, but without the YouTuber collaboration and fancier chevron patterned design. These shades aren't the most unique in the highlighting world (which is becoming really, really vast) so definitely check your stash for dupes, but if you're looking for a nice, widely flattering highlighting palette that won't break the bank (and is excellent for travel!), this one's definitely worth taking a look at.

Violet Voss Holy Grail Eyeshadow Palette

American indie brand Violet Voss, initially known for their affordable range of false lashes and cosmetic glitters, really came to prominence last year with the release of their liquid lipsticks. Then they released photos of their first ever eyeshadow palette, Holy Grail, on Instagram last spring, and it suddenly became one of the most highly anticipated makeup products on social media. Since then, they've gotten more attention through YouTube, Instagram, and IMATS, and have added a highlighter palette and two more eyeshadow palettes to their repertoire.

The Holy Grail Eyeshadow Palette was initially released last March and is the first permanent palette from Violet Voss. It is described as "a twenty shade eyeshadow palette that features a range of finishes. Travel-friendly and housed within a protective case, Holy Grail Eyeshadow Palette contains brown, metallic and pink-toned hues that offer true opacity and buildable coverage. The blendable, lightweight formula boasts longevity and glides seamlessly onto the skin without settling into the crevices or fine lines." What sets Holy Grail apart from Violet Voss' other palette releases is that it only contains warm shades. It is housed in black-to-burgundy holographic packaging with a mirror spanning the entire lid, and has the Violet Voss logo and the name of the palette printed on the front. Each Holy Grail Eyeshadow Palette contains a total of 36 grams of product (1.8 grams per shade), and retails for $45 USD. It is available through Violet Voss, Beauty Bay, Glamsaidey, and some of these other retailers.
Crystal, Ploof, Thanks A Latte, Transition, and Hashtag

Crystal is a pale warm icy champagne in a frosted finish. This is a permanent shade. It has a soft, finely-milled texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It can be layered and blended out easily. It is similar to MAC Dazzlelight, less yellow than MAC Nylon, and more yellow than Anastasia Beverly Hills Vermeer.

Ploof is a light warm peachy beige in a frosted finish. This is a permanent shade. It has a soft, finely-milled texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It can be layered and blended out easily. It is lighter and more beige than Violet Voss Tickled Pink, similar to MAC Jest, and lighter than MAC All That Glitters.

Thanks A Latte is a light warm beige in a matte finish. This is a permanent shade. It has a soft, finely-milled texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It can be layered and blended out easily. It is more yellow than MAC Orb, similar to MAC Brule, and similar to Makeup Geek Vanilla Bean.

Transition is a medium warm muted peach in a matte finish. This is a permanent shade. It has a soft, finely-milled texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It can be layered and blended out easily. It is more brown than Violet Voss Priss Pot, more peach than MAC Soft Brown, and more peach than Makeup Geek Creme Brulée.

Hashtag is a medium-dark warm brightened pumpkin orange in a matte finish. This is a permanent shade. It has a soft, finely-milled texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It can be layered and blended out easily. It is slightly darker than Violet Voss Mama Bird, slightly less reddened than Violet Voss Raga Muffin, and similar to MAC Rule.

Awesome Sauce, Bestie, Toffee, Chill, and How U Doin

Awesome Sauce is a medium warm muted peachy copper in a frosted finish. This is a permanent shade. It has a soft, finely-milled texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It can be layered and blended out easily. It is more gold than MAC Expensive Pink, more peach than MAC Amber Lights, and more peach than Too Faced Caramel.

Bestie is a medium warm peachy brown in a matte finish. This is a permanent edition shade. It has a soft, finely-milled texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It can be layered and blended out easily. It is more brown than Violet Voss Transition, lighter than Violet Voss R U Kitten Me, and similar to MAC Soft Brown.

Toffee is a medium warm amber gold in a metallic finish. This is a permanent edition shade. It has a soft, buttery texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It can be layered and blended out easily. It is similar to Violet Voss Hissy Fit, more yellow than MAC Amber Lights, and darker and more peach than Ardency Inn Copper.

Chill is a medium muted peachy gold in a frosted finish. This is a permanent shade. It has a soft, finely-milled texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It can be layered and blended out easily. It is more muted and less metallic than Violet Voss Toffee, lighter and more gold than Violet Voss Awesome Sauce, and more muted and less metallic than MAC Amber Lights.

How U Doin is a medium muted orangey copper in a frosted finish. This is a permanent shade. It has a soft, finely-milled texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It can be layered and blended out easily. It is more brown and less metallic than Violet Voss 1988, lighter and more gold than Violet Voss On Fleek, and darker and more copper than MAC Amber Lights.

Bat My Eyes, Cool Beans, R U Kitten Me, So Jelly, and On Fleek

Bat My Eyes is a medium-dark warm bronze in a frosted finish. This is a permanent shade. It has a soft, finely-milled texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It can be layered and blended out easily. It is similar to MAC Bronze, warmer than MAC Havana, and similar to Too Faced Caramelized.

Cool Beans is a medium warm rose gold in a metallic finish. This is a permanent shade. It has a soft, buttery texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It can be layered and blended out easily. It is darker and more metallic than Violet Voss Chill, darker and more brown than MAC All That Glitters, lighter and more gold than Ardency Inn Rose Gold.

R U Kitten Me is a medium-dark warm peachy brown in a matte finish. This is a permanent shade. It has a soft, finely-milled texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It can be layered and blended out easily. It is similar to MAC Texture, lighter and more peach than MAC Saddle, and lighter than Too Faced Puree.

So Jelly is a light-medium warm rose pink in a frosted finish. This is a permanent shade. It has a soft, finely-milled texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It can be layered and blended out easily. It is lighter and warmer than MAC Da Bling, brighter and more frosted than MAC Girlie, and lighter and brighter than Makeup Geek Cinderella.

On Fleek is a medium-dark warm pinked copper in a metallic finish. This is a permanent shade. It has a soft, buttery texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It is more pink than Violet Voss 1988, brighter and more pink than Violet Voss How U Doin, and more metallic than MAC Coppering.

Brownie Points, Teddy Bear, Glamping, Cranberry Splash, and Wine N Dine

Brownie Points is a medium-deep warm chocolate brown in a matte finish. This is a permanent shade. It has a soft, finely-milled texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It can be layered and blended out easily. It is similar to Violet Voss Wiskers, lighter and cooler than Violet Voss Teddy Bear, and similar to MAC Brown Down.

Teddy Bear is a dark warm reddened brown in a matte finish. This is a permanent shade. It has a soft, finely-milled texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It can be layered and blended out easily. It is darker and more reddened than Violet Voss Brownie Points and Wiskers, and similar to MAC Embark, 

Glamping is a medium-deep warm terracotta bronze in a metallic finish. This is a permanent shade. It has a soft, buttery texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It can be layered and blended out easily. It is darker and more brown than Violet Voss Bitty, and more reddened than MAC Antiqued and Amorous Alloy. 

Cranberry Splash is a medium-dark warm muted pinked cranberry in a metallic finish. This is a permanent shade. It has a soft, buttery texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It can be layered and blended out easily. It is brighter and more pink than Violet Voss Rammer Jammer, brighter than Violet Voss Forbidden, and brighter and more pink than MAC Cranberry.

Wine N Dine is a medium-deep warm brightened warm wine red in a matte finish. This is a permanent shade. It has a slightly drier, stiffer texture, but goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It is lighter and warmer than Anastasia Beverly Hills Love Letter, brighter than Anastasia Beverly Hills Venetian Red, and darker and more red than MAC Passionate.

For those who love their warm shades, this could very well be your holy grail palette. I mean, naming a palette as such is a little presumptuous and holds high expectations for anyone who buys it, but I gotta say, it's well-curated and the quality is there. As with the Laura Lee and Drenched Metal palettes, every single one of these shades is smooth like butter and gives off rich, pigmented colour pay-off. If there's one thing Violet Voss is good at, it's consistency. There's an excellent mix of finishes, as well as light to dark shades, and muted to vibrant hues. It's a true warm palette, covering everything from gold to orange to red, and not just your standard peachy brown shades. And you can create full, gorgeous, multi-faceted looks with this palette without needing to dip into other palettes. Fans of Anastasia Beverly Hills' Modern Renaissance and Morphe's 35O will love this. That having been said, each individual shade in this palette has plenty of dupes, so you'll have to look into your own stash to see if your dupes outweigh the more unique shades this palette has to offer you. Fair warning, though: it is a highly sought-after palette and is consistently sold out through all Violet Voss retailers. The next re-stock estimate from the Violet Voss website is currently for April. It took me about four months of religiously stalking their site to finally get my hands on one, but you know what? I thought it was worth the wait.

Violet Voss Drenched Metal Eyeshadow Palette

American indie brand Violet Voss, initially known for their affordable range of false lashes and cosmetic glitters, really came to prominence last year with the release of their liquid lipsticks. Then they released photos of their first ever eyeshadow palette, Holy Grail, on Instagram last spring, and it suddenly became one of the most highly anticipated makeup products on social media. Since then, they've gotten more attention through YouTube, Instagram, and IMATS, and have added a highlighter palette and two more eyeshadow palettes to their repertoire.

The Drenched Metal Eyeshadow Palette was initially released last May and is technically limited edition, though it is still available as of this post going up through several retailers, including Beauty Bay and Glamsaidey. It contains 20 shades of eyeshadow in "nineteen metallic hues and one matte nude base colour that can be used to create an array of dimensional styles and looks. The blendable consistency works smoothly over the skin and boasts longevity without fading or becoming heavy." It is housed in black cardboard packaging with a mirror spanning the entire lid, and has the Violet Voss logo and the name of the palette printed on the front. Each Drenched Metal Eyeshadow Palette contains a total of 36 grams of product (1.8 grams per shade), and retails for $42 USD.
Poppin, Kisses, Confession, Crushed It, and Secret

Poppin is a pale cool icy pink in a frosted finish. This is a new and limited edition shade. It has a soft, finely-milled texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It can be layered and blended out easily. It is lighter and cooler than Violet Voss Ploof, a little more pink than MAC Phloof!, and similar to Jeffree Star Princess.

Kisses is a light warm champagne pink in a frosted finish. This is a new and limited edition shade. It has a soft, finely-milled texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It can be layered and blended out easily. It is more pink than Violet Voss Tickled Pink, more pink than MAC Naked Lunch, and lighter and more pink than MAC All That Glitters.

Confession is a light-medium warm rose pink with gold-peach pearl in a frosted finish. This is a new and limited edition shade. It has a soft, finely-milled texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It can be layered and blended out easily. It is lighter and more muted than Violet Voss So Jelly, brighter and more pink than MAC Expensive Pink, and brighter and warmer than Makeup Geek Cinderella.

Crushed It is a medium warm peachy bronze in a frosted finish. This is a new and limited edition shade. It has a soft, finely-milled texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It can be layered and blended out easily. It is smoother and less sparkly than MAC Honey Lust, lighter and warmer than Anastasia Beverly Hills Belize, and more peach than Too Faced Luscious.

Secret is a medium-dark warm peachy brown in a matte finish. This is a new and limited edition shade. It has a soft, finely-milled texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It can be layered and blended out easily. It is a bit peachier than Violet Voss Transition, darker than MAC Soft Brown, and lighter than MAC Saddle.

I'm So Fancy, Mermaid Vixen, Grunge, Minx, and Squad Goals

I'm So Fancy is a medium vibrant cool turquoise blue in a metallic finish. This is a new and limited edition shade. It has a soft, finely-milled texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It can be layered and blended out easily. It is brighter and more metallic than MAC Teal Appeal, darker and more metallic than Makeup Geek Poolside, and brighter and more metallic than Urban Decay Haight.

Mermaid Vixen is a medium-dark muted peacock blue with teal-green pearl in a metallic finish. This is a new and limited edition shade. It has a soft, buttery texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It can be layered and blended out easily. It is more green than MAC Teal Appeal, more muted and more metallic than Makeup Geek Shark Bait, and darker and more green than Urban Decay Haight.

Grunge is a medium warm khaki brown in a metallic finish. This is a new and limited edition shade. It has a soft, finely-milled texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It can be layered and blended out easily. It is warmer than Violet Voss Yoshi, cooler than MAC Woodwinked, and slightly lighter than Anastasia Beverly Hills Chiffon.

Minx is a medium gilded bronze in a metallic finish. This is a new and limited edition shade. It has a soft, buttery texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It can be layered and blended out easily. It is cooler than Violet Voss Chill, darker and more bronze than MAC All That Glitters, similar to Too Faced Molasses Chip.

Squad Goals is a medium peachy gold in a metallic finish. This is a new and limited edition shade. It has a soft, buttery texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It can be layered and blended out easily. It is slightly peachier than Violet Voss Chill, less metallic than Violet Voss Toffee, and more peach than MAC Amber Lights.

Frisky, Dark Desires, Slaycation, Come Thru, and Livin

Frisky is a medium-deep cool cobalt blue in a metallic finish. This is a new and limited edition shade. It has a soft, finely-milled texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It can be layered and blended out easily. It is brighter than MAC Deep Truth, cooler and less purple than Anastasia Beverly Hills Star Cobalt, and similar to Urban Decay Evidence.

Dark Desires is a medium-deep cool royal purple in a metallic finish. This is a new and limited edition shade. It has a soft, finely-milled texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It can be layered and blended out easily. It is darker than MAC Parfait Amour, darker than Makeup Geek Caitlyn Rose, and warmer than Makeup Geek Plot Twist.

Slaycation is a medium-dark warm mahogany brown with green-teal pearl in a frosted finish. This is a new and limited edition shade. It has a soft, finely-milled texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It can be layered and blended out easily. It is similar to MAC Club, more muted and more brown than Anastasia Beverly Hills Peacock, and more muted and more brown than Make Up For Ever ME302 Peacock.

Come Thru is a light yellow gold in a frosted finish. This is a new and limited edition shade. It has a soft, finely-milled texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It can be layered and blended out easily. It is brighter and more metallic than Violet Voss Sugah, brighter and more metallic than MAC Ricepaper, and less metallic than Makeup Geek Magic Act.

Livin is a medium warm orange copper in a frosted finish. This is a new and limited edition shade. It has a soft, buttery texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It is similar to Violet Voss How U Doin, more muted and more brown than Violet Voss On Fleek, and more muted than MAC Coppering.

Shade, Bliss, Huntress, Forbidden, and Midnight Tryst

Shade is a medium-dark cool grey-taupe in a metallic finish. This is a new and limited edition shade. It has a soft, finely-milled texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It can be layered and blended out easily. It is lighter and more grey than MAC Satin Taupe, darker and more taupe than MAC Silver Ring, and slightly more grey than Make Up For Ever ME554 Gunmetal.

Bliss is a medium cool antiqued gold-olive in a metallic finish. This is a new and limited edition shade. It has a soft, finely-milled texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It can be layered and blended out easily. It is cooler than MAC Sea Worship, warmer than Makeup Geek Charmed, and more green than Ardency Inn Heaven.

Huntress is a medium-deep warm copper bronze in a metallic finish. This is a new and limited edition shade. It has a soft, finely-milled texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It can be layered and blended out easily.  It is darker and more reddened than Violet Voss Bat My Eyes, less reddened than MAC Antiqued, and lighter and less reddened than Makeup Geek Showtime.

Forbidden is a medium-dark warm burgundy red in a metallic finish. This is a new and limited edition shade. It has a soft, buttery texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It can be layered and blended out easily. It is more muted than Violet Voss Cranberry Splash, slightly more pinked than Violet Voss Glamping, and similar to MAC Cranberry.

Midnight Tryst is a deep-dark neutral muted black in a satin-matte finish. This is a new and limited edition shade. It has a slightly drier, stiffer texture, but goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It is slightly darker than Violet Voss Midnight Tryst, slightly warmer than MAC Carbon, and more muted than Makeup Geek Corrupt.

Every single one of these shades is smooth like butter and gives off rich, pigmented colour pay-off. There are two matte shades — Secret, the perfect transition shade, and Midnight Tryst, a dense soft black ideal for smoking out — that round off the palette nicely. For those griping that this palette doesn't have enough mattes, note that this palette is called Drenched Metal for a reason. It is meant to be metallic. You probably will need to dip into a couple of other matte shades for the crease to create more dimensional looks; you can create a multitude of looks with this palette alone, but I think this was created as more of a companion palette than a standalone. Also note that this palette is for those who love wearing colour. It has an excellent mix of light and dark shades, muted and bright hues, and warm and cool tones to suit every mood. If you're someone who likes to stick with neutrals or warm tones, you're better off with Violet Voss' Holy Grail or Laura Lee palettes. But if you love playing with colour and love smooth, creamy metallics, the Drenched Metal palette is gonna be your best friend.

Violet Voss x Laura Lee Eyeshadow Palette

American indie brand Violet Voss, initially known for their affordable range of false lashes and cosmetic glitters, really came to prominence last year with the release of their liquid lipsticks. Then they released photos of their first ever eyeshadow palette, Holy Grail, on Instagram last spring, and it suddenly became one of the most highly anticipated makeup products on social media. Since then, they've gotten more attention through YouTube, Instagram, and IMATS, and have added a highlighter palette and two more eyeshadow palettes to their repertoire, including this collaboration with popular beauty vlogger and YouTuber Laura Lee. 

This palette, curated by Laura Lee and produced by Violet Voss, was initially released last June and is limited edition, though it is still available as of this post going up through Violet Voss, Beauty Bay, Ricky's NYC, and these other official retailers. It contains 20 shades of eyeshadow in "a variety of both matte and shimmer finishes that are all ultra-blendable and super velvety. Influenced by Laura Lee's love for everything sass, the collection provides shades for all occasions, allowing you to go from neutral to smoky in minutes." I have the older version of this palette, which is housed in black cardboard packaging; Violet Voss just re-designed all of their palettes with thicker, sturdier holographic card stock. Both versions have the Violet Voss logo printed on the front and contains a mirror spanning the entire lid. Each Laura Lee Eyeshadow Palette contains a total of 36 grams of product (1.8 grams per shade), and retails for $45 USD.
Basic, Sugah, Priss Pot, Mama Bird, and Raga Muffin

Basic is a pale warm cream in a matte finish. This is a new and limited edition shade. It has a soft, finely-milled texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It can be layered and blended out easily. It is similar to MAC Blanc Type, less peach than Anastasia Beverly Hills Tempera, and lighter than Makeup Geek Vanilla Bean.

Sugah is a light warm yellow champagne-gold in a frosted finish. This is a new and limited edition shade. It has a soft, finely-milled texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It can be layered and blended out easily. It is brighter than MAC Ricepaper, more golden than MAC Dazzlelight, and more muted than Makeup Geek Rapunzel.

Priss Pot is a light-medium warm muted golden peach in a matte finish. This is a new and limited edition shade. It has a soft, finely-milled texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It can be layered and blended out easily. It is more muted and more matte than MAC Up at Dawn, more yellow than Makeup Geek Peach Smoothie, and lighter and more muted than Makeup Geek Chickadee.

Mama Bird is a medium warm muted burnt orange in a matte finish. This is a new and limited edition shade. It has a soft, finely-milled texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It can be layered and blended out easily. It is lighter and more orange than MAC Texture, lighter than Anastasia Beverly Hills Burnt Orange, and more brown than Makeup Geek Early Bird.

Raga Muffin is a medium-dark warm reddened orange in a matte finish. This is a new and limited edition shade. It has a soft, finely-milled texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It can be layered and blended out easily. It is more orange than MAC Saddle, similar to Anastasia Beverly Hills Burnt Orange, and brighter and more orange than Makeup Geek Sidekick.

Larlee, Tickled Pink, Hissy Fit, Bitty, and 1988

Larlee is a light warm champagne with peach-pink duochrome in a frosted finish. This is a new and limited edition shade. It has a soft, finely-milled texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It can be layered and blended out easily. It is lighter than MAC Motif, lighter than Makeup Geek I'm Peachless, and more peach than Makeup Geek Voltage.

Tickled Pink is a light warm gilded peachy pink in a foiled metallic finish. This is a new and limited edition shade. It has a soft, buttery texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It can be layered and blended out easily. It is brighter than MAC Jest, similar to Makeup Geek In the Spotlight, and warmer than Makeup Geek Nostalgic.

Hissy Fit is a medium warm golden bronze with gold iridescent shimmer in a foiled metallic finish. This is a new and limited edition shade. It has a soft, finely-milled texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It can be layered and blended out easily. It is warmer than Violet Voss Toffee, slightly darker than MAC Amber Lights, and more gold than Makeup Geek Grandstand.

Bitty is a medium-dark warm copper bronze with copper and gold iridescent shimmer in a foiled metallic finish. This is a new and limited edition shade. It has a soft, buttery texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It can be layered and blended out easily. It is more brown than Violet Voss On Fleek, more bronze than MAC Coppering, and lighter and more orange than Anastasia Beverly Hills Cognac.

1988 is a medium warm reddened copper with pink and gold iridescent shimmer in a foiled metallic finish. This is a new and limited edition shade. It has a soft, buttery texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It can be layered and blended out easily. It is lighter than Violet Voss On Fleek, lighter and more muted than MAC Coppering, and lighter than Anastasia Beverly Hills Henna.

Fleeky, Britches, Fried, Yoshi, and Rammer Jammer

Fleeky is a light warm vibrant yellow gold in a frosted finish. This is a new and limited edition shade. It has a soft, finely-milled texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It can be layered and blended out easily. It is similar to MAC Goldmine, brighter than Makeup Geek Gold Digger.

Britches is a medium-dark warm fawn brown in a matte finish. This is a new and limited edition shade. It has a soft, finely-milled texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It can be layered and blended out easily. It is cooler than Violet Voss Bestie, lighter and cooler than Violet Voss R U Kitten Me, and warmer than MAC Wedge.

Fried is a medium-dark warm golden camel brown in a matte finish. This is a new and limited edition shade. It has a soft, finely-milled texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It can be layered and blended out easily.  It is more golden than MAC Charcoal Brown, cooler than Makeup Geek Desert Sands, and cooler than Makeup Geek Tiki Hut.

Yoshi is a medium cool khaki brown with with green-grey duochrome in a frosted finish. This is a new and limited edition shade. It has a soft, finely-milled texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It can be layered and blended out easily. It is cooler and more grey than Violet Voss Minx, lighter and more brown than Violet Voss Bliss, and lighter and cooler than Makeup Geek Ritzy.

Rammer Jammer is a medium-dark warm reddened cranberry in a metallic finish. This is a new and limited edition shade. It has a soft, buttery texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It is slightly more brown than Violet Voss Cranberry Splash, similar to MAC Cranberry, and darker and more red than Makeup Geek Roulette.

Alabama, Wiskers, Bubs, Smashlee, and Lou

Alabama is a medium-dark warm reddened brown in a matte finish. This is a new and limited edition shade. It has a soft, finely-milled texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It can be layered and blended out easily. It is more reddened than Violet Voss Brownie Points, similar to MAC Swiss Chocolate, and slightly less reddened than Makeup Geek Cocoa Bear.

Wiskers is a medium-deep warm chocolate brown in a matte finish. This is a new and limited edition shade. It has a soft, finely-milled texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It can be layered and blended out easily. It is slightly more reddened than Violet Voss Brownie Points, lighter than Violet Voss Teddy Bear, and slightly lighter than MAC Embark.

Bubs is a dark cool espresso brown in a matte finish. This is a new and limited edition shade. It has a soft, finely-milled texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It can be layered and blended out easily.  It is warmer than MAC Brun, darker and cooler than MAC Embark, and cooler than Makeup Geek Americano.

Smashlee is a medium-dark cool brightened teal with gold iridescent shimmer in a foiled metallic finish. This is a new and limited edition shade. It has a soft, buttery texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It can be layered and blended out easily. It is warmer and more muted than Violet Voss I'm So Fancy, brighter and more blue than Violet Voss Mermaid Vixen, and darker and more metallic than MAC Steamy.

Lou is a deep-dark cool muted black with a soft sheen in a satin-matte finish. This is a new and limited edition shade. It has a soft, finely-milled texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It is lighter and more muted than Violet Voss Midnight Tryst, warmer than MAC Carbon, and lighter and more muted than Makeup Geek Corrupt.

I watched a review on this palette from last summer on YouTube wherein the reviewer blatantly said the mattes in this palette "suck," and after having used this palette for a couple months now, I've got to respectfully disagree. It's sad because this video review got hundreds of thousands of views and convinced a lot of people who had never touched or seen the palette in person before that it wasn't worth buying. Now, it's entirely possible that Violet Voss had re-formulated their shadows in the last six months (the palette originally launched last June and I bought mine in November), but the Laura Lee palette that I have performs phenomenally. I found that all the matte shades in this palette are smooth, pigmented, and easy to blend out. As a makeup artist who wears eyeshadow everyday and applies eyeshadow on other people everyday, I didn't find a single dud here — and yes, I did try all of them with brushes on my eyelids and with my fingers in arm swatches. They don't have quite the density as the mattes in the Anastasia Beverly Hills Modern Renaissance Palette (which I maintain has some of the best matte eyeshadows I have ever used in my life), but they all give rich colour pay-off and have a silky, finely-milled texture.

That having been said, what really stands out for me in this palette are the metallic shades — Tickled Pink, Hissy Fit, Bitty, 1988, and Smashlee — that have the softest, most buttery texture, incredible pigmentation, dimensional foiled finish, and saturated colour pay-off. It's almost worth paying the $45 USD price tag (plus the conversion rate, sales tax, and possible duties if you're not American) for those five shades alone. The palette as a whole definitely leans on the warm side, though there are several cooler shades to keep the palette more well-rounded, and there is an excellent mix of finishes to create a multitude of dimensional eye looks. (Also, the names of the shades — personally chosen by Laura Lee, who is an Alabama native — totally reminds me of Hart of Dixie, which was a serious guilty pleasure of mine until it was cancelled, so I find them particularly endearing.) As someone who doesn't have a bias to either the Violet Voss brand or Laura Lee the YouTuber, I've gotta say: the Violet Voss x Laura Lee palette really lives up to all the hype.