ColourPop Ballad Eyeshadow Palette Review & Swatches
Ballad
ColourPop Ballad 5-Pan Pressed Powder Palette ($10.00 for 0.15 oz.) is a new palette that contains one true matte, two sparkle mattes, and two shimmers. The color story worked as a standalone palette as there was a mix of depths and finishes at a high-level, though it may require one to bring in preferred transition shades.
I felt that Novel was particularly warm-toned and should have been more neutral-toned or cool-toned to suit the rest of the palette. The quality was decent, and as long as one doesn’t mind the fallout and imprecision of the brand’s sparkly mattes, I imagine it would live up to expectations. If those are deal-breakers, this palette includes two of them!
Ballad
LELimited Edition. $10.00.
Novel (Ballad)
Novel (Ballad) is a very light peach with warmer undertones and a metallic sheen. The consistency was slightly drier with a tendency for the shimmer to separate a bit from the base, so there was light fallout during blending. It had opaque color coverage that sheered out to more semi-opaque pigmentation, so I’d recommend using a dampened brush to work with this shade. There were signs of wear after seven and a half hours.
FURTHER READING: Formula Overview for details on general performance and characteristics (like scent).
Top Dupes
- Jouer Champagne (LE, ) is less shimmery, darker (95% similar).
- Tarina Tarantino Fantastical #3 (DC, ) is less shimmery (90% similar).
- Morphe Beam (LE, ) is less shimmery, darker (90% similar).
- theBalm High Tide (LE, $16.00) is less shimmery, darker (90% similar).
- MAC Diamond Butterfly (LE, $17.00) is brighter (90% similar).
- LORAC Dream It (LE, $19.00) is less shimmery, darker (90% similar).
- Viseart Bijoux Royal #2 (LE, ) is less shimmery, darker (90% similar).
- Sydney Grace Bailey's Bliss (P, $6.25) is more shimmery, darker (90% similar).
- Lethal Cosmetics Nymph (P, $6.00) is darker (90% similar).
- LORAC Whisper (PiP, ) is darker, cooler (90% similar).
Formula Overview
$4.50/0.05 oz. - $90.00 Per Ounce
The new Pressed Powder Shadow formula is supposed to be “highly pigmented” with an “ultra-velvety and silky” texture that is “long-wearing” and “adheres easily to the eyes.” Most of the shades have semi-opaque to opaque pigmentation that applies well to bare skin, blends out without issue, and lasts for seven to eight hours.
The matte eyeshadows tend to be a little more powdery, though soft and finely-milled, in the pan, while the shimmers have a creamier, dense consistency. Occasionally, the more sparkly or metallic shades apply better with fingertips or a dampened brush.
Browse all of our ColourPop Pressed Powder Shadow swatches.
Novel (Ballad)
LELimited Edition. $4.50.
Epic
Epic is a medium beige with muted, slightly warm undertones and a matte finish. It had opaque pigmentation with a soft, blendable consistency that was more velvety, though still a little powdery in the pan. It wore well for seven and a half hours before fading noticeably.
FURTHER READING: Formula Overview for details on general performance and characteristics (like scent).
Top Dupes
- ColourPop That Way (LE, $4.50) is lighter, warmer (90% similar).
- ColourPop Friend Owl (LE, $4.50) is darker, warmer (90% similar).
- MAC Frankly Frosty (PiP, $17.00) is cooler (90% similar).
- ColourPop Bucket List (PiP, $4.50) is warmer (90% similar).
- L'Oreal Café au Lait (P, $5.99) is more shimmery, darker (90% similar).
- KVD Beauty Lazarus (PiP, ) is darker, warmer (90% similar).
- Lisa Eldridge French Grey (P, $16.00) is more shimmery, warmer (90% similar).
- Buxom Trendsetter (LE, $12.00) is darker (90% similar).
- MAC Power Mode (PiP, ) is darker (90% similar).
- MAC Fogged In (LE, $17.00) is darker (90% similar).
Formula Overview
$4.50/0.05 oz. - $90.00 Per Ounce
The new Pressed Powder Shadow formula is supposed to be “highly pigmented” with an “ultra-velvety and silky” texture that is “long-wearing” and “adheres easily to the eyes.” Most of the shades have semi-opaque to opaque pigmentation that applies well to bare skin, blends out without issue, and lasts for seven to eight hours.
The matte eyeshadows tend to be a little more powdery, though soft and finely-milled, in the pan, while the shimmers have a creamier, dense consistency. Occasionally, the more sparkly or metallic shades apply better with fingertips or a dampened brush.
Browse all of our ColourPop Pressed Powder Shadow swatches.
Epic
LELimited Edition. $4.50.
Drama
Drama is a light-medium taupe with cooler undertones and slightly warmer, more olive metallic sheen. It had rich color coverage with a smooth, moderately dense texture that was soft without being powdery, so it had good adhesion to bare skin but blended out well along the edges. It stayed on nicely for eight hours before fading visibly.
FURTHER READING: Formula Overview for details on general performance and characteristics (like scent).
Top Dupes
- Viseart Ballad (PiP, ) is less shimmery, darker (90% similar).
- Natasha Denona Industrial (45M) (PiP, $29.00) is darker, cooler (90% similar).
- KVD Beauty Darling (LE, ) is darker (90% similar).
- Natasha Denona Glam (329M) (PiP, $29.00) is darker, cooler (90% similar).
- Give Me Glow Nirvana (PiP, $7.00) is darker (90% similar).
- Natasha Denona Stripped (337M) (PiP, $29.00) is darker, cooler (90% similar).
- Dose of Colors Slinky (P, $20.00) is darker, cooler (85% similar).
- LORAC Time Keeper (LE, $19.00) is less shimmery, lighter, warmer (85% similar).
- Giorgio Armani Halo (46) (P, $30.00) is less shimmery, warmer (85% similar).
- NARS Stud (LE, $25.00) is warmer (85% similar).
Formula Overview
$4.50/0.05 oz. - $90.00 Per Ounce
The new Pressed Powder Shadow formula is supposed to be “highly pigmented” with an “ultra-velvety and silky” texture that is “long-wearing” and “adheres easily to the eyes.” Most of the shades have semi-opaque to opaque pigmentation that applies well to bare skin, blends out without issue, and lasts for seven to eight hours.
The matte eyeshadows tend to be a little more powdery, though soft and finely-milled, in the pan, while the shimmers have a creamier, dense consistency. Occasionally, the more sparkly or metallic shades apply better with fingertips or a dampened brush.
Browse all of our ColourPop Pressed Powder Shadow swatches.
Drama
LELimited Edition. $4.50.
Fate
Fate is a medium-dark, purple-taupe with cooler undertones and faint sparkle over a more matte finish. It had mostly opaque, buildable pigmentation with a lightly powdery texture that was slightly thin. There was light fallout during blending, and it was hard to keep the sparkles in place, so they tended to diffuse over other areas of the eye. It lasted decently for seven and a half hours before fading a bit.
FURTHER READING: Formula Overview for details on general performance and characteristics (like scent).
Top Dupes
- Makeup Atelier Natural Chestnut #5 (P, ) is less shimmery, darker (90% similar).
- Smashbox Haze (PiP, ) is less shimmery, darker (90% similar).
- LORAC Silent Mary (LE, $19.00) is less shimmery, lighter (90% similar).
- Marc Jacobs Beauty Moment-o (590) (LE, $29.00) is less shimmery, cooler (90% similar).
- KVD Beauty Smoke (Base) (PiP, ) is less shimmery, lighter, cooler (90% similar).
- Urban Decay Password (PiP, $19.00) is less shimmery (90% similar).
- Marc Jacobs Beauty About Last Night No. 15 (LE, ) is less shimmery, lighter, cooler (90% similar).
- Smashbox Punked (PiP, ) is less shimmery, darker (90% similar).
- MAC Copperplate (DC, $17.00) is less shimmery, lighter, cooler (90% similar).
- ColourPop Girl Crush (LE, $6.00) is less shimmery, lighter, cooler (85% similar).
Formula Overview
$4.50/0.05 oz. - $90.00 Per Ounce
The new Pressed Powder Shadow formula is supposed to be “highly pigmented” with an “ultra-velvety and silky” texture that is “long-wearing” and “adheres easily to the eyes.” Most of the shades have semi-opaque to opaque pigmentation that applies well to bare skin, blends out without issue, and lasts for seven to eight hours.
The matte eyeshadows tend to be a little more powdery, though soft and finely-milled, in the pan, while the shimmers have a creamier, dense consistency. Occasionally, the more sparkly or metallic shades apply better with fingertips or a dampened brush.
Browse all of our ColourPop Pressed Powder Shadow swatches.
Fate
LELimited Edition. $4.50.
Prose
Prose is a medium-dark black with cooler undertones and a moderate amount of silver and greenish-teal sparkle over a more matte base. The texture was smooth, more velvety with light powderiness, so it wasn’t as prone to fallout as it might have been, but when blended, the sparkles displaced so readily that it was hard to retain precision without using very minimal blending and smaller tools. It had opaque color coverage that stayed on well for seven and a half hours but had fallout over time.
FURTHER READING: Formula Overview for details on general performance and characteristics (like scent).
Formula Overview
$4.50/0.05 oz. - $90.00 Per Ounce
The new Pressed Powder Shadow formula is supposed to be “highly pigmented” with an “ultra-velvety and silky” texture that is “long-wearing” and “adheres easily to the eyes.” Most of the shades have semi-opaque to opaque pigmentation that applies well to bare skin, blends out without issue, and lasts for seven to eight hours.
The matte eyeshadows tend to be a little more powdery, though soft and finely-milled, in the pan, while the shimmers have a creamier, dense consistency. Occasionally, the more sparkly or metallic shades apply better with fingertips or a dampened brush.
Browse all of our ColourPop Pressed Powder Shadow swatches.
Eye’pop’ing price for Colourpop. Even if you gave it an A+ I wouldn’t buy it.
I like this palette more than I thought I would, especially Drama’s olive taupe, and Fate being a cool toned purple taupe. Sadly the fallout means it would probably be more aggravating then enjoyable to use it.
wish I’d gotten this instead of Baroque, the shimmers look more interesting
also mildly irritated that the palette is named “Ballad” but mostly the names are other literary mediums and not like subsets/attributes of ballads? idk
My first reaction was “Oh no – not another Natasha Denona mini palette I have to find an excuse for buying” – as I and others said yesterday, this (and the others in this release) looks uncannily like ND’s mini palettes.
This was my reaction too. These are an almost shameless attempt to dupe the Natasha Denona palettes… Is Colourpop aspiring on becoming the new IKEA of makeup? 😘
A very apt phrase scout – the Ikea of makeup!
Drama is a lovely shade!
Not horrible, but not noteworthy either. As long as I have ND Glam, MUFE Purple Taupe and Viseart Chroma, I do believe I can get a super similar look.
As to the $’s per oz. I wonder what CP is thinking!
Aside from being like ND’s Minis – it is sadly not the same quality. Whoever is making decisions at CP regarding the finishes of their shades needs to raid the company’s own archives to make the beautiful finishes that the brand use to have. The matte shades here are average and the inclusion of sparkles in some of the shades is less than ideal when using them.
The standout shade here is Drama – a beautiful colour and finish.
I actually really love this color selection for a handy, easy quint. Fate is a gorgeous shade. I don’t need it, but it’s prettier than I expected.
This one intrigued me the most out of the new collection, but since it earned an okay rating from Temptalia, I think I’ll pass on it.