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Hourglass Color Field Modernist Eyeshadow Palette Review, Photos, Swatches

Hourglass Color Field Modernist Eyeshadow Palette
Hourglass Color Field Modernist Eyeshadow Palette

Hourglass Color Field Modernist Eyeshadow Palette ($58.00 for 0.17 oz.) is a mix of beige, gold, brown, and green. It had more shimmery shades than most of the other variations, and in general, the shimmery shades have outperformed the more matte ones for me. It seemed promising when I swatched it, but when I applied to the lid, I really struggled to get even, pigmented color that stayed in place. I would apply the medium green to my lid, then apply the shade next to it, and it would look faded by the time I finished blending! I ended up going over every shade damp, because it was a complete and utter mess dry: patchy, uneven, sheer. I tested it applied dry as well as applied damp, and it’s more usable damp and lasts longer that way, but it was frustrating to use it dry. Even when I applied the eyeshadows with a damp brush (except the beige, which is matte), the texture and finish still end up looking a little dry/powdery, especially with the darkest green in the palette.

Color Field #1 is described as a “warm ivory.” It’s a light beige with warm, yellow undertones and a matte finish. The texture was a little stiff, actually, and not powdery at all… just harder to get color out of. It lasted for seven hours before fading. See comparison swatches / view dupes.

Color Field #2 is described as a “champagne gold.” It’s a light-medium, yellowed gold with warm undertones and a metallic sheen. It had good color payoff applied wet and dry, but it really has to be pressed into the skin when dry to look smooth and even. It was lightly powdery and lasted for eight hours on me. See comparison swatches / view dupes.

Color Field #3 is described as a “taupe brown.” It’s a golden, medium-dark brown with warm undertones and a frosted finish. Another shade that had good pigmentation regardless of wet or dry application, but I found it prone to fading on the eye when applied dry–a mere six hours–and applying damp helped it last for eight hours in total. See comparison swatches/ view dupes.

Color Field #4 is described as a “golden olive.” It’s a lightly brightened, medium-dark olive green with a warm, golden frosted sheen. It had good pigmentation both dry and damp, but the dry application was quite powdery and prone to sheering out. This was a very troublesome shade to work with dry, as it seemed to fade shortly after applying (in the time it took to blend out a shade next to it). Dry, it started to fade immediately and was very faded after six hours, but applied damp, and the shadow lasted for almost eight hours. See comparison swatches/ view dupes.

Color Field #5 is described as a “forest green.” It’s a muted, dirty forest green with warmer, olive undertones and a frosted finish. It had a lot of shimmer and read warm-toned overall, but the darker base seemed almost cool-toned. It was somewhat powdery and was easier to work with when applied damp, as the dry application was sheerer and prone to disappearing. I was able to get eight hours of wear when I wore this damp but only six hours when I used it dry (and it looked awful dry). See comparison swatches / view dupes.

Hourglass Color Field Modernist Eyeshadow Palette
Hourglass Color Field Modernist Eyeshadow Palette

Hourglass Color Field Modernist Eyeshadow Palette
Hourglass Color Field Modernist Eyeshadow Palette

Hourglass Color Field Modernist Eyeshadow Palette
Hourglass Color Field Modernist Eyeshadow Palette

Hourglass Color Field #1 Modernist Eyeshadow
Hourglass Color Field #1 Modernist Eyeshadow

Hourglass Color Field #1 Modernist Eyeshadow
Hourglass Color Field #1 Modernist Eyeshadow

Hourglass Color Field #2 Modernist Eyeshadow
Hourglass Color Field #2 Modernist Eyeshadow

Hourglass Color Field #2 Modernist Eyeshadow
Hourglass Color Field #2 Modernist Eyeshadow

Hourglass Color Field #3 Modernist Eyeshadow
Hourglass Color Field #3 Modernist Eyeshadow

Hourglass Color Field #3 Modernist Eyeshadow
Hourglass Color Field #3 Modernist Eyeshadow

Hourglass Color Field #4 Modernist Eyeshadow
Hourglass Color Field #4 Modernist Eyeshadow

Hourglass Color Field #4 Modernist Eyeshadow
Hourglass Color Field #4 Modernist Eyeshadow

Hourglass Color Field #5 Modernist Eyeshadow
Hourglass Color Field #5 Modernist Eyeshadow

Hourglass Color Field #5 Modernist Eyeshadow
Hourglass Color Field #5 Modernist Eyeshadow

Hourglass Color Field Modernist Eyeshadow Palette
Hourglass Color Field Modernist Eyeshadow Palette, Sephora Go for a Ride Eyeliner

Hourglass Color Field Modernist Eyeshadow Palette
Hourglass Color Field Modernist Eyeshadow Palette, Sephora Go for a Ride Eyeliner

74 Comments

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Dyan Avatar

This was the only HG I was considering buying. I know it didn’t get high marks, but I love the look you created. You would never know you struggled with this palette! I’ll have to really think about this one now. Hmmmm

Mariella Avatar

Oh frig (and I don’t say that lightly) – the 2 shades I was most interested in (#4 and 5) have pretty sad ratings. I have several of the dupes for each of the shades but it would have been jolly to have a whole palette based on those 2 shades. I think I may need to buy myself an empty palette and experiment with depotting Bare Minerals Spectacular and the Bonne Etoile shadows (not really – I wouldn’t dare to touch those beauties with depotting tools). Well, again, unless this just blows me away in the store to the point where I start thinking “What the heck is wrong with Christine?”, I won’t be buying is one either. I’ve just saved myself close to $300 CDN or maybe more (there were 4 I was pretty keen on and 2 I was really, REALLY interested in getting! At $67 in Canada plus our hefty sales taxes, these palettes aren’t cheap by anyone’s reckoning and at those prices, they’d better DELIVER!

Nicole Avatar

I was just double checking the look out again ,lol. You do an awesome job with the way you put it together always! And I will be getting that liner asap..love the Sephora liners!

Ceci Avatar

Thank you, Christine, for your thorough review of the eye pallets. They look stunning in pictures, but evidently not worth the money. Thank you for saving me $58!

Aditi Avatar

I was really hoping this would be the khaki/olive palette I’ve been looking for, but sadly the quality just put me off 🙁 Do you have any suggestions for a khaki and olive palette, Christine? I’ve really been into those shades lately!

Mariella Avatar

I agree. I have some of the dupes for the olive and khaki shades and they all perform beautifully (certainly better than the ones in this palette) and cost a heck of a lot less too. Sadly, some aren’t available (like Bonne Etoile, for example) but even they can be duped pretty well with shades from MAC, Inglot or Make Up For Ever.

Katherine T. Avatar

Aditi, I suggest you check out the Sephora Collection Wild Khaki eyeshadow palette. I have it, the colors are really pretty, and it’s versatile for day or night. It’s only $25, has 5 shadows in olive and olive gold, with matte/shimmer/glitter finishes, comes with mirror and applicator. The matte shade is a little dry, best with primer, but the other shades are good to great, and 2 have gorgeous duo chrome effect and swatch like HE shadows.

Marie Avatar

I feel like you still gave the palette a pretty decent grade for one that has dry shadows giving off patchy/uneven application! I am surprised. Passing up on those palettes unless I change my mind once I swatch them myself in store – I love Hourglass but these seem to be a failure from them. Disappointed.

sarah Avatar

These are such a disappointment for such a beautiful and highly anticipated product.

I wish I could better understand your rating system. If, in your words, the product applied like a “complete and utter mess dry: patchy, uneven, sheer”, I don’t understand how it still could have scored as high as it did, as in application a 4.5/5.

Katherine T. Avatar

Sob, sob, sob….this is SO depressing, considering how gorgeous the colors are on your eye! I have brown eyes like you, and was hoping against hope this green palette would be decent, but there’s no way I’m going to pay $59 for shadows that are a powdery mess, patchy, sheer, fades, stiff, AND you have to use them wet to make it work (WTH???) . I will be looking at the dupes.

Catherine Avatar

So dupable with so many better colors. I’ve heard people act like army/olive green is such nouveau chic as justification for this palette, when honestly, it’s not new at all. The modernist palettes are so beautiful but it seems like they stopped developing after they were like, wow the design is great! Okay just throw whatever in there! So incredibly baffling.

Anna Fantasia Avatar

l Love the look you created with Color Field, but after reading many reviews, it appears that most consumers hate these shadows! I’m in the minority as I am truly enjoying the two I purchased. I ordered Exposure and Infinity. I find, like you have mentioned, that they are delicate to work with. For some reason, in my palettes, it’s the middle shade that kicks up the most dust. I end up patting the color on one side of my brush as opposed to dipping the brush head on or bristles down. But your right, the price is too expensive for having to baby this eye-shadow. I wear UD primer everyday but I am also happy with the color wash on the eyelids as opposed to a really vibrant color pop on the eyes. I think Hourglass should choose to reformulate or drop the price (after all even if the colors applied perfectly, its still only 5 shades.) Thank you for your honest review. Your loyal reader.

Christine Avatar

I’m glad you’re enjoying yours, Anna! I do think if one prefers a softer/sheerer/more muted look that these might appeal more (even though it doesn’t change some of the powdery/softness issues), since then the pigmentation or sheering out wouldn’t be a problem!

Kimmy Avatar

Like others have said, you did a beautiful job with the look despite the challenges. Though, from the photos, I can see the what you said in one of your earlier posts about how the shadows seem to make the eyelid appear…dehydrated (not sure that’s the description you used exactly). I’m still so sad about these. 🙂

RedHedd Avatar

Dang! This one had really caught my eye, but thank you for doing the footwork for us. Now I can save my money to spend on other makeup. Bummer

Genevieve Avatar

The look you created Christine was gorgeous. That is just the type of look I try when I wear my olive greens. However you do it so, so well.
What a shame that my favourite colours did not perform as well. It doesn’t matter to me, because when you have Tarina Tarantono’s Wonderful, Emerald Pretty and Vice 2 (plus Naked and Bonne Etoile), you pretty much have the colours there and they are of much better quality.

Nicole Avatar

This along with the plum one were my two “must haves”. So glad I stayed strong early in the game. At this price point, should be an A product and one should not have to wet the brush. That is a nice option to intensify a look. But you shouldn’t have to jump through hoops with a $58 palette of 5 shadows. Your such a trooper for sticking it out with these!

beka Avatar

i saw these in sephora today. they look gorgeous in the pan. graphite was the one that drew me in from the promo pics, but the glittery gold shade felt gritty. the mattes and shimmers felt super nice and creamy, but i only touched them, i didn’t apply. i didn’t notice this palette (i did have two little girls with me sticking their fingers in all the lipsticks, so i may have been a little too distracted), but i love the look you put together. it makes me want to take a closer look. do these feel smooth to the touch to you?

Meghan Avatar

Wow I’m loving the look you created! Loving the colours in the palette but I’ll pass because of the rating! Even if it was a solid B+ it might be worth considering, ya know? Ah well. Makes my no-buy easier! 😀

Lucy Avatar

I’m really sad this palette didn’t perform. I had been looking for a green-olive palette for years. I guess i will have to make one myself. Thanks for saving me money.

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