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Kat Von D Pastel Goth Eyeshadow Palette for Spring 2017

Kat Von D Pastel Goth Eyeshadow Palette for Spring 2017
Kat Von D Pastel Goth Eyeshadow Palette for Spring 2017

Your soul may be dark but your makeup doesn’t have to be! This all-new eyeshadow palette of 8 matte pastel shades is Kat’s special shout-out to all the #PastelGoth beauties out there.

Brighten up your eye look with a fresh new take on edgy neutrals. The Pastel Goth Eyeshadow Palette features 8 high-pigment matte pastels in a range of soft tones, from sky blue and lavender to grunge gray.

Each shade is luxuriously silky and blendable, made in KvD’s signature matte eyeshadow formulation we all know and love! Let your imagination run wild—use Pastel Goth to create an endless rainbow of looks, or use as an accent to your Shade+Light Eye Contour Palette.

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The Details

Pastel Goth, $38.00 (Limited Edition)

  • Dope White
  • Dagger Gray
  • Gloom Green
  • Doom Blue
  • Dope Muted purple
  • Meow Pink purple
  • Clementine Peach orange
  • Star Yellow

78 Comments

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Julia Avatar

I must not be the target audience – I find this 0% appealing! I just don’t really get it. There is nothing goth about this, and it’s not really pastel either. It’s just a rainbow of medium, matte colors… huh. I guess I can see how it would pair well with Shade + Light though, in the same way Viseart recommends using their palettes together.

Mariella Avatar

I’m glad it’s not just me. So many people seem thrilled about the prospect of this palette but I looked at it and went “Seriously?” A few days ago, one of Christine’s comments was about what makes a palette work for you all on its own and I have to admit, those are the sorts of palettes I love best – the ones where I don’t have to reach for another shadow. This palette is just the opposite of what works for me. But I’m glad for those who love it.

morena Avatar

its called pastel goth beucase there are gothic people out there that do not like to go dark with their makeup and/or looks and instead use pastel shades. hence the name Pastel goth.
so that’s why her new (last year’s) liquid lipstick shades were mauvy and pinkish-looking, she was actually moving towards the pathel goth look I guess

morena Avatar

if you just instagram-it or youtube it, you’ll see what I mean I actually didn’t know what a pastel goth was myself until I searched. Never heard of the term.

markiebamboo Avatar

It’s all marketing. It’s like this “grunge” trend. Which is just slapped on anything, has nothing to do with the amazing music or style of the period. Trust me nobody was wearing rust and red eye makeup back then or halo eyes just like goths weren’t wearing pastels. It’s just packaged for the demographic. All makeup “gurus” follow suit and the trend gets played out.

Alecto Avatar

I agree with you about the marketers who are trying to rewrite “grunge,” but your statement that ” goths weren’t wearing pastels” is confusing. Goth is a current, thriving culture, and they have a “pastel” version. Looks like a mash-up of goth and certain aspects of Japanese popular culture to me, but I’ve never researched it, so I really don’t know.

Kim Avatar

Actually, it is gothy as Morena said there are Goth’s who like color so they use they go all out pastelly goth. If you go on Instagram and see @sstrazzere swatches you will see that it actually swatches a bright pastel with a white base. They look very pastel but brighter so they can reach alot of skintones and pop on the eye’s the way pastel Goth’s like. Also the media pics are always saturated so you’re not actually seeing the true color. But @sstrazzere swatches you can see the true hues much better than the standard selling picks. It’s gorgeous and I’d love to get it and use it as a companion palette to my Metal Matte more muted in the mattes palette for the summer. I hope I can get my hands on it!!! Here’s wishing!! Lol!!

Michele @Binxcat4ever Avatar

I was so excited for this when I first heard about it. Then I saw the early swatches on Instagram a few weeks ago and was like “Does KVD have no clue what PASTEL is?” Certainly the shades are a departure from her typical palettes configurations but the shades are not pastel. (I was also hoping it would be the format of MetalMatte.) I’ll be passing since other brands have already done these shades (well) in matte including but not limited to: BH Cosmetics (the best bright matte palette IMO) and UD (as I said, my palette was better quality than yours). If someone is looking for these shades then I guess they can consider this for $38, but I think the BH Cosmetics one that has 28 shades instead of just 8 and only costs $10 is the better option. Curious to hear what your thoughts are!

Kari Testa Avatar

I don’t understand why people keep saying this is not pastel. Pastel means a lighter version on acolor or shade. It most certainly is pastel. Calling Goth indicated to me, it’s on the darker version of a pastel. Besides, either someone likes it, or they don’t.

Michele @Binxcat4ever Avatar

I consider pastel as what it’s defined as – “a soft and delicate shade of a color”. The initial swatches KVD released of the palette on Instagram made the shades look like you described as a lighter version of a color. So, yes, they are lighter, but as they are bold versions of lighter colors, they don’t technically qualify as pastels. And absolutely agree, either the shades are something someone likes or not. I actually like the shades, but as I was looking for a true pastel palette (one with soft, light shades), the KVD release doesn’t qualify for me.

Millicent Biggs Avatar

Actually, a pastel is an art tool you draw with them and they come in hundreds and thousands of colours it’s more about texture than anything else

hellena Avatar

The Pastel is refering to the texture, as they resemble pastel chalk used for artwork. But I understand the general confusion, as many people have not worked with these.

Carrie Avatar

Then Kat Von D is at fault for using a term incorrectly. Pastel Goth is a subset of gothic culture for gothic individuals who like combining softer lighter shares with black and gray, not just dark shades on top of dark shades. These do loook like chalk and oil pastels but the name implies something else. if these had been true pastels in the color sense, not art sense, I would have bought this in a heartbeat.

Christina D. Avatar

I had a reminder on my calendar to order it on the 10th from Sephora, but since it’s available early, I ordered it immediately from KVD!

Carrie Avatar

I saw her swatches of this on her Instagram 🙁 I was holding out for actual pastel pastels but these look more like oil pastels. Unfortunately, a pass for me.

Katherine T. Avatar

I have been SO eagerly awaiting this, but I’m really disappointed that there are no Metal Crush shimmers included 🙁 And I saw their official swatches— WTH? They don’t look goth or pastel at all !!! I’m hoping their promo swatches are way off, but they show bright bold mattes that are very similar to the mattes in MetalMatte. IDK, but it seems MetalMatte is more “pastel goth” than this palette –if you take the black/gray/white mattes in there and add in the 4 pastel Metal Crush shimmers, you can get the look

Carrie Avatar

I had the same thought Lisa – they pretty much all looked like they were taken straight from Metal Matte (the yellow and the orange are pastel – I’m wearing both!) I’m super curious to see Temptalia’s swatches because right now, I’m disappointed.

Neonails Avatar

I think this is interesting but ultimately a pass. When I first saw the outside of the palette, I was hoping it would be a little like MetalMatte, with a row of pastel shades and a second row of darker “goth” shadows. Unfortunately, it didn’t live up to my imagination! I get how these are supposed to be more muted, subdued pastels, but it’s ultimately not different enough to me after this year’s MetalMatte and last holiday’s Mi Vida Loca palettes. :\

Oh well, a little extra saved in the bank for me!

Lam Avatar

Yes!! Someone else agrees lol. I’m interested in the colours but sort of expected more muted or slightly darker pastel shades because that’s what pastel goth incorporates… I’ll wait it out and see how it performs because these would be difficult to use as daily wears. Still have my heart set on a good performing true light pastel palette… some day!

Michele @Binxcat4ever Avatar

Ok, see what confused me, is I did initially think it was a nod to the fashion style. But where I’ve seen pastel goth fashion it’s been a mix of goth sub culture items with the pale traditional pastel shades (think cotton candy hair and leather). So, I would have expected to have seen a mint shade instead of what appears to be a seafoam and a dusty teal or a lilac instead of a midtone violet – as examples.

Dizz Moll Avatar

THANK YOU. I was going to say the same thing – Pastel Goth is a subset in the Goth subculture, and these colors most definitely fit that subset. This absolutely fits the aesthetic, and the palette is done extremely well, especially remaining completely matte.

It’s not candy fluffy pastel, and for people looking for that, there are definitely other palettes out there that fit that need. This, however, goes perfectly for what i look for, matches the Pastel Goth subtype, and makes me grateful (yet again) that Kat Von D is gothic!!!

Jess Avatar

Right Helena! Most of us have probably seen the style and just didn’t know it was called ‘pastel goth’. It’s not super new but I think most of us who aren’t a teenager or might not know about it. Kvd is probably just reaching to the younger market. I still want to see swatches to decide!

Brittany Avatar

YES! I was looking at the colors and thinking of how I could make some really nice looks with them by combining with black shadow. I’d pair any of those light or bright colors with black and it’d definitely be a look. I’m not a part of the pastel goth scene personally, but I love the style. I’m more of an all-black clothing person, myself. 😉

Jessica Corona Avatar

There is a typo 🙂 DOPE is listed as the white eyeshadow which is actually SKULL.

I am definitely going to pick this up. These colors are right up my ally. As long as I pair them some more neutral shades or at least toned down colors that aren’t as bright, I feel like I can definitely rock this palette! 🙂

MacKenzie Avatar

I know it’s not traditionally what one thinks of when they hear “pastel” but the shades of this palette absolutely make sense with the name. Like someone mentioned “pastel goth” is a fashion style, and it’s pretty popular in Japan. Also, pastels as colors typically have a strong white base, which I certainly see here, and pastels as an art medium can actually be pretty intense. Lastly, the swatches the KVD provided were undoubtably built up to maximum intensity, when blended out these shade will probably look more typically pastel! That’s just my two cents though. I’m not sure if I’ll buy this, will definitely wait for your review, Christine!

Tanya Avatar

I don’t understand why Kat choose to replicate the same exact colors from Metal Matte palette into the Pastel Goth. They are exactly the same colors minus the wonderful metallics. I don’t know…. creativity stumble?

Cj Avatar

Lots of arguing online about the name/intentions of this palette. I do understand they look like art pastels, but other than that there’s notthing really “pastelgoth” about this. Pastelgoth, as in the fashion sense, would combine blacks, grays, and whites with baby pink, sky blue, lavender, and mint green. I think the “art pastel” concept is not bad, but it’s certainly not what many people anticipated from the name and seeing as I already have Metalmatte and Vida Loca, I don’t find this palette new or interesting. I can pass.

Josephine Avatar

I am glad that these colors are much richer than what we consider pastels. I remember ColourPop came out with matte pastels for spring a year ago. Most of the colors were too pale for me to wear. I wasn’t going to buy this set. But the more I look the more I realize I can wear these colors. If they perform well, I’m going to take the plunge. If not I’ll stick with the pastels from ColourPop, they have some of the best in color performance. I am looking at you, Star.

Mariella Avatar

This sort of puts me in mind of that UD Full Spectrum palette, only smaller. Just not for me at all – I’m with Julia on this in that I don’t find it appealing and might use one or 2 colours from it in combination with my other shadows and palettes but only if I had to (like someone offered me a million bucks to use it! Ha! I should be so lucky).

kjh Avatar

Very interesting discussion on this one. Not what I expected, but I had no idea about the conceptual origin. Clearly, in the denotative meaning of the word, these are not pastels….but I see that they could be goth pastels. Another thing to google! Yay, it’s my middle name. Trying to live without expectations, when it comes to m/u, I see colorful, yet muted. (Maybe not the yellow, which is lighter and more muted in M/M….) These do seem stepped down in intensity and more subdued. I can see getting a lot of use from these to drab down shades that are too bright or metallic (age factor, here) and as interesting crease, liner, outer, and blending shades, esp as so many palettes are all shimmer, and most of existing matte shades are neutral. This is not my expectation, and I could never use it up in my lifetime, but I do see a definite use for it….just not what I imagined. Not getting, sight unseen, though.

Reka Avatar

I always called it cupcake-goth myself, but pastel-goth is certainly a less loaded term (you can probably tell I’m not one). I personally think this is pretty damn appropriate for the look (crushed metals are a totally different aesthetic, more electro or rave style goth, towards the cyber-punk/steam-punk end, but definitely not either classic goth or its more playing-off-‘girly’ version). Colors that are more pastel-pastel get lost in the dark (they can’t hold up to the contrast and end up just reading as white-ish), so a brighter though still lightened looking version is definitely best (it’s possible that doom and star could go slightly lighter, but definitely not any others. Also, where’s the pink?!?). I personally find this very different from the matte half of metal/matte, but that’s partially because I found that palette painfully tasteful (so much so that I didn’t buy it, which I almost, kind of, regret now).

I do also wish she included a matte black pan (or a black glitter) or a black eyeliner or something because there’s no way to produce a goth look without loads of black (but then I doubt that anyone goth is lacking in that side of things). It’s kind of frustrating that she doesn’t sell a real black except occasionally in palette form.

If this reviews well, I might get it, but I’m not particularly fond of the packaging (why drippy?) and I remember becoming very annoyed with the limitations of the original My Vida Loca palette and this one strikes me as similarly close-but-not-quite-right. I may finally get why it’s so annoying to have to pull out another palette (I don’t think I have any matte black singles, just in palettes and it’s going to be hard to find the exact right not-too-washed-out matte pink. I just looked and the best are Carnival by MUG and Silly by Mac, neither of which are available anymore).

Kim Avatar

Ya, I’m missing the pink too. It would be complete for me with the pink. But I’m not sure Pastel Goth’s (LOVE Cupcake Goth! Lol! too cute!!) use much black in their eye looks, if at all. It’s pretty much all out bright pastel from what I’ve seen. ?

Cory Avatar

I like the art work on the front of the palette & that’s about it… too bad. Or good! I made a goal to spend waaayyyyy less money on makeup this year.

Dominique Avatar

I read on Instagram that she was inspired by pastels that artists use for sketching and drawing that is why they are these colors and not traditional Easter egg soft pastel colors.Urban Decay’s creator Wende Zomnir asked on Instagram what kind of palette us customers would like to see next on her IG page @UDWende this was a couple months ago and I wrote a palette like the Electric palette but in super pigmented,cream-like pastel shades that is literally my dream for Spring.This is not that but I do like it.Dior has came out with 5 color eyeshadow palettes that look dreamy in pan then the color pay off is non existent even with primer.Good pale pastel eyeshadow are rare and a palette full of them would be amazing.

Kim Avatar

I really LOVE this palette!! And I understand that some don’t get that this is pastel and what does Goth got to do with it!?! Lol! But in actual fact it is gothy as Morena said there are Goth’s who like color rather than black and so they go all out in pastelly celebration! Moreover, with the controversy on whether it’s truly pastel, you can get the soft wispy pastel that most people think about or the more vibrant pastel, think artist’s pastels. If you go on Instagram and see @sstrazzere swatches you will see that it actually swatches a bright pastel with a white base. They look very pastel but brighter so they can reach alot of skintones and pop on the eye’s the way pastel Goth’s like. Also the MEDIA PICS are always misleading as they’re overly saturated so you’re not actually seeing the true color whether in the pan or the 3 arm swatch. But @sstrazzere swatches you can see the true hues much better than the standard selling picks. Also, I know alot don’t like Jeffree Star BUT he did a beautiful Pastel Goth look (called “Pastel Goth” Makeup Tutorial | Jeffree Star using SugarPill palettes and Natasha Denona 28 palette) that will help you to understand the Pastel Goth aesthetic. It’s gorgeous and I’d love to get it and use it as a companion palette to my MetalMatte’s more muted in the mattes palette for the summer. I hope I can get my hands on it!!! Here’s wishing!! Lol!!

layla Avatar

it looks like she PACKED the colour with like 10 layers though, i can see thru that, i want to see this with one packed color shade, not 10 layers for one color. :/ still the colors i dont love, and again, its not the name of the palette its just the colors

Karina Avatar

I love me some KVD and I wanted to like this thing when I saw it, but I’m confused on how this is goth other than the packaging. I feel like it needs a dark shift/transition shade, like what’s in the Alchemy palette, but black, purple, blue, or grey. Do not pass Go, do not collect $200.

Katherine T. Avatar

I’m holding off — MetalMatte appears more Pastel Goth to me, has black/gray mattes and pastel shimmers. Will see if I can create my own matte pastel colors using MetalMatte, by using the white matte shade mixed in with the bolder mattes.

Cassidy Avatar

Well I look forward to seeing people’s swatches and reviews. I can get past the fact that it looks a lot different than I expected from the name or concept, but I’m having a hard time with how much this looks like the mattes from the metal matte palette… if you flip that palette around, this looks like a chunk of it duplicated just slightly muted. Could be good for those who passed on that one.

Cj Avatar

The second promo pics and swatches of this palette on Instagram are noticeably lighter than the original swatches/pics. I can’t help think this is due to all the “it’s not pastel” backlash online, so I can’t help feel there’s some play with the purchasers (more than usual.) Will believe what this is after this site’s review!

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