Kat Von D Pastel Goth Eyeshadow Palette Review, Photos, Swatches
Pastel Goth
Kat Von D Pastel Goth Eyeshadow Palette ($38.00 for 0.48 oz.) includes eight matte eyeshadows with six pops of color and then a dark gray and stark white. The formula felt very velvety, finely-milled, and was blendable on the skin, but each shade had a fair amount of excessive powder that kicked up in the pan. The strange thing was that there was little fallout; I used seven of the eight shades in the look demoed above, and I didn’t have to cleanup at all underneath the eye. The pigmentation was decent to good, but I did find it worked best patted on, rather than swept on, for best results.
There was more substance to the formula, so they did not sheer out as easily as I would have expected given the dustiness of the texture, and so they adhered better and went on more smoothly to bare skin (I actually felt they worked better over bare lids or regular primer and not as well over a lightly tacky cream base, like NYX Milk). The pigmentation was mostly opaque with a couple of exceptions. Two of the eight shades–Dagger and Dope–were ones that I didn’t feel blended out like the others. I had particular issues with Dope, as it darkened and lightened on its own accord, so it never looked seamless, and it did this over bare skin as well as over a cream base. The one prevailing issue I had with all the shades was that they were more prone to fading than the average eyeshadow.
I was pleasantly surprised by the palette, as it’s rare to find more pastel shades that actually perform decently, but I found the palette pretty easy to use, and if paired with primer, it was both easy to use and lasted for most of the day (it did seem to fade faster, even over primer, than most, but a good primer would still extend the wear to 10+ hours for me).
Look Using this Product
Pastel Goth
LELimited Edition. $38.00.
Star
Star is a bright, medium yellow with warm undertones and a matte finish. It had semi-opaque, buildable pigmentation with a soft, smooth, and finely-milled texture that was somewhat dusty in the pan but applied evenly and smoothly to bare skin with very little fallout. This shade started to fade on me after seven hours of wear.
Top Dupes
- Glaminatrix Banana Split (P, $7.30) is cooler (95% similar).
- ColourPop Pint to Go (LE, $4.50) is more shimmery, darker (95% similar).
- Inglot #370 (P, $6.00) is darker (95% similar).
- Smashbox Bolt (P, ) is darker (95% similar).
- ColourPop Sweet Spot (PiP, $4.50) is darker (90% similar).
- Anastasia A2 (Norvina Vol. 2) (LE, $12.00) is darker, cooler (90% similar).
- Makeup Geek Potential (P, $9.00) is darker (90% similar).
- Anastasia A1 (Norvina Vol. 3) (LE, $12.00) is darker (90% similar).
- MAC Royal Woo (LE, $17.00) is darker, warmer (90% similar).
- MAC Memories of Space (P, $17.00) is lighter, more muted (90% similar).
Look Using this Product
Star
LELimited Edition.
Clementine
Clementine is a soft, light-medium coral-orange with warm undertones and a matte finish. It had good pigmentation with a soft, silky texture that had some excess powder kicked up in the pan but did not result in a lot of fallout during application (I patted it on and had no fallout). The eyeshadow adhered well to bare skin and lasted for seven hours on me.
Top Dupes
- ColourPop Optimist (LE, $4.50) is darker, warmer (90% similar).
- Huda Beauty Get It (PiP, ) is darker, warmer (90% similar).
- Sydney Grace Footprints (LE, $5.25) is darker, warmer (90% similar).
- LORAC Hot Sauce (LE, $19.00) is lighter (95% similar).
- MAC Endless Frequency (LE, $17.00) is lighter (90% similar).
- ColourPop Morningside (LE, $4.50) is darker, warmer (90% similar).
- ColourPop Duchess (LE, $4.50) is darker (90% similar).
- Sephora + Pantone Universe Coral Haze (LE, ) is darker, warmer (85% similar).
- Chanel Tisse Fantaisie #1 (LE, ) is more shimmery, darker (90% similar).
- ColourPop Crossing Lines (PiP, $6.00) is darker (85% similar).
Look Using this Product
Clementine
LELimited Edition.
Meow
Meow is a medium-dark lavender purple with warmer, pink tones and a matte finish. This eyeshadow was one of the dustier shades in the palette and had a lot of powder that came away from the pan when I used my brush in it. When I tapped off excess and then patted and swept the color into my crease, I didn’t have fallout–and normally, something this dusty would have some, even with tapping excess off in advance. The product just seemed to adhere nicely to my bare lids rather than sheering or dusting off. The color wore well for seven hours on me before fading, though this shade did seem to fade a bit after being applied initially (it seemed pinker on, not as vibrant).
Top Dupes
- Makeup Geek Carnival (DC, $6.00) is warmer (95% similar).
- ColourPop Love Note (UR A QT) (LE, $4.50) is lighter, warmer (90% similar).
- NABLA Cosmetics Lotus (P, $8.00) is lighter, brighter, cooler (90% similar).
- Linda Hallberg Cosmetics Eerie (PiP, ) is lighter, cooler (90% similar).
- Urban Decay Shock (LE, $19.00) is darker, warmer (90% similar).
- Huda Beauty Libra (PiP, ) is lighter, cooler (90% similar).
- Huda Beauty Rose #4 (LE, ) is lighter, warmer (90% similar).
- Urban Decay Tainted (LE, $19.00) is darker (90% similar).
- ColourPop Kittenfish (PiP, $4.50) is cooler (90% similar).
- ColourPop Pretty Flower (LE, $4.50) is lighter, warmer (90% similar).
Look Using this Product
Meow
LELimited Edition.
Dope
Dope is a muted, medium purple with cooler undertones and a matte finish. It had good pigmentation, which applied decently to the lid without losing too much of its intensity, but my issue with this one was that it appeared darker in some places and as I blended areas, the area would lighten, almost as if color was lifting away from the skin, but the area was still clearly covered… just lighter. The color faded noticeably after seven hours of wear.
Top Dupes
- ColourPop Connect (LE, $4.50) is darker (95% similar).
- Lethal Cosmetics Cyanus (P, $6.50) is lighter (90% similar).
- ColourPop Escapism (LE, $4.50) is more shimmery (90% similar).
- Disney by Sephora Mystical Wonder (LE, ) is more shimmery, darker (90% similar).
- Natasha Denona Zena (LE, ) is lighter, warmer (80% similar).
- ColourPop Selfie (LE, $4.50) is more shimmery, lighter, brighter (85% similar).
- MAC Jam Session (LE, $17.00) is warmer (85% similar).
- ColourPop Online (LE, $4.50) is lighter (85% similar).
- ColourPop The Aquarius (P, $4.50) is cooler (85% similar).
- KVD Beauty Fascination Street (LE, ) is darker (85% similar).
Look Using this Product
Dope
LELimited Edition.
Doom
Doom is a bright, cyan blue with cool undertones and a matte finish. It had semi-opaque, buildable coverage with a finely-milled, velvety texture that had some powderiness in the pan but did not look dry, dusty, or powdery on bare skin (in fact, it was surprisingly smoothing). This shade wore well for seven hours before fading on me.
Top Dupes
- elf Oasis (P, $5.00) is darker (95% similar).
- Give Me Glow Sky High (P, $7.00) is lighter (95% similar).
- KVD Beauty Waters (LE, ) is lighter (95% similar).
- ColourPop Bright Eyed (LE, $4.50) is lighter (90% similar).
- Dominique Cosmetics Evil Eye (LE, ) is darker (90% similar).
- Make Up For Ever M208 Baby Blue (P, $17.00) is warmer (90% similar).
- Clionadh Tundra (P, $4.50) is lighter (90% similar).
- Coloured Raine Drip Drop (DC, $6.99) is darker (90% similar).
- ColourPop Taco (LE, $6.00) is more shimmery, lighter (90% similar).
- Lethal Cosmetics Outrun (P, $6.00) is darker, cooler (90% similar).
Look Using this Product
Doom
LELimited Edition.
Gloom
Gloom is a muted, medium-dark green with cooler undertones and a matte finish. The consistency was smooth, velvety, and finely-milled with some excess product kicked up in the pan when I touched it with my brush, but again, little in the way of fallout during actual application as the product seemed to stick well to bare skin without sheering out immediately. It had rich color payoff that went on evenly. I noticed fading after seven and a half hours on me.
Top Dupes
- Make Up For Ever S312 Mint Green (DC, $21.00) is more shimmery (95% similar).
- Viseart Mint (26) (LE, ) is lighter (95% similar).
- ColourPop Earthbending (LE, $4.50) is darker (95% similar).
- Smashbox Sell Out (P, ) is darker (90% similar).
- Sydney Grace Eternal (DC, $5.00) is darker, warmer (90% similar).
- Too Faced Mint Chocolate (White Chocolate) (LE, $16.00) is darker (95% similar).
- Give Me Glow Kelly Green (P, $7.00) is darker (90% similar).
- ColourPop Kiss My Hass (PiP, $4.50) is more shimmery, darker, warmer (90% similar).
- ColourPop Chances Are (PiP, $4.50) is lighter, warmer (90% similar).
- Dominique Cosmetics Matcha (PiP, ) is lighter, cooler (85% similar).
Look Using this Product
Gloom
LELimited Edition.
Dagger
Dagger is a medium gray with neutral undertones and a matte finish. It had medium coverage that was buildable to semi-opaque coverage, but it also had a slight translucent quality to its coverage. The consistency was soft, lightly powdery in the pan, and while it applied with minimal fallout, it did not blend as easily as other shades in the palette. It lasted for six and a half hours on me.
Top Dupes
- Make Up For Ever M110 Cement (DC, $21.00) is cooler (95% similar).
- Laura Mercier Cloud (LE, $22.00) is cooler (95% similar).
- L'Oreal Meet Me in Paris (P, $5.99) is more shimmery, lighter (95% similar).
- LORAC Gray (LE, $19.00) is cooler (95% similar).
- KVD Beauty Smoke (Contour) (PiP, ) is lighter, cooler (90% similar).
- ColourPop Gata (PiP, $4.50) is more shimmery, cooler (90% similar).
- Hello Kitty 1974 (LE, ) is more shimmery, lighter (90% similar).
- Sephora Graphite (LE, ) is darker, warmer (90% similar).
- Sephora Berlin Underground (DC, $10.00) is warmer (90% similar).
- ColourPop Tink (LE, $6.00) is more shimmery, darker (90% similar).
Dagger
LELimited Edition.
Skull
Skull is a light white with neutral undertones and a matte finish. It had semi-sheer pigmentation that was buildable to semi-opaque, and this was the most powdery shade in the palette. It seemed to have some fallout during application, whereas the other shades may have seemed powdery in the pan, they did not always result in real fallout concerns during application. The color started to fade after six and a half hours of wear.
Top Dupes
- Sugarpill Tako (P, $13.00) is more muted (95% similar).
- Too Faced Extra Creamy (LE, $16.00) is more muted (95% similar).
- Too Faced White Christmas (LE, $16.00) is more muted (95% similar).
- LORAC Linen (PiP, $19.00) is warmer (95% similar).
- Viseart Cool Matte #1 (PiP, ) is more muted (95% similar).
- Anastasia Headliner (LE, $12.00) is brighter (95% similar).
- Marc Jacobs Beauty The Mod #1 (PiP, ) is more shimmery (95% similar).
- Viseart Chroma #1 (PiP, ) is brighter (95% similar).
- Sephora Starlight (LE, ) is brighter (95% similar).
- Too Faced Peppermint Cream (LE, $16.00) is cooler (95% similar).
I just got mine, but so far I’m loving it. I think it’s a really good pastel palette. I found Meow kind of hard to build up on my lid; I’m going to try it in my crease. I didn’t find Dagger translucent at all. I thought it was a really nice gray.
Happy to hear it, Rachel! 🙂
I’ve been loving this palette. Not gonna lie, 80% of why I bought it was Gloom, and you really hit it on the head in this review: it’s got a great texture and pigmentation to it. I love that balanced, lightened Viridian shade!
I’m so glad you are enjoying yours, Anime! I like it a lot – it was pretty impressive given the types of shades!
I had initially decided I didn’t want/need this, but I’m really starting to think that I do ?
It’s fun, but if it’s not something you’d use often, there are better items to try! 🙂
Do you have recommendations of a playful MATTE palette similar to this? I love KVD (Light & Shade is my fav), however not overly excited after reading several
I don’t think that there are any that are permanent!
I love the look of Clementine, Meow, Dope and Gloom, and I don’t have any dupes, but I think this palette would just be a waste for me. I just wish there was a KVD in stores near me so I could swatch it and see how it looks on my olive skin, because bright and pastel shades can be really tricky and clash horribly.
The look you did with it is incredible btw!
Thank you, A!
Buying!!! Yes, it’s not an A, I’m 57 not 27 or 37, it likely will look rather interesting with my darker end of medium olive skintone, but I will still rock this puppy! Pretty sure I’ll get some funny looks from some, but I just don’t care! ?
Rock it, Nancy!!
Rock it! And also if anyone gives you looks over your makeup, I say that’s a good way to rid yourself of bad company 🙂
Same here. I’m 52 and I can’t wait to get mine. I love using pop of colors, and even shimmers on my mobile eyelid. If it makes me happy, the way I feel about its that all that counts. I think the colors are so pretty.
To me the shades look more neon that pastel, but the pigmentation is quite impressive for this type of color.
The yellow and the brighter blue are less pastel to me, but the others definitely appear more muted to my eye!
YEA!! I am so excited to see your review!! I am pleased to hear that the colorful shades get a good review. That Clementine shade looks so pretty.
Glad I could share!
I like this palette but I rarely do colorful looks like the one you’ve done, and pastels tend to wash me out. If my hair was blonde again, I might reconsider.
Easy skip 🙂
This is such a pretty palette and you wear the colors so well! I wish I could support Kat Von D, but I just can’t. So I want to thank you for listing dupes!!
No problem!
I’m not going to get it because I don’t really wear (or want to wear) pastels, but I’m pretty impressed with a B for a matte pastel palette! Both mattes and pastels are hard to do, so I’m surprised they were able to get both pretty right. If I were a makeup artist, this would be a no-brainer.
Me too, Kat! It’s definitely not a palette that will work for everyone!
I’m not a pastel person, pastels wash me out so this is an easy pass.
I love the look you did with it, and I do like the colours, just not on me.
Thanks a lot, Helene!
Love the eye you did with this pallet. It is so pretty and you are so talented.
Thanks, Lisa!
This is much better performing than I thought it would be. And your look is nothing short of inspiring. You almost sold me on it! But I don’t think I would wear this enough. I wish it wasn’t LE!
If you’re not going to wear it often, skip 😀
Oh gee, I might have to get this one. I’ve been trying to dupe the shades by mixing the matte white in Metal Matte with the brighter mattes to get pastel shades, but it’s hard to get them to mix evenly and apply evenly on lids. I don’t care for the bright yellow matte (not a flattering color for me), I don’t need another matte white shadow (already have one in MetalMatte), and I have a much better quality dupe for the gray (L’Oreal Meet Me in Paris), so that means I’m paying $ 38 for 5 shadows, still not bad as it works about to $7-$8 per shadow and it’s hard to really find a matte pastel palette, much less a decent one. I still think KVD missed a HUGE opportunity by not adding shimmers to this palette, but I can pair with the pastel shimmers in MetalMatte BTW, I think your rainbow eye look alone has probably sold thousands of palettes for KVD!
This is a pretty good result for an all matte brightly coloured palette. The shades seem more neon than pastel, but I guess it depends on how and where you use them. It’s not a palette that I would buy myself, but I can see how others would love it.
I can’t get over what a GREAT and fun eye look you created with the palette! <3
I’m also in the “skip” group. I’m glad it performed well and, as always, the look you did was beautiful (that’s the problem with this site…everything is desirable because you make such beautiful looks) but even that lovely look is not something I would ever wear. As I said before, though, I’m really glad this performed well for the sake of those who really want to buy it.
I was waiting for your review of this because I find you to be the most thorough and honest.. but now I can’t find it on the Sephora website?? 🙁
The product is linked in the beginning of the post, and it took me right to the product on Sephora?!
Love the look you created with this palette! 🙂
Thank you!
Gorgeous! Thanks Christine! How does this compare to the Urban Decay Spectrum palette, if I was only going to get one?
This palette is so fun for me I absolutely love it, especially paired with the alchemy palette by kat von d as well, I use the alchemy in the corners and under my brow bone and they both combined make some really amazing looks. I thought alot of shades in the pastel goth palette would be very similar to my Sugarpill cosmetics shadows ( I’m a huge sugarpill junkie lol) but other then the green being a bit similar to modori these shades were quite different. Plus your eye look Christine is stunning (:
Thank you, Nicole!
Do you think it would work well with bar pro prime or like a ud primer potion ?
I think either would work!
Omg, I’ve never wanted a palette so badly before lol! I have no mattes besides brown shades. I can usually find dupes for anything, but the pink & purple in this palette seem to have no exact dupes. I’d get the palette just for those 2, though the rest are beautiful too! I missed out on this one for sure. I cannot afford any new makeup right now. If anyone wants to trade, I have a Sephora gift card if you want to buy me this from the KVD site. Lol, wishful thinking! 🙂
Thank you for swatching and reviewing this palette! I’m personally kind of regretting not getting one, now, so I’m trying to find affordable dupes. Colourpop’s Cheeky looks like it might work as a basic color dupe for Clementine, maybe a little mire shimmery/less pigmented.