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LORAC California Dreaming Eyeshadow Palette Review, Photos, Swatches

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LORAC California Dreaming Eyeshadow Palette
LORAC California Dreaming Eyeshadow Palette
LORAC California Dreaming Eyeshadow Palette
LORAC California Dreaming Eyeshadow Palette
LORAC California Dreaming Eyeshadow Palette
LORAC California Dreaming Eyeshadow Palette
LORAC California Dreaming Eyeshadow Palette
LORAC California Dreaming Eyeshadow Palette
LORAC California Dreaming Eyeshadow Palette
LORAC California Dreaming Eyeshadow Palette
LORAC California Dreaming Eyeshadow Palette
LORAC California Dreaming Eyeshadow Palette
LORAC California Dreaming Eyeshadow Palette
LORAC California Dreaming Eyeshadow Palette
LORAC California Dreaming Eyeshadow Palette
LORAC California Dreaming Eyeshadow Palette
LORAC California Dreaming Eyeshadow Palette
LORAC California Dreaming Eyeshadow Palette
LORAC California Dreaming Eyeshadow Palette
LORAC California Dreaming Eyeshadow Palette
LORAC California Dreaming Eyeshadow Palette
LORAC California Dreaming Eyeshadow Palette
LORAC California Dreaming Eyeshadow Palette
LORAC California Dreaming Eyeshadow Palette
LORAC California Dreaming Eyeshadow Palette
LORAC California Dreaming Eyeshadow Palette
LORAC California Dreaming Eyeshadow Palette
LORAC California Dreaming Eyeshadow Palette
LORAC California Dreaming Eyeshadow Palette
LORAC California Dreaming Eyeshadow Palette
LORAC California Dreaming Eyeshadow Palette
LORAC California Dreaming Eyeshadow Palette
LORAC California Dreaming Eyeshadow Palette
LORAC California Dreaming Eyeshadow Palette
LORAC California Dreaming Eyeshadow Palette
LORAC California Dreaming Eyeshadow Palette

California Dreaming

LORAC California Dreaming Eyeshadow Palette ($30.00 for 0.34 oz.) includes twelve eyeshadows in both matte and shimmer finishes. The palette runs warmer, but it seemed more like a neutral palette with pops of rose and mauve accents. The formula felt looser and drier overall; sort of like LORAC’s “filler” formula, when they put together more affordable palettes but aren’t part of their Pro collection (which always has a silkier, more refined feel). I find that this formula can be better or worse depending on the shades and finishes. The downsides of the formula tend to be that they are prone to fading more quickly and sheering out, so a good primer is an absolute must-have to make this palette wear and perform well.

California Dreaming

LELimited Edition. $30.00.
C+
C+
7.5
Product
8.5
Pigmentation
7.5
Texture
7
Longevity
4.5
Application
78%
Total

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LORAC Sand Castle Eyeshadow
LORAC Sand Castle Eyeshadow
LORAC Sand Castle Eyeshadow
LORAC Sand Castle Eyeshadow
LORAC Sand Castle Eyeshadow
LORAC Sand Castle Eyeshadow

Sand Castle

Sand Castle is a very light white gold with warm undertones and a soft, frosted finish. It had semi-opaque pigmentation paired with a soft, lightly dusty consistency that sheered out a bit on the lid. It wore well for seven hours before fading noticeably.

Ingredients

Alumina, Synthetic Wax, PTFE, Polyethylene, Dimethicone, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Boron Nitride, Isoeicosene, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Kaolin, Silica, Sodium Dehydroacetate, Tin Oxide. May Contain: Mica (CI 77019), Titanium Dioxide (CI 77891), Iron Oxides (CI 77491, CI 77492, CI 77499)

Disclaimer: Ingredient lists are as available by the brand (or retailer) at the time of publishing. Please always check product packaging, if it exists, for the ingredient list applicable to the product you're purchasing, or the brand or retailer's website for the most up-to-date ingredient list.

Sand Castle

LELimited Edition. $19.00.
B-
B-
8
Product
8.5
Pigmentation
7.5
Texture
7.5
Longevity
4.5
Application
80%
Total
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LORAC Button Eyeshadow
LORAC Button Eyeshadow
LORAC Button Eyeshadow
LORAC Button Eyeshadow
LORAC Button Eyeshadow
LORAC Button Eyeshadow

Button

Button is a medium brown with warm undertones and a satin sheen. It had good pigmentation, but the texture was much looser and prone to kicking up a lot of excess product in the pan and causing some fallout during application. The eyeshadow applied decently to bare skin without sheering out, but it seemed to fade more quickly at a mere five hours.

Ingredients

Synthetic Wax, PTFE, Polyethylene, Dimethicone, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Boron Nitride, Isoeicosene, Kaolin, Silica, Sodium Dehydroacetate. May Contain: Mica (CI 77019), Titanium Dioxide (CI 77891), Iron Oxides (CI 77491, CI 77492, CI 77499), Carmine (CI 75470), Manganese Violet (CI 77742), Red 40 Lake (CI 16039), Ultramarines (CI 77007), Blue 1 Lake (CI 42090)

Disclaimer: Ingredient lists are as available by the brand (or retailer) at the time of publishing. Please always check product packaging, if it exists, for the ingredient list applicable to the product you're purchasing, or the brand or retailer's website for the most up-to-date ingredient list.

Button

LELimited Edition. $19.00.
C
C
7
Product
9
Pigmentation
7
Texture
5.5
Longevity
4.5
Application
73%
Total
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LORAC Overcast Eyeshadow
LORAC Overcast Eyeshadow
LORAC Overcast Eyeshadow
LORAC Overcast Eyeshadow
LORAC Overcast Eyeshadow
LORAC Overcast Eyeshadow

Overcast

Overcast is a muted, medium purple with neutral-to-warm undertones and a matte finish. It had a dusty, more powdery texture that sheered out too easily, so it was hard to maintain true-to-pan intensity and opaque coverage. This shade started to fade after six hours on me.

Ingredients

Synthetic Wax, PTFE, Polyethylene, Dimethicone, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Boron Nitride, Isoeicosene, Kaolin, Silica, Sodium Dehydroacetate. May Contain: Mica (CI 77019), Titanium Dioxide (CI 77891), Iron Oxides (CI 77491, CI 77492, CI 77499), Carmine (CI 75470), Manganese Violet (CI 77742), Red 40 Lake (CI 16039), Ultramarines (CI 77007), Blue 1 Lake (CI 42090)

Disclaimer: Ingredient lists are as available by the brand (or retailer) at the time of publishing. Please always check product packaging, if it exists, for the ingredient list applicable to the product you're purchasing, or the brand or retailer's website for the most up-to-date ingredient list.

Overcast

LELimited Edition. $19.00.
D+
D+
6
Product
7
Pigmentation
7
Texture
6.5
Longevity
4
Application
68%
Total
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LORAC Bonfire Eyeshadow
LORAC Bonfire Eyeshadow
LORAC Bonfire Eyeshadow
LORAC Bonfire Eyeshadow
LORAC Bonfire Eyeshadow
LORAC Bonfire Eyeshadow

Bonfire

Bonfire is a light pink with cool undertones and a matte finish. It had semi-opaque pigmentation and a dustier, more powdery texture that was harder to apply to the lid for all-over color. When I used it to blend out a crease color, it was easier to use as I did not need it to be fully opaque. It lasted for six and a half hours on me.

Ingredients

Synthetic Wax, PTFE, Polyethylene, Dimethicone, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Boron Nitride, Isoeicosene, Kaolin, Silica, Sodium Dehydroacetate. May Contain: Mica (CI 77019), Titanium Dioxide (CI 77891), Iron Oxides (CI 77491, CI 77492, CI 77499), Carmine (CI 75470), Manganese Violet (CI 77742), Red 40 Lake (CI 16039), Ultramarines (CI 77007), Blue 1 Lake (CI 42090)

Disclaimer: Ingredient lists are as available by the brand (or retailer) at the time of publishing. Please always check product packaging, if it exists, for the ingredient list applicable to the product you're purchasing, or the brand or retailer's website for the most up-to-date ingredient list.

Bonfire

LELimited Edition. $19.00.
C
C
7
Product
7.5
Pigmentation
7
Texture
7
Longevity
4.5
Application
73%
Total
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LORAC Hot Toddy Eyeshadow
LORAC Hot Toddy Eyeshadow
LORAC Hot Toddy Eyeshadow
LORAC Hot Toddy Eyeshadow
LORAC Hot Toddy Eyeshadow
LORAC Hot Toddy Eyeshadow

Hot Toddy

Hot Toddy is a muted, medium rosy coral with warm undertones and a mostly matte finish. It had semi-sheer color payoff, which was buildable to medium coverage. The texture was drier and dusty, which made it harder to work with on bare skin. This shade started to fade after six hours of wear.

Ingredients

Synthetic Wax, PTFE, Polyethylene, Dimethicone, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Boron Nitride, Isoeicosene, Kaolin, Silica, Sodium Dehydroacetate. May Contain: Mica (CI 77019), Titanium Dioxide (CI 77891), Iron Oxides (CI 77491, CI 77492, CI 77499), Carmine (CI 75470), Manganese Violet (CI 77742), Red 40 Lake (CI 16039), Ultramarines (CI 77007), Blue 1 Lake (CI 42090)

Disclaimer: Ingredient lists are as available by the brand (or retailer) at the time of publishing. Please always check product packaging, if it exists, for the ingredient list applicable to the product you're purchasing, or the brand or retailer's website for the most up-to-date ingredient list.

Hot Toddy

LELimited Edition. $19.00.
D
D
6
Product
6
Pigmentation
7
Texture
6.5
Longevity
4
Application
66%
Total
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LORAC Starfish Eyeshadow
LORAC Starfish Eyeshadow
LORAC Starfish Eyeshadow
LORAC Starfish Eyeshadow
LORAC Starfish Eyeshadow
LORAC Starfish Eyeshadow

Starfish

Starfish is a soft, peachy brown with warm undertones and a pearly sheen. It had good color coverage that went on smoothly and evenly. The texture was firmer but not stiff or difficult to work with. On me, it lasted for seven hours.

Ingredients

Synthetic Wax, PTFE, Polyethylene, Dimethicone, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Boron Nitride, Isoeicosene, Kaolin, Silica, Sodium Dehydroacetate. May Contain: Mica (CI 77019), Titanium Dioxide (CI 77891), Iron Oxides (CI 77491, CI 77492, CI 77499), Carmine (CI 75470), Manganese Violet (CI 77742), Red 40 Lake (CI 16039), Ultramarines (CI 77007), Blue 1 Lake (CI 42090)

Disclaimer: Ingredient lists are as available by the brand (or retailer) at the time of publishing. Please always check product packaging, if it exists, for the ingredient list applicable to the product you're purchasing, or the brand or retailer's website for the most up-to-date ingredient list.

Starfish

LELimited Edition. $19.00.
B+
B+
8.5
Product
10
Pigmentation
8
Texture
7.5
Longevity
5
Application
87%
Total
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LORAC Seaside Eyeshadow
LORAC Seaside Eyeshadow
LORAC Seaside Eyeshadow
LORAC Seaside Eyeshadow
LORAC Seaside Eyeshadow
LORAC Seaside Eyeshadow

Seaside

Seaside is a blackened olive green with flecks of emerald green and khaki shimmer strewn through it. The texture was drier, almost crumbly in the pan, and it was harder to apply evenly to bare skin. I had the best luck using this over primer and with a fluffy crease brush. The color started to fade after seven hours of wear.

Ingredients

Talc, Zinc Stearate, Silica, Polyethylene Terephthalate, Octamethylcyclotetrasiloxane, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Butter, Phenoxyethanol, Polyurethane-11. May Contain: Mica (CI 77019), Iron Oxides (CI 77491, CI 77499), Ultramarines (CI 77007), Red 40 Lake (CI 16035)

Disclaimer: Ingredient lists are as available by the brand (or retailer) at the time of publishing. Please always check product packaging, if it exists, for the ingredient list applicable to the product you're purchasing, or the brand or retailer's website for the most up-to-date ingredient list.

Seaside

LELimited Edition. $19.00.
C
C
7
Product
8.5
Pigmentation
7
Texture
7.5
Longevity
4
Application
76%
Total
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LORAC Cable Knit Eyeshadow
LORAC Cable Knit Eyeshadow
LORAC Cable Knit Eyeshadow
LORAC Cable Knit Eyeshadow
LORAC Cable Knit Eyeshadow
LORAC Cable Knit Eyeshadow

Cable Knit

Cable Knit is a muted, plummy taupe with warm undertones and a matte finish. It had medium coverage paired with a very loose, powdery texture, which was a real mess to use as it kicked up so much extra product in the pan itself. While blendable, it had a tendency to “melt” on the lid and look a bit uneven after a few minutes of wear. This shade wore for just over six hours on me.

Ingredients

Synthetic Wax, PTFE, Polyethylene, Dimethicone, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Boron Nitride, Isoeicosene, Kaolin, Silica, Sodium Dehydroacetate. May Contain: Mica (CI 77019), Titanium Dioxide (CI 77891), Iron Oxides (CI 77491, CI 77492, CI 77499), Carmine (CI 75470), Manganese Violet (CI 77742), Red 40 Lake (CI 16039), Ultramarines (CI 77007), Blue 1 Lake (CI 42090)

Disclaimer: Ingredient lists are as available by the brand (or retailer) at the time of publishing. Please always check product packaging, if it exists, for the ingredient list applicable to the product you're purchasing, or the brand or retailer's website for the most up-to-date ingredient list.

Cable Knit

LELimited Edition. $19.00.
D-
D-
6
Product
7
Pigmentation
5
Texture
6.5
Longevity
3
Application
61%
Total
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LORAC Cozy Eyeshadow
LORAC Cozy Eyeshadow
LORAC Cozy Eyeshadow
LORAC Cozy Eyeshadow
LORAC Cozy Eyeshadow
LORAC Cozy Eyeshadow

Cozy

Cozy is a light beige with warm undertones and a matte finish. It had good pigmentation with a soft, lightly dusty texture that was blendable and fairly easy to apply to bare skin. The eyeshadow wore nicely for seven hours before fading.

Ingredients

Synthetic Wax, PTFE, Polyethylene, Dimethicone, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Boron Nitride, Isoeicosene, Kaolin, Silica, Sodium Dehydroacetate. May Contain: Mica (CI 77019), Titanium Dioxide (CI 77891), Iron Oxides (CI 77491, CI 77492, CI 77499), Carmine (CI 75470), Manganese Violet (CI 77742), Red 40 Lake (CI 16039), Ultramarines (CI 77007), Blue 1 Lake (CI 42090)

Disclaimer: Ingredient lists are as available by the brand (or retailer) at the time of publishing. Please always check product packaging, if it exists, for the ingredient list applicable to the product you're purchasing, or the brand or retailer's website for the most up-to-date ingredient list.

Cozy

LELimited Edition. $19.00.
B
B
8.5
Product
9
Pigmentation
8.5
Texture
7.5
Longevity
5
Application
86%
Total
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LORAC Boots Eyeshadow
LORAC Boots Eyeshadow
LORAC Boots Eyeshadow
LORAC Boots Eyeshadow
LORAC Boots Eyeshadow
LORAC Boots Eyeshadow

Boots

Boots is a blackened purple with subtle, warm undertones and a pearl finish. It had intense color payoff with a very smooth, almost cream-like texture that was easy to work with and applied beautifully to bare skin. This shade wore well for eight hours on me.

Ingredients

Alumina, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Octamethyltetrasiloxane, Zinc Stearate, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Butter, Silica, Phenoxyethanol. May Contain: Mica (CI 77019), Iron Oxides (CI 77491, CI 77499)

Disclaimer: Ingredient lists are as available by the brand (or retailer) at the time of publishing. Please always check product packaging, if it exists, for the ingredient list applicable to the product you're purchasing, or the brand or retailer's website for the most up-to-date ingredient list.

Boots

LELimited Edition. $19.00.
A-
A-
9
Product
10
Pigmentation
9
Texture
8.5
Longevity
5
Application
92%
Total
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LORAC Kitty Kat Eyeshadow
LORAC Kitty Kat Eyeshadow
LORAC Kitty Kat Eyeshadow
LORAC Kitty Kat Eyeshadow
LORAC Kitty Kat Eyeshadow
LORAC Kitty Kat Eyeshadow

Kitty Kat

Kitty Kat is a medium-dark, reddish bronze with warm undertones and a metallic sheen. The texture of this shade was unlike anything I’ve tried from LORAC before; it was incredibly silky and soft, almost airy and cool to the touch. It was very finely-milled, but it had a tendency to sheer out if applied with sweeping motions. I found that patting it on the lid was the best way to apply it. The color wore well for seven and a half hours.

Ingredients

Talc, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Zinc Stearate, Silica, Octamethyltetrasiloxane, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Butter, Phenoxyethanol, Tin Oxide. May Contain: Mica (CI 77019), Titanium Dioxide (CI 77891), Iron Oxides (CI 77491, CI 77492)

Disclaimer: Ingredient lists are as available by the brand (or retailer) at the time of publishing. Please always check product packaging, if it exists, for the ingredient list applicable to the product you're purchasing, or the brand or retailer's website for the most up-to-date ingredient list.

Kitty Kat

LELimited Edition. $19.00.
B+
B+
8.5
Product
10
Pigmentation
8.5
Texture
8
Longevity
4.5
Application
88%
Total
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LORAC 65 Degrees Eyeshadow
LORAC 65 Degrees Eyeshadow
LORAC 65 Degrees Eyeshadow
LORAC 65 Degrees Eyeshadow
LORAC 65 Degrees Eyeshadow
LORAC 65 Degrees Eyeshadow

65 Degrees

65 Degrees is a light peachy-pink with warm undertones and a high, frosted sheen. The consistency was a little looser and drier in the pan, but the eyeshadow applied evenly to bare lids and did not sheer out too easily. It had good pigmentation that lasted for seven and a half hours on me.

Ingredients

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Octamethyltetrasiloxane, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Butter, Silica, Zinc Stearate, Phenoxyethanol. May Contain: Mica (CI 77019), Copper Powder (CI 77400), Aluminum Powder, (CI 77000)

Disclaimer: Ingredient lists are as available by the brand (or retailer) at the time of publishing. Please always check product packaging, if it exists, for the ingredient list applicable to the product you're purchasing, or the brand or retailer's website for the most up-to-date ingredient list.

65 Degrees

LELimited Edition. $19.00.
B
B
8.5
Product
9
Pigmentation
8
Texture
8
Longevity
5
Application
86%
Total

28 Comments

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Comments on this post are closed.
Emily Avatar

Hi, Christine–Sorry to ask this in two places, but I wasn’t sure you’d see comments made on the Sneak Peek page:

Can you put this eye look on the Looks page with the full breakdown of how you achieved it? It’s gorgeous (and quite different from your other peach & plum looks, as I found when I compared them all), and I’m just not quite seeing how you turned the shades from this palette into that glowy, impactful creation. Thanks!

Mariella Avatar

I wasn’t wowed by the look of this when you first showed it and, except for one or two shadows, I’m still not wowed (one of them is one that scored poorly and for which I seem to have about 5 dupes!). I found the art on the outside to be odd for something called California Dreaming. It looks more like some of the hand painted designs you see in Easter Europe or on cuckoo clocks from Holland than it does “California”.

kjh Avatar

At least you showed a decent look, of how to pull this palette together. I found this rather non-cohesive, before the middling to worse performance. Easy to have/find better dupes. Does Lorac ever have PRC products? Very subpar. At least the pastel palette has expectedly lowish pigment. This one sounds as if it should have been named California Sands, instead.

Genevieve Avatar

This is a pretty poor palette that Lorac has put out – and we are accustomed to better things from them. I still think that olive green shade is really out of sync with the rest of the shades, a different shade of green would have been better.
A lovely eye look Christine.

Valerie Avatar

I just saw this palette, Unzipped and Unzipped Gold on sale on a tv shopping channel late at night. (Major insomniac here 🙂 ) I’m glad now that I picked up Unzipped. I won’t be adding this one for sure….however their pastel palette is very tempting too.

Claire L Avatar

Shame that most of the shades are very powdery, my eyelids would eat up those! I do like the colours, what’s a better but similar palette, do you know?

Rachael Avatar

As someone who has lived in LA for the last 9 years, I’m not entirely convinced this was actually inspired (names or color wise) by California. This looks like a ploy to do a marginally better job of the Too Faced White Chocolate palette.

Robin Avatar

I’m so glad I didn’t buy this when I saw it at Sephora! I love the colors, but didn’t have time to swatch them myself. Thanks for your reviews, always saving us money 🙂

Kamille Avatar

I’m so surprised by this! Besides Seaside I really love this palette and everything wore 8 hours really nicely! I do wear primer and an eye shadow base though ? I want a back up of this palette! Also I need Kitty Kat as a single shadow

Gina Avatar

I was SO disappointed by this palette! I thought the color scheme and theme were so unique and pretty, but it is so incredibly powdery. I did two looks with this, and the results were pretty, but so much excess product kicked up that after 2 uses it looks like I’ve had it for months! I’m returning it to Ulta tomorrow. I wish they would have priced it like $10 higher but made the formula worth keeping!

We try to approve comments within 24 hours (and reply to them within 72 hours) but can sometimes get behind and appreciate your patience! 🙂 If you have general feedback, product review requests, off-topic questions, or need technical support, please contact us directly. Thank you for your patience!