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LORAC Unzipped Gold Eyeshadow Palette Review, Photos, Swatches

LORAC Unzipped Gold Eyeshadow Palette
LORAC Unzipped Gold Eyeshadow Palette

LORAC Unzipped Gold Eyeshadow Palette ($42.00 for 0.58 oz.) is new palette for spring that includes ten eyeshadows and a mini Behind The Scenes Eye Primer. It’s new and permanent with an official release date of January 15th. It’s the same size (but in terms of the palette itself and amount of product you get) as the original, which is always nice to see. On the back of the packaging, it states that the “Shimmer Eye Shadows can be used wet,” whereas I think LORAC typically describes their eyeshadow formula (as a whole) is as a wet/dry one. I actually appreciate the distinction as many matte formulas don’t play well with water (the surface will harden). The really metallic shades definitely apply more smoothly with a dampened brush, but there’s a delicate balance in application with them due to their really soft, dense consistencies. If you over-apply damp, it can look almost wrinkled on the skin, and when you apply dry, the metallic shades almost crumble at times if you try to apply like a regular eyeshadow–use less than you think you need.

When you have the two palettes side-by-side, the original is distinctly pink-toned, while Gold is just that, gold–warmer, more coppery/brown. Here are the shades I thought were most similar to each other, but they weren’t really dupes:

  • Unreal (Original) | Unpredictable (Gold) — the latter is more metallic and has a stronger peachiness to it, and it looks more like a duochrome (that peachy-pink that we often see) whereas Unreal has less nuance to it and is more beige. (See side-by-side comparison.)
  • Unreal (Original) | Uninhibited (Gold) — the two appear more similar when you look at the pans, with Uninhibited clearly lighter and warmer (less rosy beige), but Uninhibited swatches significantly lighter than it appears, which makes it even more dissimilar to Unreal in practice. (See side-by-side comparison.)
  • Undiscovered (Original) | Unleashed (Gold) — the latter is brighter, richer, deeper and more metallic, while Undiscovered is softer, more faded/muted. (See side-by-side comparison.)

Undressed is a light, yellowed beige with a matte finish. The pigmentation was nice, while the texture was soft, silky, and smooth without being powdery or dusty. It wore well for eight hours on me. See comparison swatches / view dupes.

Uninhibited is a warm-toned, golden beige with yellow undertones and a sparkly, metallic finish. Applied dry, it was semi-sheer to semi-opaque; I felt like each time I used it, the color payoff varied (I even swatched just on my arm multiple times and had similar, varying results!). When I applied it with a dampened brush, it was more consistent and was closer to full coverage. This shade wore well without fading for eight and a half hours. See comparison swatches / view dupes.

Unpredictable is a brightened, peachy-coral with a gold frost/metallic sheen. The texture is incredibly soft, but buttery and dense, and it seems to apply and look chunky when used dry, as dry application almost gets too much product onto the brush in a single go. I found it easier to control using a dampened brush, as you could get smoother (but still opaque) color with less fuss. It does work dry, but be mindful of the texture, as it can bunch up! On me, the color wore well for eight and a half hours. See comparison swatches / view dupes.

Undeniable is a muted, medium brown with warm, yellow undertones and a matte finish. It had good color payoff with a soft, finely-milled texture that was easy to blend on the skin. The color stayed on well for eight hours. See comparison swatches / view dupes.

Unedited is a dark brown with subtle, warm undertones and a matte finish. The texture was really soft, but it was on the powdery side, so though it seemed really pigmented (and it will be, if you use a primer or base with it), it doesn’t stick as well to bare skin and results in it looking less opaque. On me, this shade wore well for eight hours. See comparison swatches / view dupes.

Unlocked is a brightened, white gold with a frosted, metallic finish and warm undertones. It had mostly opaque color payoff when applied dry, but it looked more frosted rather than metallic, as it did when it was applied damp. The consistency was very soft and smooth, buttery and dense. This shade showed signs of fading after eight and a half hours of wear. See comparison swatches / view dupes.

Unlimited is a light-medium, yellow gold with a frosted, metallic finish. It had good color payoff, but the texture was so soft and dense that it almost crumbled at times and didn’t go on as smoothly as you’d think it would. It wore well for eight and a half hours on me before fading. See comparison swatches / view dupes.

Unleashed is a brightened, rich molten copper with a metallic finish. It had rich color payoff both wet and dry, but the damp application gave it a brighter sheen, and it also made the product apply thicker. The consistency feels almost like a cream to the touch, but it was one of the shades that could be over-applied and in turn, bunch up on itself, with a damp application. This shade wore well for eight and a half hours. There are so many similar shades to this, so chances are, you probably have something close already. See comparison swatches / view dupes.

Unwind is a medium, taupe-brown with warm, yellow-ish tones (almost ocher-like) and a mostly matte finish. It had really had nice color payoff that went on smoothly and evenly, and with its very soft, smooth texture, it blended well during application. The color showed signs of fading after eight hours of wear. See comparison swatches / view dupes.

Unafraid is a deep, rich brown with warm undertones and a pearly sheen–it’s not truly metallic unless really buffed into the skin. It had intense color payoff both wet and dry, and there was very little difference between the two application methods. This shade wore well for almost nine hours. I thought it was the best shade in the entire palette, as far as quality goes. See comparison swatches / view dupes.

Unzipped Gold

PPermanent. $42.00.
A-
A-
9
Product
9
Pigmentation
9
Texture
9
Longevity
5
Application
91%
Total

Undressed

PiPPermanent in Palette. $19.00.
A
A
9.5
Product
10
Pigmentation
9
Texture
8.5
Longevity
5
Application
93%
Total

Unafraid

PiPPermanent in Palette. $19.00.
A
A
10
Product
10
Pigmentation
10
Texture
9
Longevity
5
Application
98%
Total

Uninhibited

PiPPermanent in Palette. $19.00.
B+
B+
8.5
Product
8
Pigmentation
8.5
Texture
9
Longevity
5
Application
87%
Total

Unpredictable

PiPPermanent in Palette. $19.00.
B+
B+
8.5
Product
9.5
Pigmentation
8
Texture
9
Longevity
4.5
Application
88%
Total

Undeniable

PiPPermanent in Palette. $19.00.
A-
A-
9
Product
9
Pigmentation
9
Texture
8.5
Longevity
5
Application
90%
Total

Unedited

PiPPermanent in Palette. $19.00.
B
B
8
Product
8
Pigmentation
9
Texture
8.5
Longevity
4.5
Application
84%
Total

Unlocked

PiPPermanent in Palette. $19.00.
B+
B+
8.5
Product
8.5
Pigmentation
9
Texture
9
Longevity
5
Application
89%
Total

Unlimited

PiPPermanent in Palette. $19.00.
A-
A-
9
Product
9
Pigmentation
9
Texture
9
Longevity
5
Application
91%
Total

Unleashed

PiPPermanent in Palette. $19.00.
A
A
9.5
Product
10
Pigmentation
9.5
Texture
9
Longevity
5
Application
96%
Total

Unwind

PiPPermanent in Palette. $19.00.
A
A
9.5
Product
9.5
Pigmentation
9.5
Texture
9
Longevity
5
Application
94%
Total

LORAC Unzipped Gold Eyeshadow Palette
LORAC Unzipped Gold Eyeshadow Palette

LORAC Unzipped Gold Eyeshadow Palette
LORAC Unzipped Gold Eyeshadow Palette

LORAC Unzipped Gold Eyeshadow Palette
LORAC Unzipped Gold Eyeshadow Palette

LORAC Unzipped Gold Eyeshadow Palette
LORAC Unzipped Gold Eyeshadow Palette

LORAC Unzipped Gold Eyeshadow Palette
LORAC Unzipped Gold Eyeshadow Palette

LORAC Unzipped Gold Eyeshadow Palette
LORAC Unzipped Gold Eyeshadow Palette

LORAC Unzipped Gold Eyeshadow Palette
LORAC Unzipped Gold Eyeshadow Palette

LORAC Unzipped Gold Eyeshadow Palette
LORAC Unzipped Gold Eyeshadow Palette

LORAC Unzipped Gold Eyeshadow Palette
LORAC Unzipped Gold Eyeshadow Palette

LORAC Unzipped Gold Eyeshadow Palette
LORAC Unzipped Gold Eyeshadow Palette

LORAC Unzipped Gold Eyeshadow Palette
LORAC Unzipped Gold Eyeshadow Palette

LORAC Unzipped Gold Eyeshadow Palette
LORAC Unzipped Gold Eyeshadow Palette

LORAC Unzipped Gold Eyeshadow Palette
LORAC Unzipped Gold Eyeshadow Palette

LORAC Unzipped Gold Eyeshadow Palette
LORAC Unzipped Gold Eyeshadow Palette

LORAC Unzipped Gold Eyeshadow Palette
LORAC Unzipped vs. Unzipped Gold Eyeshadow Palette (click to enlarge)

LORAC Unzipped Gold Eyeshadow Palette
LORAC Unzipped vs. Unzipped Gold Eyeshadow Palette (click to enlarge)

LORAC Undressed Eyeshadow
LORAC Undressed Eyeshadow

LORAC Undressed Eyeshadow
LORAC Undressed Eyeshadow

LORAC Uninhibited Eyeshadow
LORAC Uninhibited Eyeshadow

LORAC Uninhibited Eyeshadow
LORAC Uninhibited Eyeshadow

LORAC Unpredictable Eyeshadow
LORAC Unpredictable Eyeshadow

LORAC Unpredictable Eyeshadow
LORAC Unpredictable Eyeshadow

LORAC Undeniable Eyeshadow
LORAC Undeniable Eyeshadow

LORAC Undeniable Eyeshadow
LORAC Undeniable Eyeshadow

LORAC Unedited Eyeshadow
LORAC Unedited Eyeshadow

LORAC Unedited Eyeshadow
LORAC Unedited Eyeshadow

LORAC Unlocked Eyeshadow
LORAC Unlocked Eyeshadow

LORAC Unlocked Eyeshadow
LORAC Unlocked Eyeshadow

LORAC Unlimited Eyeshadow
LORAC Unlimited Eyeshadow

LORAC Unlimited Eyeshadow
LORAC Unlimited Eyeshadow

LORAC Unleashed Eyeshadow
LORAC Unleashed Eyeshadow

LORAC Unleashed Eyeshadow
LORAC Unleashed Eyeshadow

LORAC Unwind Eyeshadow
LORAC Unwind Eyeshadow

LORAC Unwind Eyeshadow
LORAC Unwind Eyeshadow

LORAC Unafraid Eyeshadow
LORAC Unafraid Eyeshadow

LORAC Unafraid Eyeshadow
LORAC Unafraid Eyeshadow

LORAC Unzipped Gold Eyeshadow Palette
Unpredictable (inner lid), Uninhibited (middle of lid), Undeniable (outer lid), Unedited (crease),
Undressed (brow bone), Estee Lauder Burgundy Suede Eyeliner, Estee Lauder Pink Gold Eyeliner

LORAC Unzipped Gold Eyeshadow Palette
Unpredictable (inner lid), Uninhibited (middle of lid), Undeniable (outer lid), Unedited (crease),
Undressed (brow bone), Estee Lauder Burgundy Suede Eyeliner, Estee Lauder Pink Gold Eyeliner

LORAC Unzipped Gold Eyeshadow Palette
Unlimited (inner lid), Unlocked (middle of lid), Unleashed (outer lid), Unafraid (crease),
Unwind (above crease), Undressed (brow bone) Estee Lauder Burgundy Suede Eyeliner,
Estee Lauder Pink Gold Eyeliner

LORAC Unzipped Gold Eyeshadow Palette
Unlimited (inner lid), Unlocked (middle of lid), Unleashed (outer lid), Unafraid (crease),
Unwind (above crease), Undressed (brow bone) Estee Lauder Burgundy Suede Eyeliner,
Estee Lauder Pink Gold Eyeliner

90 Comments

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Nubian_Queen15 Avatar

My thoughts exactly. I like the concept of the Gold palette, but i have way too many warm neutral palettes. As soon as I saw this, my first thought was, “I wish they could do this again, but with taupes and pewter colors”. I would love to see a Lorac Unzipped Platinum palette.

kjh Avatar

Yuh-huh! Second that idea. Unzipped 2 is more unique than i imagined. Whereas i thought it would have something in common with Vegas Lights, there is not the slightest resemblance. + from the ‘far shot,’ i thought Unafraid might have some overlap with N3 Blackheart. Not in the least! (UZ2 seems to have more in common with Petrouchka.) It has a definite Lorac-y feel + would not be mistaken for another company’s product. (Even though they didn’t put mattes in a row + shimmers in a row.) Gold family lovers must be in heaven with Vegas Lights and Unzipped 2. Gold is COVERED. Unless… is gold the new neutral? Cool toned folks often have blue eyes + the gold family complements them well. And this is a cinch for the warm toned. UZ2 can go sheer or intense on the app. This will surely be a winner.

On to platinum! No market saturation there. Ooooooh! Let’s hope all the gurus @ Lorac read Temptalia. I cannot imagine they would not…what ensemble does not read their reviews? They are all salivating to see what the influential media opinion is. And Christine + followers have influence, as do Jacklyn Hill, Lisa Eldrige, Wayne G., Marlena, etc. + Christine is not into product development (YET? You’d rule.) so it is pure critique, not competition. Listen up, Lorac!

Amy H. Avatar

Hi Christine,
Omg. I think you’re onto something with the Platinum idea. I can’t think of one palette that has dedicated the scheme to taupes and pewters. That would be lovely. Just one transition shade thrown in, and it’d be my everyday palette.
I think you need to do a collab with UD or Tarte and tell them to get on it! Include a few brushes (blending, packing, lining) as well as a few colorful creamy eyeliners. Ohhhh…just thinking about it!
Now I want that instead of the Gold. LOL.
(Shucks. *kicks rock with heels* I guess I’ll “have” to start with the Gold, though… You know…it’s right there?? Temptation, availability, compulsion and all that). Haha!!! Enjoy your weekend. xx

Rachel R. Avatar

I like the looks of this better than the originial Unzipped. I really like the mix of frosty metallics with a good selection of mattes. The original Unzipped always seemed nice to me, but common and a trifle boring.

Ivanna Avatar

These are GORGEOUS! Wow. I don’t need it, but wouldn’t it be a perfect thing to reach for every time you want some gold shine? I want iiiiit

April Avatar

I’m kinda torn. I LOVE my Unzipped palette, but I think it is because rose gold is flattering on me and the colors are amazing. Then again, I absolutely adore Lorac eyeshadows, so this is an easy “no worry” buy.. I hope it is permanent, because I have gotten so much eyeshadow lately that I need to slowww down xD

Nicole Avatar

Thanks for the quick review! I like it..I think for spring /summer,once I get a little color,it will be lovely. I’m planning to pick up the first one tomorrow.I have to go outta my way a little. The original is sold out at the utla close to me and online! I’m a little weary on 8.5 ratings. But,I’m a diehard primer or base user. I think I’m going to plan for this too. I love golds,especially once I’m not as pasty!
Man.I knew this would happen. My plan is to get a nice grouping of muff shadows. But these palettes are going to cone at me hard I think,now that spring is ushering in too quick.
Compared to mufe’s formula,how do you think these do?

Sylirael Avatar

Unpredictable is a very pretty shade! 🙂 I was prepared to kind of shrug this off as OMG YET ANOTHER WARM NEUTRALS PALETTE CAN WE STOP NOW PLEASE (just a personal preference), but actually several of the shades swatch slightly cooler than I expected! Although I want to try LORAC, I’ll probably go for a palette with some shades I have fewer of (I think champagnes and golds are, collectively, my most-owned shades because of how common they are in palettes, LOL!)

If they released the more pewter and taupey one you mentioned in the comments, however… *grabby hands*

Sara Avatar

How do you think this compares to the original Naked palette? This looks really beautiful and I’m trying to decide which one I should get (Naked or Unzipped Gold). Which one would you personally recommend?

Julia S. Avatar

These are gorgeous but I think I’ll pass – I have enough neutral palettes for the moment, and I’m saving for the NARSissist Dual-Intensity palette for when it’s available at Sephora. I liked the first one of these and gifted it to my friend (because I already had Naked 3 and the Lorac seemed so similar). Maybe if they’d released more non-nude colors, but I’ve got my gold and browns covered for the moment. Nice swatches though!

Mariella Avatar

Julia, I am doing the same – eagerly waiting for that Nars palette, which should be in Sephora in a month. That’s pretty much the only makeup item (as opposed to skin care) on my “gotta have it” list, unless Sephora finally/eventually/EVER gets Jardin Perdu!

Katherine T. Avatar

This is a gorgeous palette, brown and golds are my favorite shadow colors, but I have so many of those colors already (sigh). So glad some of the shadows run warmer, otherwise, I would be tempted to pick this one up!

Keley Avatar

ohh noo, why do you do this to me?! I need this palette, like I need a hole in the head, BUT I WANT IT! LOVE the colors! LOVE LORAC! Man, and I’m trying to “declutter” too! Decisions decisions! boo

Emi Avatar

I actually received this palette as a wedding favor in November, and I am totally in love with it! I wear gold on my eyes fairly often, but I didn’t have any copper-y shades like the ones included here, so it’s been great! I think the mix of shimmer and matte is nice to have, too. :}

Kaelie Avatar

I totally just went through my makeup stash and purged some products I wasn’t using or loving. That included throwing away some old eye shadow palettes I don’t love in order to open up some space for beautiful palettes like this one!!!

Ellen Avatar

As it is, unzipped is pretty gold, at least my palette is! Your original swaatches of it are a little different from mine. And there are a lot of repetitive metllic shades. I dol love many of the colors, and although I have some in singles, it is always nice to have a palette with all your faves. I’ll have to think about it when it is released. My instinct is to buy it, but there have been so many great palettes lately, and you can’t wear them all. I love a good matte base color, which both palettes have; a nice brown or rosey brown in the crease, a darker brown or purply brown in the corner, and a peach on my lid. The dark colors in the original unzipped are not that dark, the dark browns in the new palette round out the lighter ones iin the original, But the MAC Sharon Osbourne palette has those four shades, the Too Faced Bonjour palette has those colors, and like I said, I probably have many singles that do as well. If only I were a beauty blogger and could sample them all, but allas, I am not, and will have to finish up some of what I own before I overflow my bathroom shelf and my husband’s patience!! Make up and cats are expensive obsessions!

Jolijn Avatar

This palette looks amazing! I want to buy a warm toned palette, I was thinking about Naked 2, but then I saw this one. Which one would you recommend? 🙂 By the way, I love your complete reviews and swatches!

Jolijn Avatar

Oh and I know Naked 2 is meant to be cool toned but when I look at the swatches I always feel like theres only two really cool toned colours in the palette

Adilah Avatar

It’s so strange because I saw about 5 of these palettes at Khols today! I was confused because I remember reading that it’s coming on the 15th. I got a bit excited but I didn’t end up buying it. I think I prefer the original unzipped more and I’m waiting to get my hands on it.

Fran Avatar

In spite of being perpetually in search of the perfect palette of cool (but not pink) neutrals, I quite like the look of this very gold palette, and really appreciate the lack of pink! I almost made it to ULTA today, but we’re having a deluge with black ice here today, so just getting to work and back was enough for me (on the bright side, my makeup survived the adventure intact, lol — OCC pencil + lip tar is a fantastic combo). Hmm… shall I order online or wait to swatch it in person?

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