Marc Jacobs Beauty Smartorial Eye-Conic Eyeshadow Palette Review, Photos, Swatches
Smartorial
Marc Jacobs Beauty Smartorial Eye-Conic Eyeshadow Palette ($49.00 for 0.21 oz.) is a mix of gray, blues, and neutrals with assorted finishes. It featured seven shades with four different finishes (velvet, satin, silk and lamé). The eyeshadow formula is supposed to have “lasting, velvety-rich pigment.” The brighter blue was more of a struggle to work with compared to the other six shades in the palette, as it did not blend out as well and was not as buildable/pigmented as other shades.
A few obvious differences between the new Eye-Conic palettes and the previous Style Eye-Con No. 7 palettes: they actually decreased by $10 in price (they used to be $59) with only a slight decrease in quantity (0.21 oz. vs. 0.25 oz.), and each eyeshadow has been named. The ingredient lists differ from shade to shade, which makes it harder to really compare easily, and I saw a lot of similar ingredients but order often varied; they seemed similar to me just by touching, wearing, and applying with maybe slightly higher dimethicone quantities in the shimmery shades and a slightly firmer press (but not stiff) for more matte shades (so less powder kicked up in the pan).
Smartorial
PPermanent. $49.50.
Whenever
Whenever is a pale beige with neutral-to-cool undertones and a matte finish. It had medium, buildable coverage with a smooth, lightly powdery consistency. It was very blendable and easy to spread it across the skin, but it had a tendency to have some fallout. This shade lasted for seven hours on me.
Top Dupes
- Viseart Petit Pro #1 (LE, ) is cooler (95% similar).
- bareMinerals Presence (LE, ) is darker (95% similar).
- Too Faced Pot du Crème (LE, $16.00) is darker (95% similar).
- Colour Pop Distressed (LE, $4.50) is darker (95% similar).
- LORAC Tails & Top Hats #1 (LE, $19.00) is cooler (95% similar).
- Urban Decay Thirteen (PiP, $19.00) is cooler (95% similar).
- Kat Von D Lifelike (DC, ) is darker (95% similar).
- Tarte Charmer (PiP, ) is cooler (95% similar).
- Too Faced Cream Colored Ponies (LE, $16.00) is darker (95% similar).
- Viseart Cool Mattes 2 #1 (PiP, ) is lighter, cooler (90% similar).
Whenever
PiPPermanent in Palette.
In Doubt
In Doubt is a bright, light-medium silver with neutral undertones and a metallic sheen. It had opaque color payoff with a smooth, lightly creamy texture that wasn’t too soft or too firmly pressed into the pan, so it didn’t have fallout but applied well to bare skin. The color stayed on well for eight hours before fading.
Top Dupes
- LORAC Silver (PiP, $19.00) is brighter (95% similar).
- MAC Extra Silver (LE, $20.00) is lighter (95% similar).
- Ulta Silver (P, $10.00) is lighter (95% similar).
- Wet 'n' Wild The Night's Quad #4 (LE, ) is cooler (95% similar).
- Dior Trompe L'Oeil (011) (LE, $31.00) is cooler (95% similar).
- Sydney Grace Jingle Bells (P, $8.00) is more shimmery, darker, cooler (95% similar).
- Dior Blue Garden #4 (LE, ) is more shimmery (95% similar).
- Make Up For Ever ME116 Silver (DC, $21.00) is cooler (95% similar).
- Chanel Tisse Ombre de Lune #2 (PiP, ) is lighter (95% similar).
- MAC Eggplant Blend #3 (LE, ) is less shimmery (95% similar).
In Doubt
PiPPermanent in Palette.
Power Platforms
Power Platforms is a bright, medium-dark cobalt blue with cool undertones and a matte finish. It had medium coverage that was buildable to semi-opaque coverage, but it was hard to get opaque coverage without using a white base (primer alone was not enough). The consistency was soft, velvety, and slightly dusty, which made the blending and application somewhat uneven. It wore well for seven and a half hours on me.
Top Dupes
- Makeup Geek Neptune (DC, $6.00) is lighter (95% similar).
- NABLA Cosmetics Majorelle (PiP, $8.00) is darker (95% similar).
- Illamasqua Sadist (P, ) is darker (95% similar).
- Huda Beauty Sapphire #8 (LE, ) is more shimmery (95% similar).
- MAC Matmata (LE, $17.00) is darker (95% similar).
- NARS Stage Dive (LE, $25.00) is darker (95% similar).
- MAC Atlantic Blue (P, $17.00) is lighter (95% similar).
- Anastasia C3 (Norvina Vol. 2) (LE, ) is darker (90% similar).
- Colour Pop I'm Chillen (LE, $4.50) is more shimmery, more muted (90% similar).
- Colour Pop Piece of Cake (P, $4.50) is lighter (90% similar).
Power Platforms
PiPPermanent in Palette.
Make Sure
Make Sure is a deep, bluish teal with cool undertones and lighter blue shimmer over a more matte finish. The pigmentation was fantastic, while the texture was smooth, velvety, and not at all dusty or powdery. It applied evenly and blended out well on the lid. This shade lasted for eight hours on me.
Top Dupes
- Urban Decay Prank (LE, $19.00) is cooler (95% similar).
- Natasha Denona Fata Morgana (LE, ) is less shimmery (90% similar).
- YSL Scandal #5 (LE, ) is more shimmery, warmer (90% similar).
- LORAC Beast Mode (LE, $19.00) is darker, cooler (90% similar).
- Colour Pop Burnout (LE, $4.50) is warmer (90% similar).
- Natasha Denona Smoke (65V) (PiP, $29.00) is lighter, more muted, warmer (90% similar).
- Make Up For Ever S226 Abyssal Blue (DC, $21.00) is more shimmery (95% similar).
- MAC Indigogo (LE, $17.00) is lighter, warmer (85% similar).
- NARS Big Sur (P, $19.00) is more shimmery, lighter, warmer (85% similar).
- Colour Pop Effect (LE, $6.00) is lighter, warmer (85% similar).
Make Sure
PiPPermanent in Palette.
For Once
For Once is a deep, blackened teal with cooler overtones and warmer, brown undertones paired with a frosted sheen. It had opaque color coverage that blended out easily. The texture was smooth, dense, but not stiff or difficult to pick up with a brush. The eyeshadow wore well for eight hours on me before fading slightly.
Top Dupes
- Juvia's Place Aja (LE, ) is warmer (95% similar).
- bareMinerals Deep Sea (LE, $14.00) is lighter (95% similar).
- Anastasia Throne (LE, $12.00) is less shimmery, darker (95% similar).
- Chantecaille Lagoon (P, $34.00) is less shimmery, darker (90% similar).
- The Estee Edit Wavy (LE, ) is warmer (90% similar).
- Estee Lauder Charred Emerald (LE, $45.00) is darker (90% similar).
- Bobbi Brown Electric Sapphire (LE, $38.00) is more shimmery, lighter, cooler (90% similar).
- Anastasia Mermaid (P, $12.00) is less shimmery, lighter (90% similar).
- bareMinerals Dazzle (PiP, ) is less shimmery, warmer (90% similar).
- Colour Pop Patchwork (LE, $6.00) is more shimmery, lighter, cooler (90% similar).
For Once
PiPPermanent in Palette.
They Know Who
They Know Who is a light-medium, golden brown with warm undertones and a metallic finish. It was richly pigmented and had a smooth, creamy texture that was denser but so easy to work with. The eyeshadow applied beautifully to bare skin and stayed on well for eight hours.
Top Dupes
- Dior Smoky Sequins #3 (LE, ) is more shimmery (95% similar).
- Dior Infinity (751) (LE, $31.00) is less shimmery, darker, more muted (90% similar).
- Burberry Nude (No. 002) (P, $29.00) is darker, cooler (90% similar).
- Buxom Style Icon (P, $12.00) is lighter, warmer (90% similar).
- Tarte Starfish (LE, ) is less shimmery (90% similar).
- Gucci Beauty Starlight (DC, $37.00) is lighter (90% similar).
- NARS Dione (P, $29.00) is more shimmery, lighter (85% similar).
- Smashbox Doe (PiP, ) is less shimmery, lighter (85% similar).
- Too Faced After Hours (LE, $16.00) is warmer (85% similar).
- Surratt Beauty Vison (P, $20.00) is less shimmery, lighter (85% similar).
They Know Who
PiPPermanent in Palette.
Runs the Show
Runs the Show is a medium taupe with subtle, warm undertones and a satin finish. The eyeshadow was opaque in a single layer, and the texture was smooth, velvety without being dusty or powdery. It wore well for seven and a half hours on me before fading slightly.
Top Dupes
- bareMinerals Priceless (LE, ) is less shimmery (95% similar).
- Tarte Platinum Bling (LE, ) is lighter (95% similar).
- MAC Plum Darling (LE, $17.00) is more shimmery (90% similar).
- Natasha Denona Tor (225CP) (PiP, ) is more shimmery, darker (85% similar).
- Zoeva Ever (PiP, ) is less shimmery, darker (85% similar).
- Chanel Blurry Blue #4 (PiP, ) is less shimmery, lighter (85% similar).
- Kevyn Aucoin Light Grey (LE, ) is less shimmery, lighter (80% similar).
- bareMinerals Suspense (P, ) is lighter (90% similar).
Sad. the shade that makes this palette for me, Power Platforms, did so poorly. I’m not inclined to want to put that much work into making a shade work well in a palette at this price point. For me, the other shades are nice but I have multiple dupes over multiple brands. This is going to be a pass for me. Thanks for your review!
I feel like one can find a single of Power Platforms, so the rest of the palette isn’t necessary!
<3
@Christine, your review seems to be missing the swatch and review/dupes for the shade ‘Whenever’
I’m so sorry! It’s fixed now!
No worries! Thanks Christine!
I could probably;y dupe all of these but this is a really fun palette.
Glad you can dupe it 🙂
While I do really like 4 out of the 7 shades, and have a dupe for the teal-green shade, I just don’t believe that’s enough for me to justify buying this palette. As for that cobalt shade…it looks pathetic next to KVD Velour! Or UD Untitled!
Easy skip 🙂
Nancy, I wonder if we are both loving the same 4 shades! I posted pretty much what you posted!
I wish I could take 4 of the shadows from this palette (For Once, Runs the Show, In Doubt and especially They Know Who) and combine them with a few shades from Edgitorial – that would be perfection for me as I’d have no use for matte bright blue, the other blue and the mediocre performing lightest shade.
It would be REALLY cool if MJB did singles!
Oh yes – along the lines of how Buxom did theirs – palettes large enough that they hold a good selection and “cheaper by the half-dozen”!
Mine were: Make Sure, For Once, They Know Who, Runs The Show. Those last 4 are my jam! The silver shade is pretty, but not my best color. Other than that, we’re makeup twins!
The score’s pretty good considering there are 2 blues in here that are harder to formulate! I like this blue/brown color combo, makes it more versatile for day or night. He could’ve played it safe and just stuck to all browns, but he didn’t.
It’s definitely not the worst we’ve seen for blues!
Gasp! Look at that eye look!!
🙂
How weird is it that the matte cream shade is so poor?
Sometimes… you just never know how things will perform, LOL!
I like how many relatively unique-for-a-palette colors are packed into such a compact product, but you could still put together a work-appropriate look.
Happy to hear you enjoyed the color scheme of the palette!
This is a gorgeous palette – the only shade I didn’t like is that bright blue one. Otherwise I just loved every colour and it was a gorgeous eye look you’ve done Christine.
Power Platforms really makes this palette pop! I’m glad it seems to be dupable, though, considering the performance.
I really like your eye look Christine! I like the colors in the palette, just wish they did better – I’ll just create my own from dupes.