Marc Jacobs Beauty The Starlet (204) Style Eye-Con No. 7 Plush Shadow Palette Review, Photos, Swatches
Marc Jacobs Beauty The Starlet (204) Style Eye-Con No. 7 Plush Shadow Palette
Marc Jacobs Beauty The Starlet (204) Style Eye-Con No. 7 Plush Shadow Palette ($59.00 for 0.24 oz.) contains seven eyeshadows housed in a black, plastic palette with a very slim, curvy look. When the preview went on, I bought this palette and The Tease, because if they were going to do a good job, the metallics and browns of The Starlet would show the line in the best light, and if they were really, really phenomenal, the brand would not just excel at golds and bronzes but purples? I’d have a good idea about the overall quality of the brand. I’ll be reviewing The Tease soon, but this post is just about The Starlet. (As a preliminary morsel, The Tease is good but not as near-to flawless as The Starlet.)
Overall, it’s an excellent palette with rich color payoff, creamy, buttery textures (but the formula is powder!), and wears well. On bare lids, the eyeshadows lasted eight hours fairly well with very minor fading–and slight creasing after nine hours. Over primer (I used NARS Smudge Proof), I had no signs of wear after nine hours. What I noticed about this particular palette most was the texture, because nearly every shade was so buttery and smooth that they felt like creams, even to the touch. This made them incredibly easy to apply and intensely pigmented. They blended beautifully with each other and across the skin. For all it seemed like a warm-toned, almost earthy, palette, it’s not really. There are two cool-toned taupes, the bronze is only slightly warmed-up, even the gold has a dirty cast that gives it a tarnished appearance rather than a molten yellow-y hue, and then there’s a bright, metallic silver–distinctly cool-toned.
My only gripe would be about the packaging, as it’s not as luxe as it looks, and it’s not without flaws. On one hand, it looks nice as a sleek, glossy black compact, but for all of that, it is just a medium-weight plastic. It doesn’t hold fingerprints as badly as metal would, but some were visible. It comes in a thin, black cloth case, and it comes with a single sponge-tip applicator that’s stuck at the bottom of the black cloth case. Since the applicator doesn’t fit in the case, and you only get one, I would have preferred they didn’t include it (it just seems cheap). When you open the palette, there’s a thin piece of black plastic that covers all the eyeshadows that can be removed, and then there is a mirror that spans the length of the interior side of the upper portion of the palette. The palette, technically, opens by pressing the metal tab in the middle along the side, but I was easily able to pop it open by getting my nail between the two halves of the palette. The mechanism for releasing the palette is too readily released, and it would easily open up in a makeup bag if it jostled around enough. The hinge, though, does take more pressure to actually fully open the palette, so if it does happen to get opened up, it should only open up partially (a few millimeters) rather than spring open.
Each eyeshadow is just over 0.03 oz. in weight, and the average full-sized eyeshadow is around 0.05 oz. Most palettes at this price point from other designer brands (like Dior and Chanel) also retail for $59 or so and come with about the same amount of product. Marc Jacobs Beauty has positioned themselves as a designer/high-end brand, not as pricey as a true luxury brand (like Tom Ford), nor as an affordable range.
The Starlet #1 is a muted, mauvey-taupe with a very subtle golden shimmer and a frosted, metallic finish. The color payoff was fantastic, and the texture was smooth and soft. Dior Constellation #5 is less metallic, darker. theBalm rem is purpler, darker. NARS 413 BLKR #1 is lighter, less metallic. MAC Hypnotizing is a touch darker. MAC Smoky Mauve is pinker, warmer. See comparison swatches.
The Starlet #2 is a light peach-beige with copper flecks of shimmer and a rich, frosted and metallic finish. It had warm undertones, and the texture was soft, smooth, and easy to apply. It looks much darker in the pan, but I think the metallic finish is what makes it appear so much lighter applied. MAC Summer Honey is slightly lighter. MAC Warming Heart is darker. MAC Summer Haze is darker. bareMinerals Custom Made is pinker. See comparison swatches.
The Starlet #3 is a medium-dark, chocolate brown with subtle warm undertones and a sprinkling of very fine gold shimmer. It had excellent pigmentation and a soft, buttery texture. Urban Decay Bewitch is less shimmery. Le Metier de Beaute Autumn Rust is more golden. MAC Friendly is warmer. Urban Decay Snakebite is similar. MAC Havana is warmer. Dior Fairy Golds #5 is lighter. See comparison swatches.
The Starlet #4 is a brightened, orange copper with a frosted, metallic finish. The color intensity is fantastic with fully opaque color in a single stroke, and the texture is very, very creamy and rich in feel. Guerlain Cuivre Ora is less frosted. NARS California is darker, browner. MAC Star Myth is less frosted. MAC Mythology is browner, darker. MAC Brash is similar. bareMinerals Bragging Rights is more orange. See comparison swatches.
The Starlet #5 is a tarnished, yellow gold with a frosted, metallic finish. It is not a true yellow gold; there’s a dirtiness to it–a muted quality that keeps it from being a really honey gold. It had great color payoff and a smooth texture. Sephora French Riviera is yellower, less metallic. Urban Decay Spell #1 is darker. Urban Decay Blitz is more muted. Urban Decay Stargazer is greener. MAC Gorgeous Gold is lighter, less metallic. Chanel Topkapi #4 is warmer. Make Up For Ever #11 is a cream product, slightly darker. See comparison swatches.
The Starlet #6 is a light-medium silver with a smooth, metallic finish. It had rich pigmentation, and applied very evenly and smoothly. Maybelline Cool Crush is a cream product. Urban Decay Oz #2 is darker. L’Oreal Primped & Precious is slightly darker. Lancome Style Section is similar, slightly less metallic. Buxom Chihuahua is similar but a cream product. See comparison swatches.
The Starlet #7 is a darkened taupe with a subtle, warm-toned brown base but a cooler gray shimmer/sheen. It had good pigmentation, and the texture was soft and smooth–not quite as creamy as the other shades but still nice. MAC Bossa Blue is less shimmery. Disney Midnight Hour is darker. theBalm Selfish is similar. Urban Decay Armor is darker, grayer. Urban Decay Mushroom is grayer. Giorgio Armani #4 is similar. See comparison swatches.
The Starlet (204)
PPermanent. $59.00.
The Starlet #1
PiPPermanent in Palette.
The Starlet #2
PiPPermanent in Palette.
The Starlet #3
PiPPermanent in Palette.
The Starlet #4
PiPPermanent in Palette.
The Starlet #5
PiPPermanent in Palette.
The Starlet #6
PiPPermanent in Palette.
The Starlet #7
PiPPermanent in Palette.
Marc Jacobs Beauty The Starlet (204) Style Eye-Con No. 7 Plush Shadow Palette
Marc Jacobs Beauty The Starlet (204) Style Eye-Con No. 7 Plush Shadow Palette
Marc Jacobs Beauty The Starlet (204) Style Eye-Con No. 7 Plush Shadow Palette
Marc Jacobs Beauty The Starlet (204) Style Eye-Con No. 7 Plush Shadow Palette
Marc Jacobs Beauty The Starlet (204) Style Eye-Con No. 7 Plush Shadow Palette
Marc Jacobs Beauty The Starlet (204) Style Eye-Con No. 7 Plush Shadow Palette
Marc Jacobs Beauty The Starlet (204) Style Eye-Con No. 7 Plush Shadow Palette
Marc Jacobs Beauty The Starlet (204) Style Eye-Con No. 7 Plush Shadow Palette
Marc Jacobs Beauty The Starlet (204) Style Eye-Con No. 7 Plush Shadow Palette
Marc Jacobs Beauty The Starlet #1 Style Eye-Con No. 7 Plush Shadow Palette
Marc Jacobs Beauty The Starlet #1 Style Eye-Con No. 7 Plush Shadow Palette
Marc Jacobs Beauty The Starlet #2 Style Eye-Con No. 7 Plush Shadow Palette
Marc Jacobs Beauty The Starlet #2 Style Eye-Con No. 7 Plush Shadow Palette
Marc Jacobs Beauty The Starlet #3 Style Eye-Con No. 7 Plush Shadow Palette
Marc Jacobs Beauty The Starlet #3 Style Eye-Con No. 7 Plush Shadow Palette
Marc Jacobs Beauty The Starlet #4 Style Eye-Con No. 7 Plush Shadow Palette
Marc Jacobs Beauty The Starlet #4 Style Eye-Con No. 7 Plush Shadow Palette
Marc Jacobs Beauty The Starlet #5 Style Eye-Con No. 7 Plush Shadow Palette
Marc Jacobs Beauty The Starlet #5 Style Eye-Con No. 7 Plush Shadow Palette
Marc Jacobs Beauty The Starlet #6 Style Eye-Con No. 7 Plush Shadow Palette
Marc Jacobs Beauty The Starlet #6 Style Eye-Con No. 7 Plush Shadow Palette
Marc Jacobs Beauty The Starlet #7 Style Eye-Con No. 7 Plush Shadow Palette
Marc Jacobs Beauty The Starlet #7 Style Eye-Con No. 7 Plush Shadow Palette
Marc Jacobs Beauty The Starlet: #2 (inner lid), #2 (middle of lid), #3 (outer lid), #7 (outer crease)
Marc Jacobs Beauty The Starlet: #2 (inner lid), #2 (middle of lid), #3 (outer lid), #7 (outer crease)
Nice swatches! If I have UD Naked 1 and 2, do you think this palette is necessary? The colors seems a bit similar.
I think this is fairly different from the Naked palettes, actually!
I had to have this during the pre-sale and I’m in love with it. The shades are versatile and flattering, and just buttery smooth shadow perfection!
Did you get any of the other shades, Lauren?
Not yet! I am waiting for the full line to hit stores.
Like you, I was just blown away by the texture of these shadows. I think, also, for being what at first glance seems like conventional shades, it is the undertones that make this palette special. That cool toned silver is almost icy blue on me. Really, really loving this.
Totally agree with you about the packaging. It was the biggest letdown for me.
It’s par for the course, I guess – I mean, Dior, Chanel, Tom Ford, etc. are all plastic as well. Although the clasp/button thing could use improvement.
That is really funny because apparently during the design phase Marc Jacobs himself was obsessed with the “click” of the clasp and was really insistent that it was done a certain way. so we have Mr. Jacobs to blame for the clasp!
It just needs to actually… hold it together – because you can just open it fairly easily with your nails (like hardly any pressure), and the “click” is sooo gentle. Hardly any pressure needed to get it to open. Luckily it doesn’t just POP! all the way open.
Hi, Christine. Just want to let you know that the swatch of the last shade (taupe) is missing. 🙂
Thanks!
The only thing missing is a matte ivory for blending!
I like all the shades in this one which is unusually for me as most palettes I like only maybe half of them for me personally. What the size of these pans by the way. Is it standard size or closer to Sleeks?
They’re smaller than standard, but I don’t know exactly how they compare to Sleeks. They’re just over 0.03 oz.
The brush in this is funky. I don’t know about this palette it just doesn’t seem very different from what I already have… Hmmmm I don’t know
Nothing here that I really need. I have the feeling that pairing BM The Star Treatment with one or 2 other palettes I already have (UD Mariposa, Naked or 15th Anniversary) or a few individual shadows I have would give me all I would ever use from this palette.
Thanks for your review, I was interested to read your thoughts on this line, Christine. I appreciate how you are never effected by the hype surrounding a product. The formula sounds amazing, I love creamy powder textures. It does seem that high shine shadows are easier to get that consistency with than mattes and satins, but still sounds impressive.
I have definitely noticed that frosted/metallic eyeshadows, especially in shades like gold, brown, etc. are seemingly easy to put out as many brands can do them at all price points. Purples tend to be a harder color, and then mattes/satins are definitely finishes that are less slam-dunk.
The color selection in this palette is definitely a hit for me! Maybe I’ll get it instead of Naked for my first neutral palette (I used to buy single shadows all the time).
Awesome look you created! I love the color combinations :] The palette looks phenomenal, and I’m happy to hear that the formula is up to par too. I’m excited to see what else Marc Jacobs will be coming out with!
too shimmery for me ……. love the packaging ..
I for one really like these colors. They seem very versatile. And I love how you did your eyes!
Great colors! I don’t know if the colors have too much sheen for an older lady…maybe it would be okay….
This looks like an amazing palette! I would probably get a lot of use from it.
Darn, I would love to try this formula. Why couldn’t they have included some shades I don’t already have a hundred times over.
I’m so excited now to see your review on the purple one!
I got this palette not knowing what to expect, but I was pleasantly surprised. I LOVE the colors and how buttery smooth they are! Now I wish I had bought the other palette on presale as well before it sold out on Sephora.
I so want this. Beautiful. I would describe the gold as old gold or antique gold (based on similar paint colors) It’s gorgeous. Just what I need, another palette.
Thank’s for the great review.
Is this a Sephora exclusive? Or will it also be showing up in other stores?
It is Sephora exclusive.
I prefer more variation in a palette with finish. Good to know the quality is there. Will definitely look at the other palettes
This palette looks great but I totally agree with you Christine, the packaging seems cheap to me. Though other similar brands use plastic (Dior, Tom Ford, Chanel, etc.) the designs seem more substantial.
I think it looks better (personally) than Chanel and Dior, which I find really cheap – but it’s really just a matter of opinion. I think the design of the MJB line at least looks more custom/modern, so I guess that’s why visually it looks better to me.
I just checked this out on Sephora – in Canada this will cost $71.00!!! This price point makes the packaging look even cheaper, LOL.
Lovely! I may need to check out this palette. How do you become a makeup reviewer and have companies send you products to try? It would make my wallet happy lol.
These are gorgeous and as always you never fail to pull it off and make it look so simple and easy to wear. Are there no dupes from ud naked palettes?
I got mine yesterday and am wearing (well, exactly what you’re wearing, Christine) some of the colors today. I agree with you, the colors are gorgeous and buttery. I am NW 10-15 and found all the colors very wearable, nothing too warm. My only two issues were the packaging. Seriously, it’s like the brush is in the toe of a stocking. Who is going to fish out that little thing? And at least it sounds like your palette closes. My Starlet palette does not snap closed; I can’t tell if it’s a design flaw in this palette or something happened in transit. My Tease palette snaps shut with an audible click and stays closed. I will admit, the colors are so beautiful and blendable, it’s hot a deal-breaker for me, but at $59, they could do better with the packaging.
I always have a hard time picking up the color in palates like this. What kind of brushes do you recommend and do you use them wet or dry?
I use MAC’s 239 most of the time, and I usually apply my eyeshadow dry unless it needs to be used wet to get the color payoff to work.
OK, i now seriously want this palette! This may be the first thing i order! Thanks!
These are wonderfully soft and “pretty”… I wouldn’t have expected it from how they look in the pan. Now I want them…
I purchased Style Eye Con No.3 Plush in 108 The Glam and so far I like it but don’t love it. The pale matte shade is quite crumb-like when I used my Eco-tools eye shadow brush. When I used the sponge-tip applicator it worked out great without crumbs on my eyelid. The 2 brown and bronze shades were perfect and went on the lid like butter. All 3 of the shades are smooth and soft.
I like the colors, love how it’s buttery, yet can’t help but feel that I’m better off getting the Lorac Pro Palette.
Thanks for the review Christine! I’m not sure if this has been asked yet, but are these pans the same diameter as MAC? I like to depot all my eye shadows and keep them in larger palettes! Thank you!!!
Nope, these are smaller – 0.03ish in size, vs. MAC is 0.05 oz.!
Bummer lol… I was hoping they would be 26mm lol… Thanks!!!!
I am quite disappointed about the shade ranges of all MJ’s palette..
the button of palette seems easy-broken..
And some packings of the products are weired..(lipgloss and nail polish ..not my taste)
not as special as i thought it would be:”(
Mr. Jacobs put a big big advertisment of his makeup line..but so far Im so disapoinited..
Cant make me as crazy as I saw Mr. Ford’s announcement 😛
I probably have dupes for all of these colours somewhere in my collection but I can’t stop buying taupes and that pewter is so pretty. Plus that eye look is gorgeous, so subtly flattering. So tempted…
Ohh that’s a gorgeous pallet! I was going to finally purchase Naked 2 because the colors seem like what I’d like to wear but this pallet looks even better and more versatile.
Thank you for the review!