Natasha Denona Tropic Eyeshadow Palette Review, Photos, Swatches
Tropic
Natasha Denona Tropic 15-Pan Eyeshadow Palette ($129.00 for 1.20 oz.) is a new, limited edition palette for spring that includes a mix of mattes and shimmers with two rows of more neutral-hued shades and one row featuring pops of color. The matte eyeshadows were nice–= smooth and blendable, though a touch dry–but the shimmers were more inconsistent. Both Mint Frost and Tiger Lily were extremely dense, which made them stiffer and harder to work with; Tiger Lily was workable but Mint Frost was more challenging as it was also very chunky.
On a personal note (this did not impact the rating at all), I found the palette a challenge to work with unless I was only going to stick to three or four shades, due to the mismatch in undertones of the first two rows (very warm-toned) and last row (cooler-toned). I also found the lack of satin and pearl finishes made it harder to smoothly diffuse mattes into the metallics, as they were a denser, thicker formulation.
Each pan also contains 0.05 oz. compared to 0.08 oz. from prior releases; the brand explained (via Instagram story, which I can’t find to reference) that the ingredients used were different and lighter but the pans themselves had the same volume of product. I tried weighing pans from the Tropic palette against similar finish pans from my Sunset palette, but my food scale didn’t seem to be as reliable as ideal for this low of a weight–I kept getting 0.14 oz. for each pan, but when I put two together, it would go up to 0.31 oz. (which would account for the 0.03 oz. difference in product if the pans are exactly the same). Visually, the pans were the exact same height, width, and length. I didn’t receive a box with the palette, so I don’t have a list of ingredients for this one to try and compare it against past palettes.
I have seen certain types of formulas–typically “baked” eyeshadows–weigh noticeably less than traditional powder eyeshadows, but the brand has repeated finishes between palettes (like Creamy Matte), so I’m not sure what specifically was changed that would change the weight significantly (by 0.03 oz.) but not the volume. (If there was a new finish and that was lighter, it wouldn’t seem as notable.) Just for something easy to reference, MAC Eyeshadows are typically 0.05 oz. each but Veluxe Pearls (a type of finish) are 0.04 oz., and MAC Extra Dimension Eyeshadows are all 0.04 oz. despite having a similar pan size as the regular eyeshadows and actually having part of product raised above the pan’s maximum height. Another example is Chanel’s Les 4 Ombres Eyeshadow Quads, which contains 0.07 oz. of product when the original formula contained 0.24 oz. yet they seem to take up the same volume, though it seemed to go from traditional to a more “baked” formula.
The updated packaging is definitely an upgrade, though, from the prior palettes. I vastly prefer the more secure, plastic exterior and shade names written next to each respective shade over the overhead sheet from before.
Peach Puff
Peach Puff is a muted, medium-dark coral with warm, orange undertones and a matte finish. It had rich color payoff that applied beautifully to bare skin–it didn’t darken or lose its intensity as I blended out, which can be a struggle when I work with mattes without primer. The texture was soft and velvety with just a touch of powderiness. It wore well for eight and a half hours on me.
Top Dupes
- Colour Pop Perky (PiP, $4.50) is darker, cooler (95% similar).
- Colour Pop Perch (LE, $4.50) is cooler (95% similar).
- Zoeva MT070 (PiP, ) is darker, more muted (90% similar).
- Huda Beauty Coral #8 (PiP, ) is darker (90% similar).
- Colour Pop Dream Maker (PiP, ) is lighter, cooler (90% similar).
- Dose of Colors Loungy (LE, ) is cooler (95% similar).
- Colour Pop Wait for It (P, $4.50) is cooler (85% similar).
- Anastasia Coastline (LE, $12.00) is lighter (90% similar).
- Huda Beauty Ruby #8 (LE, ) is lighter, cooler (90% similar).
- NABLA Cosmetics Zen (PiP, $8.00) is more muted, warmer (90% similar).
Sangria
Sangria is slightly muted, medium red with warm undertones and a matte finish. The eyeshadow had excellent pigmentation in a single layer, while the texture was soft and blendable, so it was easy to apply to and blend out on my bare lid. The texture did feel a little drier compared to other mattes by the brand, which have been a bit more finely-milled. This shade started to fade noticeably on me after eight and a half hours of wear.
Top Dupes
- Sephora Ruby (PiP, ) is lighter, warmer (95% similar).
- Colour Pop Shake It Up (PiP, $4.50) is lighter (90% similar).
- Huda Beauty Saffron (PiP, ) is lighter (85% similar).
- Sephora Mauve (LE, ) is cooler (85% similar).
- Colour Pop Stay Golden (P, $4.50) is darker, cooler (85% similar).
- Natasha Denona Panjin (132CM) (PiP, ) is darker (90% similar).
- Colour Pop Missy (LE, $4.50) is darker, cooler (85% similar).
- Colour Pop Dynasty (PiP, $6.00) is darker (85% similar).
- Juvia's Place Kogi (LE, ) is lighter, brighter (85% similar).
- Urban Decay Relish (P, $19.00) is darker, warmer (85% similar).
Fake Tan
Fake Tan is a light-medium, peachy orange with warm, yellower undertones and a matte finish. The color payoff was opaque in a single layer, while the consistency was soft and blendable but a touch dry to the touch. I had no trouble applying it to bare skin and blending it out. It lasted for eight hours before fading noticeably.
Top Dupes
- Make Up For Ever Soil (LE, ) is darker (95% similar).
- Colour Pop Nekkid (PiP, $4.50) is lighter (95% similar).
- Sephora Cantaloupe (PiP, ) is lighter, cooler (95% similar).
- Sydney Grace Peach Crush (P, $5.00) is brighter, cooler (95% similar).
- Make Up For Ever M720 Apricot (DC, $21.00) is darker, warmer (95% similar).
- Natasha Denona Quoin (211CM) (PiP, ) is warmer (95% similar).
- Natasha Denona Desert Date (LE, ) is darker (95% similar).
- Urban Decay Subway (LE, $19.00) is lighter, cooler (95% similar).
- MAC Satin Ochre (Right) (LE, ) is lighter (95% similar).
- Colour Pop Zing (LE, $4.50) is lighter (95% similar).
Coco
Coco is a medium brown with warm, yellowish undertones and a matte finish. It had rich color coverage with a soft, velvety texture that was a smidgen powdery in the pan but blended out beautifully without sheering out too readily. This shade wore well for eight and a half hours on me.
Top Dupes
- Sephora Hot Chocolate (LE, ) is lighter, cooler (95% similar).
- Dior Feel #3 (PiP, ) is lighter (95% similar).
- Coloured Raine Hot Cocoa (P, $6.99) is lighter (95% similar).
- Natasha Denona Thorn (LE, ) is darker, warmer (95% similar).
- Melt Cosmetics Whiskey Neat (LE, ) is darker (95% similar).
- LORAC Walnut (LE, $19.00) is darker (95% similar).
- MAC Mocha Minded (LE, $17.00) is cooler (95% similar).
- Becca Cognac (LE, ) is lighter (95% similar).
- Kat Von D Leather (LE, ) is darker (95% similar).
- MAC Choco Cake (LE, $17.00) is darker (90% similar).
Ingredients
Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, Zinc Stearate, Dimethicone, Triethoxycaprylylsilane, Caprylyl Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Hdi/Trimethylol Hexyllactone Crosspolymer, Silica. May Contain: (+/-): Titanium Dioxide (Ci 77891), Iron Oxides (Ci 77491, Ci 77492, Ci 77499), Carmine (Ci 75470).
Sahara
Sahara is a medium-dark yellow with warm, orange undertones and a matte finish. It had very nearly opaque color payoff in one layer and was buildable to full coverage with less than a layer patted on top. The consistency was soft and velvety without being too softly nor too firmly pressed in the pan. It lasted for eight hours on me.
Top Dupes
- Colour Pop Full Send (LE, $4.50) is lighter (95% similar).
- Kat Von D Gina (LE, ) is less shimmery, darker (90% similar).
- Natasha Denona Rhizome (273CM) (LE, ) is darker, brighter (90% similar).
- Viseart Cake (29) (LE, ) is darker, cooler (90% similar).
- Make Up For Ever M408 Mustard (DC, $21.00) is brighter (90% similar).
- Viseart Creme Brulee (PiP, ) is darker (90% similar).
- KKW Beauty Florence (PiP, ) is lighter (90% similar).
- Sydney Grace Dirt Road (PiP, $5.00) is warmer (90% similar).
- Coloured Raine Daisy (LE, $6.99) is darker (90% similar).
- Colour Pop Paper Tiger (P, $4.50) is darker, more muted (90% similar).
Nudist
Nudist is a soft, peachy coral with warm undertones and a matte finish. The eyeshadow had opaque pigmentation in a single layer that applied evenly and easily to bare skin. The texture was soft and blendable with a touch of dryness. It wore well for eight hours on me.
Top Dupes
- Colour Pop Goodbye Butterfly (LE, $6.00) is more shimmery, more pigmented, cooler (90% similar).
- Viseart Peony (Rosé Edit) (PiP, ) is darker (90% similar).
- MAC Endless Frequency (LE, $17.00) is lighter (90% similar).
- Urban Decay House Lannister (LE, $19.00) is lighter (90% similar).
- NABLA Cosmetics Gea (PiP, $8.00) is darker (90% similar).
- Chanel Légèreté et Expérience #1 (LE, ) is cooler (90% similar).
- Sydney Grace French Hens (P, $5.00) is darker, cooler (90% similar).
- Huda Beauty Demure (PiP, ) is darker (90% similar).
- Anastasia Coastline (LE, $12.00) is darker (90% similar).
- Tarte Oh Deer (LE, ) is darker, warmer (90% similar).
Vintage Taupe
Vintage Taupe is a light brown with subtle, warm undertones and a matte finish. The consistency was soft and velvety without being too powdery in the pan. It had rich color coverage that applied well to bare skin and blended out nicely. This shade stayed on well for eight hours.
Top Dupes
- Jouer Camel (PiP, ) is darker (90% similar).
- Smashbox Nude Rose (LE, ) is darker (90% similar).
- Sydney Grace San Jose (P, $5.00) is lighter (90% similar).
- Melt Cosmetics Naked Sleep (LE, ) is darker (90% similar).
- MAC Tete-a-Tint (P, $17.00) is brighter (90% similar).
- bareMinerals Granted (LE, ) is darker (90% similar).
- Colour Pop Wake Up Call (P, $4.50) is warmer (90% similar).
- Kat Von D Nancy (LE, ) is darker, brighter (90% similar).
- Kat Von D Fawn (Base) (LE, ) is more muted (90% similar).
- Morphe M.F.E.O. (LE, ) is warmer (90% similar).
Pastel Melon
Pastel Melon is a light-medium peach with warm, yellow undertones and a matte finish. It had rich color payoff in a single layer paired with a soft, smooth, and velvety texture. The eyeshadow applied nicely to bare skin and blended out easily along the edges for a diffused edge. It started to fade on me after eight hours of wear.
Top Dupes
- Coloured Raine Naked Eye (LE, $6.99) is lighter (95% similar).
- Colour Pop Ben (LE, $4.50) is more muted (95% similar).
- Coloured Raine Heir (PiP, $6.99) is lighter (95% similar).
- Wet 'n' Wild Flock Party #1 (LE, ) is lighter (95% similar).
- Anastasia Dawn (DC, $12.00) is lighter (95% similar).
- Colour Pop Culture (LE, $4.50) is darker (90% similar).
- Colour Pop Zested (PiP, $4.50) is lighter (90% similar).
- Morphe Silk Crème (LE, ) is darker (90% similar).
- Melt Cosmetics Blurr (PiP, ) is lighter (90% similar).
- Anastasia Soft Peach (P, $12.00) is cooler (90% similar).
Gusti
Gusti is a brighter, medium-dark orange with warm undertones and flecks of bluish sparkle over a metallic finish. The pigmentation was semi-opaque in one layer, but it was hard to build it up; I found it best to apply it using a dampened brush and patting it on. The texture was soft and a bit dusty to work with on the lid and yielded slight fallout during application. It wore well for eight hours on me.
Top Dupes
- Colour Pop 6AM (LE, $6.00) is less shimmery (95% similar).
- Sephora Sweet Lollipop (356) (P, $8.00) is lighter (90% similar).
- MAC Get Closer (LE, $17.00) is less shimmery, lighter (90% similar).
- Colour Pop Squeeze Me (PiP, $4.50) is less shimmery, lighter, warmer (90% similar).
- Colour Pop Miser (P, $4.50) is cooler (90% similar).
- Too Faced Sunset Dream (LE, $16.00) is cooler (90% similar).
- Colour Pop Birthday Treat (LE, $5.00) is less shimmery, lighter, cooler (90% similar).
- Sephora Cherry Blossom (364) (P, $8.00) is lighter (90% similar).
- MAC With Flair (LE, $17.00) is darker, more muted (90% similar).
- MAC Expensive Pink (P, $17.00) is more shimmery, more muted, cooler (85% similar).
Formula Overview
$29.00/0.08 oz. - $362.50 Per Ounce
The majority of the brand's eyeshadows are quite pigmented, blendable, and long-wearing. The eyeshadows have improved over time, particularly with respect to longevity (without a primer). The original formula often creased on me within seven to eight hours, whereas the more current formula wears eight to nine hours with fading (instead of full-on creasing). The more matte finishes tend to be a bit more velvety, substantial, and less dry/powdery compared to prior iterations.
The metallic finish is often the creamiest, slightly denser in feel, but has excellent pigmentation, adhesion, and blendability. The sparkling shades can have some fallout, depending on how they're applied and how sparkly they are, so they sometimes work better with fingertips or a dampened brush; they can also run sheerer compared to other finishes.
Cream-Powders are the more unique formulation and tend to have firmer, almost stiff, consistencies and more semi-opaque, watercolor-esque coverage. They are longer-wearing, but they can take a few uses to learn how to use. This formula has also improved compared to when it first debuted--it is a bit more yielding now.
Browse all of our Natasha Denona Sparkling Eye Shadow swatches.
Limoncello
Limoncello is a light yellow with warm undertones and a sparkling, metallic finish. It had semi-opaque color payoff in one layer, which wasn’t buildable unless I applied it using a dampened brush to begin with. The texture was drier and more loosely-pressed, which resulted in sheerer coverage and some fallout during application. There was something about how the shimmer combined with the powder and got lost on my lid–like it never brightened as much as I expected it would. It lasted for seven and a half hours on me but had some fallout over time.
Top Dupes
- Smashbox Bellini Bling (PiP, ) is lighter (95% similar).
- Wet 'n' Wild Comfort Zone #5 (PiP, ) is less shimmery (95% similar).
- Hello Kitty Mimmy (LE, ) is less shimmery, darker (90% similar).
- Urban Decay Salt (LE, $19.00) is lighter (90% similar).
- Dior Emerald #1 (LE, ) is less shimmery, darker (90% similar).
- Laura Mercier Sandglow (LE, $23.00) is warmer (90% similar).
- Maybelline Shady Shores (LE, $6.99) is less shimmery, darker (90% similar).
- Make Up For Ever I412 Wheat (DC, $21.00) is darker (90% similar).
- Smashbox Keeper (PiP, ) is less shimmery (90% similar).
- Kaja Starcrusher (PiP, ) is darker (90% similar).
Formula Overview
$29.00/0.08 oz. - $362.50 Per Ounce
The majority of the brand's eyeshadows are quite pigmented, blendable, and long-wearing. The eyeshadows have improved over time, particularly with respect to longevity (without a primer). The original formula often creased on me within seven to eight hours, whereas the more current formula wears eight to nine hours with fading (instead of full-on creasing). The more matte finishes tend to be a bit more velvety, substantial, and less dry/powdery compared to prior iterations.
The metallic finish is often the creamiest, slightly denser in feel, but has excellent pigmentation, adhesion, and blendability. The sparkling shades can have some fallout, depending on how they're applied and how sparkly they are, so they sometimes work better with fingertips or a dampened brush; they can also run sheerer compared to other finishes.
Cream-Powders are the more unique formulation and tend to have firmer, almost stiff, consistencies and more semi-opaque, watercolor-esque coverage. They are longer-wearing, but they can take a few uses to learn how to use. This formula has also improved compared to when it first debuted--it is a bit more yielding now.
Browse all of our Natasha Denona Duo-Chrome Eyeshadow swatches.
Mint Frost
Mint Frost is a light-medium aqua with subtle, warm undertones and a metallic finish. It had a chunky consistency with a very firm, dense, and stiff consistency that made it really hard to apply evenly with fingertips, brushes, or sponge-tipped applicators (wet or dry). With enough jabbing and pushing of the surface, I could get enough product onto my brush to show up in a swatch, but I really had to work it into the skin to get an even (well, mostly) layer of product. There was some fallout during application (more from having to pack so much on to see it than from the texture alone), and then some fallout over the seven and a half hours it wore for.
Top Dupes
- Bobbi Brown Seafoam (LE, ) is less shimmery, lighter (90% similar).
- NYX Mermaid (P, $6.00) is less shimmery, cooler (90% similar).
- CoverGirl Turquoise Glow (325) (LE, $4.99) is less shimmery, darker (90% similar).
- Smashbox Sea (LE, ) is lighter (90% similar).
- Makeup Geek Solstice (P, $12.00) is darker (90% similar).
- Sydney Grace Mint Green (P, $6.00) is less shimmery, darker (90% similar).
- Too Faced Joy (LE, $16.00) is less shimmery, lighter, cooler (90% similar).
- Make Up For Ever #53 (LE, $23.00) is less shimmery (90% similar).
- Melt Cosmetics Blue Dream (LE, ) is warmer (90% similar).
- Colour Pop Heavenly (P, $4.50) is warmer (90% similar).
Formula Overview
$29.00/0.08 oz. - $362.50 Per Ounce
The majority of the brand's eyeshadows are quite pigmented, blendable, and long-wearing. The eyeshadows have improved over time, particularly with respect to longevity (without a primer). The original formula often creased on me within seven to eight hours, whereas the more current formula wears eight to nine hours with fading (instead of full-on creasing). The more matte finishes tend to be a bit more velvety, substantial, and less dry/powdery compared to prior iterations.
The metallic finish is often the creamiest, slightly denser in feel, but has excellent pigmentation, adhesion, and blendability. The sparkling shades can have some fallout, depending on how they're applied and how sparkly they are, so they sometimes work better with fingertips or a dampened brush; they can also run sheerer compared to other finishes.
Cream-Powders are the more unique formulation and tend to have firmer, almost stiff, consistencies and more semi-opaque, watercolor-esque coverage. They are longer-wearing, but they can take a few uses to learn how to use. This formula has also improved compared to when it first debuted--it is a bit more yielding now.
Browse all of our Natasha Denona Sparkling Eye Shadow swatches.
Ingredients
Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, Mica, Calcium Sodium Borosilicate, Octyldodecyl Stearoyl Stearate, Zinc Stearate, Hydrogenated Polycyclopentadiene, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Dimethicone, Talc, Hydrogenated Palm Kernel Glycerides, Isododecane, Silica, Caprylyl Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Hydrogenated Palm Glycerides, Tin Oxide, Calcium Aluminum Borosilicate, Calcium Titanium Borosilicate, Titanium Dioxide (Ci 77891), Aluminum Powder (Ci 77000), Green 5 (Ci 61570), Ferric Ferrocyanide (Ci 77510), Carmine (Ci 75470).
Exotic
Exotic is a medium emerald green with subtle, cool undertones and a frosted sheen. It appeared more metallic in the pan than it did applied, though a dampened brush did help to bring out the sheen. The texture was soft, smooth, and dense without being too firm or difficult to pick up. It applied evenly and stayed on well for eight and a half hours.
Top Dupes
- Juvia's Place Buzo (LE, ) is more shimmery, darker, brighter (90% similar).
- Sephora Picnic in the Park (07) (DC, $10.00) is less shimmery, darker (90% similar).
- Colour Pop The Bull (LE, $6.00) is more shimmery, cooler (90% similar).
- Disney by Sephora Fins (LE, ) is less shimmery, lighter (90% similar).
- Milani Green Safari (P, $6.49) is darker (90% similar).
- Urban Decay Grasshopper (LE, $19.00) is darker, cooler (90% similar).
- Juvia's Place Mali (P, ) is lighter (90% similar).
- Colour Pop Up Shot (P, $5.00) is more shimmery, lighter (85% similar).
- Sugarpill Midori (P, $13.00) is less shimmery, darker (90% similar).
- Colour Pop Big Banks (PiP, $4.50) is more shimmery, lighter, cooler (85% similar).
Formula Overview
$29.00/0.08 oz. - $362.50 Per Ounce
The majority of the brand's eyeshadows are quite pigmented, blendable, and long-wearing. The eyeshadows have improved over time, particularly with respect to longevity (without a primer). The original formula often creased on me within seven to eight hours, whereas the more current formula wears eight to nine hours with fading (instead of full-on creasing). The more matte finishes tend to be a bit more velvety, substantial, and less dry/powdery compared to prior iterations.
The metallic finish is often the creamiest, slightly denser in feel, but has excellent pigmentation, adhesion, and blendability. The sparkling shades can have some fallout, depending on how they're applied and how sparkly they are, so they sometimes work better with fingertips or a dampened brush; they can also run sheerer compared to other finishes.
Cream-Powders are the more unique formulation and tend to have firmer, almost stiff, consistencies and more semi-opaque, watercolor-esque coverage. They are longer-wearing, but they can take a few uses to learn how to use. This formula has also improved compared to when it first debuted--it is a bit more yielding now.
Browse all of our Natasha Denona Metallic Eye Shadow swatches.
Ingredients
Mica, Dimethicone, Octyldodecyl Stearoyl Stearate, Zinc Stearate, Caprylyl Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Tin Oxide, Calcium Aluminum Borosilicate, Calcium Sodium Borosilicate, Silica, Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, Titanium Dioxide (Ci 77891), Yellow 5 Lake (Ci 19140), Blue 1 Lake (Ci 42090), Aluminium Powder (Ci 77000), Carmine (Ci 75470).
Laguna
Laguna is a bright, cyan blue with cool undertones and a matte finish. The eyeshadow was richly pigmented with a smooth, velvety texture that blended out nicely but had a tendency to darken and look more faded on the lid than it did initially. I found that primer helped to minimize the darkening but not entirely. It wore well for eight hours on me before fading noticeably.
Top Dupes
- Dominique Cosmetics Evil Eye (LE, ) is more muted (95% similar).
- Coloured Raine Drip Drop (P, $6.99) is darker (90% similar).
- Colour Pop Zoomship (P, $6.00) is warmer (90% similar).
- Anastasia B5 (Norvina Vol. 2) (LE, $12.00) is darker (90% similar).
- Anastasia C2 (Norvina Vol. 2) (LE, $12.00) is more shimmery, warmer (90% similar).
- MAC Les Portes Bleus (LE, $17.00) is darker (90% similar).
- Kat Von D Synth (LE, ) is darker (90% similar).
- MAC Triennial Wave (LE, $17.00) is darker (85% similar).
- Urban Decay Narcotic (P, $19.00) is lighter (85% similar).
- Kat Von D Doom (LE, ) is lighter (90% similar).
Ingredients
Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, Zinc Stearate, Dimethicone, Caprylyl Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Hdi/Trimethylol Hexyllactone Crosspolymer, Triethoxycaprylylsilane, Silica. May Contain (+/-): Titanium Dioxide (Ci 77891), Iron Oxides (Ci 77499), Carmine (Ci 75470), Blue 1 Lake (Ci 42090), Ferric Ammonium Ferrocyanide (Ci 77510), Ultramarines (Ci 77007).
Tiger Lily
Tiger Lily is a rich, deep blue with cool undertones and a pearly sheen. The consistency was quite dense and on the thicker side, which made it a firmer eyeshadow and required a heavier hand and flat, synthetic brushes. I found that it was buildable to two layers to get true-to-pan intensity, as the first layer seemed to melt onto the lid and look a bit faded and flat (but opaque) otherwise. This shade was hard to blend along the edges due to the thicker consistency. It started to crease on me after eight hours on me.
Top Dupes
- MAC Moon is Blue (LE, $22.00) is darker (95% similar).
- Melt Cosmetics King Stud (PiP, ) is lighter, cooler (95% similar).
- Colour Pop Two Piece (P, $4.50) is lighter (95% similar).
- MAC Weirdly Wonderful (LE, $17.00) is less shimmery, lighter (90% similar).
- Makeup Geek Blue My Mind (P, $9.99) is lighter, warmer (90% similar).
- Fenty Beauty Midnight Bolt (LE, ) is lighter (90% similar).
- MAC A Sprinkle of Blues #3 (PiP, $21.00) is darker (90% similar).
- Viseart Neptune (GPV2 #19) (LE, ) is lighter, cooler (90% similar).
- Estee Lauder Fired Sapphire (LE, ) is lighter, brighter (90% similar).
- Urban Decay Radium (P, $19.00) is less shimmery (90% similar).
Formula Overview
$29.00/0.08 oz. - $362.50 Per Ounce
The majority of the brand's eyeshadows are quite pigmented, blendable, and long-wearing. The eyeshadows have improved over time, particularly with respect to longevity (without a primer). The original formula often creased on me within seven to eight hours, whereas the more current formula wears eight to nine hours with fading (instead of full-on creasing). The more matte finishes tend to be a bit more velvety, substantial, and less dry/powdery compared to prior iterations.
The metallic finish is often the creamiest, slightly denser in feel, but has excellent pigmentation, adhesion, and blendability. The sparkling shades can have some fallout, depending on how they're applied and how sparkly they are, so they sometimes work better with fingertips or a dampened brush; they can also run sheerer compared to other finishes.
Cream-Powders are the more unique formulation and tend to have firmer, almost stiff, consistencies and more semi-opaque, watercolor-esque coverage. They are longer-wearing, but they can take a few uses to learn how to use. This formula has also improved compared to when it first debuted--it is a bit more yielding now.
Browse all of our Natasha Denona Metallic Eye Shadow swatches.
Ingredients
Mica, Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, Zinc Stearate, Dimethicone, Octyldodecyl Stearoyl Stearate, Indigofera Tinctoria Extract, Caprylyl Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Tin Oxide, Calcium Aluminum Borosilicate, Calcium Sodium Borosilicate, Titanium Dioxide (Ci 77891), Ferric Ammonium Ferrocyanide/Ferric Ferrocyanide (Ci 77510), Aluminum Powder (Ci 77000), Yellow 5 Lake (Ci 19140), Carmine (Ci 75470).
Zena
Zena is a medium-dark lavender with cool undertones and a matte finish. It had opaque pigmentation that applied similarly to bare skin, and for this type of shade and finish, I was impressed by how intense and true-to-pan it appeared without primer. The texture was velvety and smooth, and the eyeshadow blended out easily along the edges without sheering out too readily. It wore well for eight hours on me.
Top Dupes
- Illamasqua Can Can (P, ) is warmer (90% similar).
- Colour Pop Zoned Out (PiP, ) is lighter (90% similar).
- NARS Strada (P, $19.00) is more shimmery, lighter, warmer (90% similar).
- NABLA Cosmetics Flowery (PiP, $8.00) is lighter (85% similar).
- Kat Von D Dope (LE, ) is darker, cooler (80% similar).
- Colour Pop Heiress (P, ) is lighter (85% similar).
- Sydney Grace Regal (P, $5.00) is lighter, brighter (85% similar).
- Linda Hallberg Cosmetics Eerie (PiP, ) is more muted, warmer (85% similar).
- Viseart Haze (PiP, ) is lighter, warmer (85% similar).
- MAC Purple Haze (DC, $17.00) is darker, more muted (85% similar).
Ingredients
Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, Zinc Stearate, Dimethicone, Caprylyl Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Hdi/Trimethylol Hexyllactone Crosspolymer, Triethoxycaprylylsilane, Silica. May Contain (+/-): Titanium Dioxide (Ci 77891), Iron Oxides (Ci 77499), Carmine (Ci 75470), Blue 1 Lake (Ci 42090), Ferric Ammonium Ferrocyanide (Ci 77510), Ultramarines (Ci 77007).
For $162, which is what this costs in Canada, I require more than a B rating and I also want colours I can rely on for every day this palette isn’t it! I probably have lots of dupes of the bright shades that I’d actually wear – Exotic and Mint Frost are the 2 that catch my eye – and with better ratings as well. Easy pass.
Sadly, it’s yet another warm-toned palette with a cool-toned row thrown in there that doesn’t really mesh. I think that last row would have been better released as a 5-palette.
$129 doesn’t seem worth it for this one, especially when most of the top two rows are dupe-able.
As far as the “tropic” theme is concerned, I would have liked to seen a much more vibrant palette with some bright pinks, magentas, and purples thrown in there; it would have made it a much more cohesive and better themed palette, IMO. Those warm mattes are pretty, but they don’t seem tropic to me.
I know everyone is all about that last row but I personally would have been into a 5 spot of just the shimmers. Here’s hoping for more fivers from her.
I bought this immediately upon release because it’s so gorgeous the colors just spoke to me. But I wonder why Natasha Denona doesn’t ever include light colored satin-finish browbone shades in her palettes? Are we supposed to carry these peachy matte transition-type shades up to the brow bone? Or are we not supposed to use a brow bone shade at all?
Nah…you’re supposed to spend upwards of $100 for the Palette 10 (which has a lovely ivory) or more than $300 for the 28 pan palette and carry one of those around with you too so you have the brow bone shade you need (I’m being very tongue in cheek here!)
Lol!! Seriously tho!!! I think every palette that’s this big should have a brow bone shade.
I think she actually doesn’t really use a brow bone shade most of the time, tbh. Scrolling through her work on Instagram she seems to bring a darker shade higher up on the lid and not blend it into a lighter brow bone highlight.
You’re right I rarely see her use a browbone highlight because she does mostly editorial looks but I wish she’d include them for us regular eyeshadow users! I feel like it’s necessary for every day makeup!
I cannot buy yet another palette with those top two rows of shades, but girrrrl after seeing that second look you did with this palette I am SO duping this puppy!
Dear Natasha Denona,
Please release the bottom row by herself.
Please and thank you,
Most of us
I really hope someone sends her your review. It was detailed and educated. I am actually surprised it rated a B . The A shades are not worth buying the palette as most of them are dupable or we have.
I don’t understand why she would change the formula? If you have hits, don’t mess with success!
This might be her “Subculture “ where ppl from here on out, might be more tepid to buy from her now
I bought it when it was release and was super confused about the metallics when I was swatching it. I did use it today and it seemed to still work like my other ones on my eyes….so far… I have mint frost on my eyes today.
Between your review as well as The MacaH0lic’s (YT vlogger) review on this palette, I’ve decided to skip it. For $129, this should be top notch quality. No C’s, much less an F. We all know that Natasha Denona can do MUCH better than this.
I personally find the discussion of volume and weight quite irrelevant without usage context (not only ingredients and how light they are). It’s hard to asses a `bang-for-your-buck`… one must use their own judgement to decide if it’s worth the money vs. weight or volume.
What I would like more from reviews (and Christine does a good job on this) is knowing if the formula has fall-out, how much, how powdery is. If for two shimmers reviews Christine says one is more densely packed or one has more fall-out, I know where’s the best deal per gram. I also would know that per volume a metallic is a worse deal per oz than a matte (those metallic flakes have a lot of volume) or a shimmer.
A well packed pigmented matte color can go a very long way, while on a shimmer (or especially a metallic) of the same size or weight you would hit pan quite fast. I noticed that with eyeshadow palettes; while I could barely see `progress` on mattes I used almost daily, I would hit pan in a couple of months on shimmers that I didn’t use as regularly.
My best example is the Urban Decay Naked Smoky I used to own. I finished Dirtysweet and Radar, which I have used less often than Whiskey (which I barely hit pan on). Even between mates there is a difference; Thirteen was more losely packed, I finished it before Combust was just half done; I was almost always using Combust in my crease, Thirteen maybe half of the time all over lid.
I noticed this even with blushes. Just to give one example: I bought MAC Trace Gold and MAC Breath of Plum close to each other, I used them both fairly regular; Breath of Plum barely has a small dent (I don’t expect any pan before it expires), I see 1/3 of the pan on Trace Gold. Both have a 0.21oz pans.
I bought this when it was released and was sorely disappointed when I got it. As someone who has almost all ND palettes, this one was seriously lacking, in my opinion. The top row of mattes were nice but nothing spectacular. The middle row was barely there, when swatched. But, I held out hope for the last row with the bright pops of color as those are usually her huge hits. However, the darker blue and green were much more sheer than I expected. The mint color was really the only one I loved and, thanks to Christine, I’ll now be able to dupe it! Overall, it was a big miss for me and it promptly went back to Sephora. Had it been a $50 palette I would have kept it but not for $135 total.
To be honest, I don’t really like the shade combinations here – the warm neutrals don’t seem to have much in common with the tropics, even though they are of very good quality, and it is hard to get the mattes right. The last row, with the pops of colours, which is more tropical in theme, isn’t of consistent quality. I don’t know how ND got that mint shade so wrong.
To me, this looks more like at Too Faced offering. Far too expensive for a palette that lacks cohesion and quality.
Gorgeous eye looks Christine and thank you so much for the review.
I was hoping this would rate better than it does, but I think I’m going to go for it anyway. There are a couple of colors in here that I love and don’t have dupes for.
I agree that the bottom row doesn’t mesh. I think it was designed specifically for a warm eye on the upper lid and a pop of color on the lower lash line (which seems to be exclusively what ND is showing on her Instagram)!
I know people are confused by the warm neutrals but I was told it was to represent sand.
I was told the change in formula was because the holiday palettes had crumbly shades.
I’ve never bought any Natasha Denona was thinking of it but not sure about this palette.
Christine- the looks you did were so nice!
I can see warm neutrals in a “Tropic” themed palette, but for me, the issue is combining very warm-toned, mid-tone neutrals against much cooler-toned, more contrasting colors with not much in-between to connect the two!
I agree it’s odd Christine I doubt I could use them together.
The looks you created are so much more inspiring than Natasha Denona’s. I usually like her looks but the ones she created to promote this palette were so meh.
Zena is amazing. I’d love a single of that shade, but the rest of the pallette isn’t consistent enough for the price in my opinion.
Same here.
Ditto! I really want Zena but finding a good dupe. And it’s so hard to get illamasqua in the states now.
I might get this if it is still available during the Sephora sale. Here’s hoping that she releases the shimmers into a 5-6 pan soon 🙃
I swatched this palette in Sephora on the day it was released and didn’t like the color scheme or the way the blue shadow looked patchy .For once I didn’t impulsively buy a ND new release. Better luck next time Natasha. Love your eye looks Christine you make this palette look good.
The looks you put together ended up quite nice, and the packaging is pretty—but the price is still far too high. There’s no room for Fs in anything that costs more than $50, let alone $140+ after tax.
She will learn from this flop. The matte purple Zena is beautiful and quite unique even in your database. I hope she will release it elsewhere
It’s really hard to get a matte lavender right, and they’re rare to begin with – definitely feel like a five-pan would have been the way to go.
I’m interested in trying this one to see if the vertical rows work as cohesive looks like ND says. I don’t have a lot of lid space and my brows are low…..so I rarely use more than 3 colors anyway. No one would even see it….lol. The warm and cool combination is kind of intriguing and I much prefer mattes. I’ll give it a go and return it if it doesn’t work.
I was so excited when I saw this in store but when I went to swatch the bottom row all of the shimmers were hardpanned! I could not get any color payoff. I’m sure brushes would work better but for how expensive it is you shouldn’t have to resort to that. She makes plenty of other beautiful shimmers that are less dense. Sadly, pass.
How weird — one superdud. I’m not in the market for a palette, so won’t be getting it, but if I didn’t have all the eyeshadows that I do, this one would be tempting.
Oh. Never mind … just saw the price. I would not be tempted.
I got mine in the mail on Tuesday and I haven’t got to use it on my eyes yet. I always photograph my makeup for my Instagram page and I didn’t get a chance to do that as soon as I had hoped. I don’t want to swatch them because I’ve been seeing lots of videos with bad swatches but the shadows seem to perform well on the eyes. Just so it works on my lids I don’t care how it swatches. I ordered both Holiday palettes from Sephora and mine arrived in pristine condition even though they weren’t packed well. This palette was shipped in extremely protective packaging inside the box and the Diamond and Blush Palettes were in bubble wrapped individually. Natasha Denona stepped up her method of packing the powder products because other items I have recently purchased from Sephora have still been just thrown loosely into the box. The Duochrome Top Coats however we’re loosely thrown into the box and 2 of the 3 were cracked apart and when I bought those. I didn’t have that issue with the 4 Crystal Top Coats. Sephora needs to pack their products like Beautylish. So I understand why she said something about a lighter formula but I didn’t see that video. It seems like a lot of people got broken palettes during the holiday but in a lot of the reviews I saw people are equating what she said about the lighter formula with why they think the product isn’t as good. I’m excited to create a look with it to see how I feel!
It’s a lovely palette, to be sure, but have two duds at this price level isn’t acceptable to me.
I kind of really want this lol
I loved this palette as soon as I opened it, and then..yeah, mattes were beautiful, and I had no idea what happened to the shimmers. So far from ND quality that I had to wonder what was going on, especially when Natasha posts looks on her instagram stories and the shimmer shades work beautifully. I wondered why her Mint Frost looked amazing, and mine was swatching like something I bought at the dollar store. I got mad at it, and scraped it up a bit with a spoolie to see if that would help. Yep! I scraped at all the metallic shades, and now they work perfectly! They’re finally up to ND standards, and I get the same swatches she does! I’m not sure what went wrong exactly, but I’m inclined to believe they were pressed a little too firmly. If your palette seems to have dud shimmers, give this a go, and I believe you’ll be much more excited about your purchase!
I thought that I would have less dupes, but I have dupes for everything except for 4 shades. 3 of those dupes, I would never reach for, such as Limoncello which is a really hideous shade to me, I’m sorry. And the final dupe, would be a transition shade for me, so it’s no big deal to not have it.
I don’t feel like Natasha Denona deserves all of the hype she gets. Her mattes are great, but no better than Viseart, Pat McGrath, ABH, or Coloured Raine. Her shimmers are always hit or miss. For every fantastic one, there’s a terrible one. Idk what the issue is, but I don’t see myself investing in her brand again anytime soon. I never feel like it was money well spent.
I bought this when it became available on Sephora along with the Pat McGrath Bronze Ambition palette. After a few uses I returned this one. The mattes were amazing, but I find the shades very common, even in past ND palettes such as the Star or Sunset palettes. I was really excited to try the shades in the bottom row, but I did not like the looks I created at all. I was most disappointed with Mint Frost and Limoncello, and after a few more tries I decided to return this.
Also, this might be an unpopular opinion, but I had wanted this palette in the regular packaging as the Sunset/Lila/Star palettes instead of the plastic packaging. I imagine that the teal would look amazing on the cover of the old packaging. Anyway, this palette is not spectacular, and I’m satisfied with just my Sunset and Star palettes.
Hi ladies, I am going on a trip soon in Scotland and was thinking of taking the ND tropic palette with me? Do you think it’s a good palette for traveling (sturdy enough + good color choice)?
If not, what other palette do you recommend? I have quite a few palettes including the ABH soft glam and prism.
Thank you very much for your advice and tips!