Galaxy

Fenty Beauty Galaxy Eyeshadow Palette ($59.00 for 0.56 oz.) contains 14 glittering eyeshadows housed in a sleek, multi-chrome compact. (The only downside is the compact attracts fingerprints like crazy!) Fenty says that the palette contains a mix of "sheer, glittering topcoats" and "smoky, shimmer-drenched hues." When it comes to application advise, the brand says to "wear eye shadows solo for a sheer-to-smoky multidimensional effect" or to "layer topcoats over any eye shadow." The "pro tip" is to "wet your brush" if you want a "more intense look."

Here's the crux of the problem: this is a drier, powder-based glitter eyeshadow formulation, and since there's no real revolutionary technology behind the formula... guess what? They don't work very well dry, while some shades are more workable with a dampened brush and others need to be layered over a creamy or tacky base. I felt that there were some eyeshadows that had little fallout (especially when you take into account how much glitter they had!) when applied with a dampened brush, but in general, I would recommend using something like MAC Fix+ (not quite as strong as a true glitter adhesive but worked well for getting smoother application and minimizing fallout over time with this formula) or a glitter adhesive for anyone wanting to encrust their lids with sparkles.

What I would have preferred to see from the brand was releasing a glitter adhesive/base as a companion to the palette, whether that was including a sample size with the palette and having a full-sized version available for purchase. Per the brand, the following shades were intentionally made sheer: Oh-Zone, Sublime, Cosmic Ocean, Meteor Crush, and Mars on Fire. All swatches are shown dry (left) and damp with just water (right). I tested all shades dry, dampened with pure water, and applied using a dampened brush with MAC Fix+ (light adhesive), but for the purposes of rating the palette, only the first two methods were included in longevity ratings.

This palette will work best for someone looking for glittering accent eyeshadows to incorporate into their looks. It's less of a cohesive/all-in-one palette since all of the eyeshadows are quite glittery and there aren't too many deeper, more contrasting shades. If you're someone who doesn't like to pull out multiple palettes to use together, then think carefully whether you'd go the extra step for this one. I also think that only those willing to use fingertips, adhesive bases, or the like will find this most satisfying. If you were looking for a glitter eyeshadow that could be applied on its own without any aids, you'll be disappointed by the formula.

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