Rose

Huda Beauty Rose Pastel Obsessions Palette ($29.00 for 0.21 oz.) is the kind of palette that makes you hopeful but a part of you knows that it's probably going to get worse before it gets better... and while not every shade is dismal, it reaches a threshold of having enough individual disappointments that it's hard to feel good about the whole.

The four shimmery shades ranged from sub-par to decent, but only one shade closed in good (B+ range). They were still best applied with a dampened brush, which ensured better, smoother adhesion and decent coverage, and as long as one wasn't overly concerned about coverage, they had their expected shine and sparkle with minimal fallout (or none) over time.

The mattes were everything one fears when it comes to pastel hues: incredibly powdery and dusty with the joy of endless fallout during application but a visible cloud of powder dispersed into the air (not always landing on me) as I tried to apply and/or blend out the matte shades. Even when I went to remove any remaining product from my brush (to wipe it off), a cloud of dust emanated... I don't even know how that was possible given how little stayed on my lid to begin with.

To make matters worse, the mattes tended to work against each other, so applying #4 (the deepest shade) resulted in sheerer coverage from #4 but then lifted away coverage of other shades (like #1 or #7). I think the only way to salvage this type of formula would to work over a tacky, white base because regular primer was even more of a disaster than bare skin as the primer (I used Smashbox 24HR) seemed to actively repel the powder away!

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