Sephora Colorful Eyeshadows (Summer 2021) Reviews & Swatches (Part 1 of 4)

Sephora First Light (29) Colorful Eyeshadow

First Light (29)

Sephora First Light (29) Colorful Eyeshadow ($9.00 for 0.042 oz.) is a light, yellowy gold with warmer undertones and a sparkling, metallic finish. The texture was fragile and arrived broken, though there was a lot of slip to the powder, which allowed me to push it back together just by pressing it with my fingertips (though not enough to travel with or anything!). It had nearly opaque color coverage in a single layer, which applied evenly to bare skin with light fallout during blending. It wore well for eight hours with faint fallout over time.

FURTHER READING: Formula Overview for details on general performance and characteristics (like scent).

Formula Overview

$9.00/0.042 oz. - $214.29 Per Ounce

The formula is supposed to be "highly pigmented" and wear for "10 hours" while being blendable and layerable. There are three finishes, and I found that the quality did differ depending on the finish more than anything else. The glitter finish was comprised of a mix of more matte and glitter-packed shades, where glitter would fallout during application and often were under-pigmented, along with denser, more silicone-heavy glittery shades with the latter applying and holding up better on the lid as it adhered better, though they typically didn't have great pigmentation. The matte eyeshadows were medium to opaque in coverage but often buildable with fairly soft, thinner textures with some powderiness, though there were some definite winners in the bunch. The shimmer eyeshadows were more often quite pigmented with moderately dense, smooth textures that were easy to use, but there were a few that had a little too much slip or were too dry and so application wasn't impressive without a dampened brush or an eyeshadow primer underneath it. The wear was between six and eight hours.

Each eyeshadow can be lifted out of the compact by opening using the second opening along the bottom of the compact. The lip of the first opening is what keeps the eyeshadow in place within the compact itself. I thought it was clever and made for easy removal, though the overall component felt a little lightweight to the point that it did feel flimsy. These are a revamp of the previous Colorful Eyeshadow range, which ran for $10.00 but contained 0.07 oz. or $142.86/oz. while the new ones are $190.48/oz. I think these would be more viable if the price point was $6.00, which would have made them the same price per ounce as the previous formula. The $8.00 price point makes them more expensive than MAC and on par with Anastasia (both of which have more eyeshadow per pan, too), but the Sephora house brand has always seemed to priced below mid-end, so the price point on this doesn't quite make sense.

Browse all of our Sephora Colorful Eyeshadow swatches.

Ingredients

Back shade: Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, Talc, Mica, CI 77891 (Titanium Dioxide), Isostearyl Neopentanoate, Dimethicone, Trimethylsiloxysilicate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sorbic Acid, Tin Oxide, Magnesium Myristate, Polyethylene, Silica, Tocopherol, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil, CI 77499 (Iron Oxides), CI 19140 (Yellow 5 Lake), CI 42090 (Blue 1 Lake), CI 77007 (Ultramarines), CI 77492 (Iron Oxides), CI 77742 (Manganese Violet), CI 77491 (Iron Oxides). Inclusion: Calcium Sodium Borosilicate, Isostearyl Neopentanoate, CI 77891 (Titanium Dioxide), Calcium Aluminum Borosilicate, Dimethicone, Talc, Butyl Acrylate/Hydroxypropyl Dimethicone Acrylate Copolymer, Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, Trimethylsiloxysilicate, CI 77491 (Iron Oxides), Ethylhexylglycerin, Tin Oxide, Sorbic Acid, Tocopherol, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil.

Disclaimer: Ingredient lists are as available by the brand (or retailer) at the time of publishing. Please always check product packaging, if it exists, for the ingredient list applicable to the product you're purchasing, or the brand or retailer's website for the most up-to-date ingredient list.

First Light (29)

PPermanent. $9.00.
B+
B+
8.5
Product
9
Pigmentation
8.5
Texture
8
Longevity
5
Application
87%
Total
Sephora Demanding (31) Colorful Eyeshadow

Demanding (31)

Sephora Demanding (31) Colorful Eyeshadow ($9.00 for 0.042 oz.) is a light, bright golden copper with a sparkling, metallic finish. The texture was very fragile–almost every shade with this type of finish, where it appeared to have marbled flecks embedded in the pan–arrived shattered. Nevertheless, there was a lot of slip, as I was able to just push and press it back into the pan to get a more solid-form of the product.

It had opaque color coverage with a smoother consistency, which helped the product apply evenly to bare skin and blended out without having lots of fallout. This shade stayed on well for eight hours with faint fallout over time. The issue I did have was that when the pan was intact (which happened once!), it was sometimes hard to combine the different types of colors for an even color.

FURTHER READING: Formula Overview for details on general performance and characteristics (like scent).

Formula Overview

$9.00/0.042 oz. - $214.29 Per Ounce

The formula is supposed to be "highly pigmented" and wear for "10 hours" while being blendable and layerable. There are three finishes, and I found that the quality did differ depending on the finish more than anything else. The glitter finish was comprised of a mix of more matte and glitter-packed shades, where glitter would fallout during application and often were under-pigmented, along with denser, more silicone-heavy glittery shades with the latter applying and holding up better on the lid as it adhered better, though they typically didn't have great pigmentation. The matte eyeshadows were medium to opaque in coverage but often buildable with fairly soft, thinner textures with some powderiness, though there were some definite winners in the bunch. The shimmer eyeshadows were more often quite pigmented with moderately dense, smooth textures that were easy to use, but there were a few that had a little too much slip or were too dry and so application wasn't impressive without a dampened brush or an eyeshadow primer underneath it. The wear was between six and eight hours.

Each eyeshadow can be lifted out of the compact by opening using the second opening along the bottom of the compact. The lip of the first opening is what keeps the eyeshadow in place within the compact itself. I thought it was clever and made for easy removal, though the overall component felt a little lightweight to the point that it did feel flimsy. These are a revamp of the previous Colorful Eyeshadow range, which ran for $10.00 but contained 0.07 oz. or $142.86/oz. while the new ones are $190.48/oz. I think these would be more viable if the price point was $6.00, which would have made them the same price per ounce as the previous formula. The $8.00 price point makes them more expensive than MAC and on par with Anastasia (both of which have more eyeshadow per pan, too), but the Sephora house brand has always seemed to priced below mid-end, so the price point on this doesn't quite make sense.

Browse all of our Sephora Colorful Eyeshadow swatches.

Ingredients

Back shade: Mica, Talc, Isostearyl Neopentanoate, Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, CI 77891 (Titanium Dioxide), Dimethicone, CI 77491 (Iron Oxides), Trimethylsiloxysilicate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sorbic Acid, Magnesium Myristate, Polyethylene, Silica, Tocopherol, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil, CI 77499 (Iron Oxides), CI 19140 (Yellow 5 Lake), CI 42090 (Blue 1 Lake), CI 77007 (Ultramarines), CI 77492 (Iron Oxides), CI 77742 (Manganese Violet). Inclusion: Calcium Sodium Borosilicate, Isostearyl Neopentanoate, CI 77891 (Titanium Dioxide), Mica, Dimethicone, Butyl Acrylate/Hydroxypropyl Dimethicone Acrylate Copolymer, Talc, Trimethylsiloxysilicate, CI 77491 (Iron Oxides), Ethylhexylglycerin, Sorbic Acid, Tin Oxide, CI 77510 (Ferric Ferrocyanide), Tocopherol, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil.

Disclaimer: Ingredient lists are as available by the brand (or retailer) at the time of publishing. Please always check product packaging, if it exists, for the ingredient list applicable to the product you're purchasing, or the brand or retailer's website for the most up-to-date ingredient list.

Demanding (31)

PPermanent. $9.00.
B+
B+
8.5
Product
10
Pigmentation
8.5
Texture
8
Longevity
5
Application
89%
Total
Sephora Fantasia (33) Colorful Eyeshadow

Fantasia (33)

Sephora Fantasia (33) Colorful Eyeshadow ($9.00 for 0.042 oz.) is a medium-dark, rosy copper with moderate, warm undertones and intense, bright metallic finish. It was richly pigmented with a smooth consistency that was moderately firm in the pan, but it picked up well with a dry brush and blended out well on my lid. I found that I did have to swirl my brush a bit in the pan to ensure the color was even due to the varied look. There were signs of fading after eight hours of wear.

FURTHER READING: Formula Overview for details on general performance and characteristics (like scent).

Formula Overview

$9.00/0.042 oz. - $214.29 Per Ounce

The formula is supposed to be "highly pigmented" and wear for "10 hours" while being blendable and layerable. There are three finishes, and I found that the quality did differ depending on the finish more than anything else. The glitter finish was comprised of a mix of more matte and glitter-packed shades, where glitter would fallout during application and often were under-pigmented, along with denser, more silicone-heavy glittery shades with the latter applying and holding up better on the lid as it adhered better, though they typically didn't have great pigmentation. The matte eyeshadows were medium to opaque in coverage but often buildable with fairly soft, thinner textures with some powderiness, though there were some definite winners in the bunch. The shimmer eyeshadows were more often quite pigmented with moderately dense, smooth textures that were easy to use, but there were a few that had a little too much slip or were too dry and so application wasn't impressive without a dampened brush or an eyeshadow primer underneath it. The wear was between six and eight hours.

Each eyeshadow can be lifted out of the compact by opening using the second opening along the bottom of the compact. The lip of the first opening is what keeps the eyeshadow in place within the compact itself. I thought it was clever and made for easy removal, though the overall component felt a little lightweight to the point that it did feel flimsy. These are a revamp of the previous Colorful Eyeshadow range, which ran for $10.00 but contained 0.07 oz. or $142.86/oz. while the new ones are $190.48/oz. I think these would be more viable if the price point was $6.00, which would have made them the same price per ounce as the previous formula. The $8.00 price point makes them more expensive than MAC and on par with Anastasia (both of which have more eyeshadow per pan, too), but the Sephora house brand has always seemed to priced below mid-end, so the price point on this doesn't quite make sense.

Browse all of our Sephora Colorful Eyeshadow swatches.

Ingredients

Back shade: Mica, Talc, Isostearyl Neopentanoate, CI 77491 (Iron Oxides), CI 77000 (Aluminum Powder), Dimethicone, Trimethylsiloxysilicate, Silica, CI 77891 (Titanium Dioxide), Ethylhexylglycerin, Sorbic Acid, Magnesium Myristate, Polyethylene, CI 77510 (Ferric Ferrocyanide), Tocopherol, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil, CI 77499 (Iron Oxides), CI 19140 (Yellow 5 Lake), CI 42090 (Blue 1 Lake), CI 77007 (Ultramarines), CI 77492 (Iron Oxides), CI 77742 (Manganese Violet). Inclusion: Calcium Aluminum Borosilicate, Isostearyl Neopentanoate, CI 77891 (Titanium Dioxide), Mica, Dimethicone, Butyl Acrylate/Hydroxypropyl Dimethicone Acrylate Copolymer, Talc, Trimethylsiloxysilicate, CI 77491 (Iron Oxides), Tin Oxide, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sorbic Acid, Tocopherol, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil.

Disclaimer: Ingredient lists are as available by the brand (or retailer) at the time of publishing. Please always check product packaging, if it exists, for the ingredient list applicable to the product you're purchasing, or the brand or retailer's website for the most up-to-date ingredient list.

Fantasia (33)

PPermanent. $9.00.
B+
B+
8.5
Product
10
Pigmentation
8.5
Texture
8
Longevity
5
Application
89%
Total
Sephora First Light (29) Colorful Eyeshadow

Sephora First Light (29) Colorful Eyeshadow

Sephora First Light (29) Colorful Eyeshadow

Sephora First Light (29) Colorful Eyeshadow

Sephora First Light (29) Colorful Eyeshadow

Sephora First Light (29) Colorful Eyeshadow

Sephora First Light (29) Colorful Eyeshadow

Sephora First Light (29) Colorful Eyeshadow

Sephora First Light (29) Colorful Eyeshadow

Sephora First Light (29) Colorful Eyeshadow

Sephora First Light (29) Colorful Eyeshadow

Sephora First Light (29) Colorful Eyeshadow

Sephora Demanding (31) Colorful Eyeshadow

Sephora Demanding (31) Colorful Eyeshadow

Sephora Demanding (31) Colorful Eyeshadow

Sephora Demanding (31) Colorful Eyeshadow

Sephora Demanding (31) Colorful Eyeshadow

Sephora Demanding (31) Colorful Eyeshadow

Sephora Demanding (31) Colorful Eyeshadow

Sephora Demanding (31) Colorful Eyeshadow

Sephora Demanding (31) Colorful Eyeshadow

Sephora Demanding (31) Colorful Eyeshadow

Sephora Demanding (31) Colorful Eyeshadow

Sephora Demanding (31) Colorful Eyeshadow

Sephora Fantasia (33) Colorful Eyeshadow

Sephora Fantasia (33) Colorful Eyeshadow

Sephora Fantasia (33) Colorful Eyeshadow

Sephora Fantasia (33) Colorful Eyeshadow

Sephora Fantasia (33) Colorful Eyeshadow

Sephora Fantasia (33) Colorful Eyeshadow

Sephora Fantasia (33) Colorful Eyeshadow

Sephora Fantasia (33) Colorful Eyeshadow

Sephora Fantasia (33) Colorful Eyeshadow

Sephora Fantasia (33) Colorful Eyeshadow

Sephora Fantasia (33) Colorful Eyeshadow

Sephora Fantasia (33) Colorful Eyeshadow

11 Comments

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Fey Avatar

I adore this type of finish. Metallic with sparkle is my favorite for one-and-done looks! Thank you for reviewing these 🙂

krb Avatar

I had the same thing happen. All but one shade that I ordered arrived shattered, and when they sent me new shadows, those were shattered too. They finally just gave up and refunded me. Part of the problem is Sephora refuses to package anything properly. I usually get a too-big box with a sheet of wadded up paper thrown in and that’s it. The formula on these is so fragile that they need bubble wrap like Clionadh uses. It’s really too bad. Sephora has gone so far downhill in the past ten years.

Lacey Avatar

That’s exactly how my orders from Sephora arrive! Most items are packaged in boxes and I’ve only ordered cream/liquid products, but it’s a jumbled mess. I will not order powdered or fragile products from them. 😒

Mariella Avatar

The way most of these shattered during delivery wouldn’t make me inclined to rush out and order them, even though I don’t carry my makeup with me during the day, except for lipstick and maybe some powder. I have had EXCELLENT experiences and good luck with Sephora’s eyeshadows (from the older ones which were dc’d – oh, Snakeskin Dress, how I still LOVE you – to the current ones) but if I hadn’t, I think the first 2 of these would make me reluctant to try them.

Mariella Avatar

Since most of their business is online orders (at least where I live), it’s a shame these aren’t more “shipping friendly”. Were they packed just with paper around them to cushion or were they more securely wrapped? When stores re-open, I might try one of these (though I need them like a hole in the head!).

Christine Avatar

If I remember correctly, they were sandwiched between very thick layers of paper, so not individually wrapped but not tossed in a box with hardly anything either. The way these were packed is typically how must of Sephora’s orders are sent that arrive totally fine; I occasionally get Sephora orders with a thin layer of corrugated cardboard and that’s a recipe for disaster!

I think Natasha Denona eyeshadows must be more prone to breaking as those are always sent in extra cardboard sleeves – makes me think the brand actually has it shipped that way.

Sarah Avatar

I really felt like a raccoon looking at these. So much so that I said to myself, “Wait, where are the swatches?” and then had to scroll back to look. I was just so distracted by the metallic finish!

We try to approve comments within 24 hours (and reply to them within 72 hours) but can sometimes get behind and appreciate your patience! 🙂 If you have general feedback, product review requests, off-topic questions, or need technical support, please contact us directly. Thank you for your patience!