Smashbox Metallic Cover Shot Eye Palette Review, Photos, Swatches
Metallic
Smashbox Metallic Cover Shot Eye Palette ($29.00 for 0.27 oz.) is a small, travel-friendly palette that features a smoky take on earth shades of brown, plum, green, and gray. What I liked about this palette was that each well was large enough for regular eyeshadow brushes, and there was enough product across each that nothing felt skimpy. It actually is a more realistic amount of product, where one can finish and work through it, particularly for those of us with less modest stashes!
The formula is supposed to be “highly pigmented” with a “beyond blendable” texture. Some of the eyeshadows have a dustier or thinner texture, which can make them prone to sheering out (and difficult to maintain their intensity) or fade faster than other shades. While it might be labeled “Metallic,” the eyeshadows were more faded and less metallic than they were frosty–definitely shimmery but most lacked the reflective quality of more metallic (or foiled) eyeshadows to my eye. The quality of the eyeshadows was decent to good, but I didn’t love it as a palette–it wasn’t as cohesive or as effortless to put together a look with the shades, as they had a tendency to muddy together.
Metallic
LELimited Edition. $28.00.
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Inside Scoop
Inside Scoop is a light-medium gold with warm, orange undertones and a frosted finish. It had mostly opaque color coverage with a drier, looser texture that did not apply as evenly as I would have liked over bare skin. It wore well for just over seven hours on me.
Top Dupes
- ColourPop Bitter Better (PiP, $4.50) is lighter (95% similar).
- NARS Montparnasse (Left) (DC, $25.00) is more shimmery, darker (95% similar).
- ColourPop Take It Slow (PiP, $4.50) is lighter (95% similar).
- Bobbi Brown Overheated (LE, $38.00) is darker (95% similar).
- NARS Hollywoodland (P, $28.00) is darker (95% similar).
- MAC Desert Rose-mance (LE, $17.00) is less shimmery (95% similar).
- Chanel Empreinte du Desert #2 (LE, ) is more shimmery (95% similar).
- Becca Opal (LE, ) is darker (95% similar).
- ColourPop Ray (LE, $4.50) is more shimmery, cooler (95% similar).
- Hourglass Champagne Gold (PiP, ) is more shimmery (95% similar).
Inside Scoop
PiPPermanent in Palette.
Straight Up
Straight Up is a light peach with warm, yellow undertones and a pearly sheen. It appeared much darker in the pan than swatched, where it was considerably lighter. The consistency was soft, a touch dusty but blendable on the lid and yielded good pigmentation. It wore well for seven hours before fading.
Top Dupes
- Smashbox Starlight (PiP, ) is less shimmery (95% similar).
- Make Up For Ever I524 Pinky Beige (P, $17.00) is more shimmery (95% similar).
- Wet 'n' Wild Silent Treatment #2 (PiP, ) is more shimmery (95% similar).
- ColourPop Moony (PiP, $4.50) is more shimmery (90% similar).
- Makeup Atelier Natural Brown #2 (P, ) is warmer (90% similar).
- Natasha Denona Dune (186S) (PiP, $29.00) is lighter (90% similar).
- Urban Decay Trippin' (PiP, $19.00) is less shimmery, cooler (90% similar).
- MAC Money Mad (LE, ) is darker (90% similar).
- Charlotte Tilbury Walk of No Shame #1 (PiP, ) is more shimmery (90% similar).
- MAC So, So Saucy (LE, $22.00) is more shimmery, warmer (90% similar).
Straight Up
PiPPermanent in Palette.
Let's Rage
Let’s Rage is a light-medium gold with subtle, warm yellow undertones and a frost finish. This is a “cooler” kind of gold, but it’s still a warmer shade. The texture was a touch dry, a little dusty and had a tendency to sheer out applied to bare skin. It had decent pigmentation, but it was just hard to get it to stay opaque on my skin without a primer. This shade started to fade after six and a half hours of wear.
Top Dupes
- Smashbox Pixel Dust (PiP, ) is darker (95% similar).
- Makeup by Mario Master Metallics #8 (PiP, ) is lighter (95% similar).
- MAC Captivating #1 (LE, $21.00) is less shimmery (95% similar).
- Urban Decay Dothraki (LE, $19.00) is less shimmery (95% similar).
- Burberry Gold Shimmer #1 (LE, ) is darker (95% similar).
- MAC Rose Blend #3 (LE, ) is more shimmery (95% similar).
- MAC Whenever You Call (LE, $17.00) is warmer (95% similar).
- LORAC Dream Girl #1 (LE, $19.00) is more shimmery, brighter (90% similar).
- Kaja Starcrusher (PiP, ) is more shimmery (90% similar).
- Gucci Beauty Antique Gold (DC, $37.00) is more shimmery, darker (90% similar).
Let's Rage
PiPPermanent in Palette.
Liquid Fire
Liquid Fire is a medium-dark copper with warm, brown undertones and a frosted finish. The color payoff was fully opaque, while the texture seemed smooth, blendable, and soft without being too dusty, but I had issues with this shade fading immediately after applying. As this was one of the darker shades in the palette, I wanted to use it as a contrasting shade, but it lost that depth as I blended it out. The color lasted for six and a half hours after that.
Top Dupes
- KKW Beauty Bronzy (LE, ) is lighter (95% similar).
- LORAC Cider (LE, $19.00) is warmer (95% similar).
- ColourPop Diva (LE, $4.50) is lighter (90% similar).
- Anastasia Sunset (P, $12.00) is more shimmery, darker (90% similar).
- Marc Jacobs Beauty The Free Spirit No. 13 (LE, ) is lighter (90% similar).
- Tarte Wings (PiP, ) is cooler (90% similar).
- Marc Jacobs Beauty About Last Night No. 03 (LE, ) is less shimmery (90% similar).
- Coloured Raine Your Majesty (DC, $6.99) is more shimmery, lighter (90% similar).
- ColourPop Uninhibited (PiP, $4.50) is lighter (95% similar).
- Smashbox Hotline (PiP, ) is lighter (90% similar).
Liquid Fire
PiPPermanent in Palette.
Party Time
Party Time is a muted, dark brown with flecks of lighter brown sparkle. The consistency was much drier and looser compared to most shades in the palette, and this resulted in sheerer, uneven coverage with a lot of fallout. It lasted for six hours on me.
Top Dupes
- Too Faced Puppy Love (PiP, ) is less shimmery (95% similar).
- Makeup Geek Homecoming (DC, $6.00) is more shimmery (95% similar).
- Tarte Vixen (LE, ) is lighter (95% similar).
- Dior Cuir Cannage #4 (PiP, ) is warmer (95% similar).
- NARS Beaumaris (DC, $25.00) is less shimmery (95% similar).
- Too Faced Cobbler (PiP, $16.00) is warmer (95% similar).
- Stila Thought (PiP, ) is more shimmery (90% similar).
- MAC Winsome Lose Some (LE, ) is darker (90% similar).
- MAC Caramel Sundae (LE, $17.00) is less shimmery (90% similar).
- Huda Beauty Topaz #6 (LE, ) is more shimmery, warmer (90% similar).
Party Time
PiPPermanent in Palette.
Booty Call
Booty Call is a muted, medium pink with warm undertones and a sparkling, frosted finish. It had good color payoff with a soft, lightly dusty texture that sheered out a bit but applied fairly well on bare skin. The color started to fade after seven hours of wear.
Top Dupes
- Dior Chimere (821) (P, $31.00) is more shimmery, cooler (90% similar).
- NARS Mojave #1 (PiP, $19.00) is more shimmery (90% similar).
- Le Metier de Beaute Smoky Quartz (LE, $30.00) is warmer (90% similar).
- Chanel Moonlight Pink (118) (LE, $32.00) is less shimmery, lighter (90% similar).
- Anastasia B4 (Norvina Vol. 4) (LE, $12.00) is more shimmery, darker, cooler (85% similar).
- Tarte Pop Art Princess (LE, ) is lighter (85% similar).
- Sephora Sandy Toes (DC, $10.00) is lighter (85% similar).
- Sephora Rose (LE, ) is cooler (85% similar).
- MAC It's Snowing (LE, $20.00) is darker, brighter (80% similar).
- ColourPop Dainty (LE, $4.50) is brighter (80% similar).
Booty Call
PiPPermanent in Palette.
Rock Candy
Rock Candy is a soft taupe with warm, golden undertones and a frosted finish. The pigmentation was opaque, while the eyeshadow had a soft, smooth texture that wasn’t too soft or too firm in the pan, so it applied evenly on the lid and did not sheer away immediately. I was able to wear it for seven hours before it faded.
Top Dupes
- MAC French Clay (PiP, $17.00) is warmer (95% similar).
- NARS Thistle (DC, $25.00) is darker (95% similar).
- Tarte Slate Bells Ring (LE, ) is darker (95% similar).
- LORAC Light Pewter (PiP, $19.00) is darker (90% similar).
- KVD Beauty Telepathy (DC, ) is less shimmery (90% similar).
- ColourPop Cold Blooded (LE, $4.50) is less shimmery, lighter, cooler (90% similar).
- Anastasia Beigely (LE, $12.00) is warmer (90% similar).
- Too Faced Indulge (LE, $16.00) is lighter, brighter (90% similar).
- Chanel Trait de Caractere #1 (LE, ) is lighter, warmer (90% similar).
- Dior Moonlight #1 (LE, ) is less shimmery (90% similar).
Rock Candy
PiPPermanent in Palette.
Metal Work
Metal Work is a deep gray with silver shimmer. It had intense color payoff with a soft, blendable texture, but the consistency was drier and a bit loose, so there was fallout during application. It wore nicely for seven hours on me.
Top Dupes
- Natasha Denona Graphite (07M) (PiP, $29.00) is lighter (95% similar).
- Maybelline Audacious Asphalt (P, $6.99) is less shimmery, lighter (90% similar).
- Inglot #451 (P, $7.00) is less shimmery, darker, cooler (90% similar).
- Charlotte Tilbury Dazzling Diamonds #3 (LE, ) is less shimmery, darker (90% similar).
- Illamasqua Android (P, $25.50) is cooler (90% similar).
- Guerlain L'Heure de Nuit #4 (DC, ) is less shimmery (90% similar).
- Disney by Sephora Jetsam (LE, ) is less shimmery (90% similar).
- Sephora Sketch (LE, ) is lighter (90% similar).
- Clionadh Narwhal (P, $6.00) is more shimmery, lighter, cooler (85% similar).
- Sydney Grace Purple Sky (P, $6.00) is more shimmery, darker, cooler (85% similar).
Looks like a decent little palette but not one I would pick up if I wanted a metallic look. No way!
Definitely not super metallic – even the colors themselves aren’t that metal-inspired to me!
Of all the palettes, this was the least interesting to me. I can see most of the colors running together on the lids, and I think that metallic gray is kind of an odd choice. A warm matte brown would’ve been better, to help anchor the other shimmery shades.
The Softlight one is the worst for running together, but this one was a close second!
It is too bad that these are not working better. I wasn’t planning on purchasing except for the Ablaze palette and it is sold out, which is okay because I have dupes for pretty much every color. Still wanted to have them all in one small palette that would be more travel friendly.
Some of them are decent but some are misses 🙁
A few of those are winners.
A few!
Funnily enough, Metalwork was the only one whose preview swatch in the Swatch Gallery I clicked “Love” for out of this entire palette! And I do have UD Revolver as a beautiful dupe for it.
Other than that lone shade, this one just doesn’t move me at all.
I hear ya, Nancy! This one just didn’t do it for me either.
Exactly.
I think Metal Work is the best shade in this palette, wouldn’t buy it myself I don’t think.
This would be a skip for me!
It’s not a bad palette overall and has some nice colors here. It’s a shame that Party Time was so dry, though.
I wish it was a bit better!
I know it’s not perfect… but I have not seen a grey as nuanced as Metal Work in a very long time. Wow.
Metalwork was one of the nicer shades!
A lovely shade range and it is a shame that a couple of the shades were really under performing.
It is!
I got this and returned it. It was neither metallic nor foiled. I kept the Smoky palette though.
The top two shades are too close to each other and seem unnecessary with the other two mid-tone shades. Metal Work is wonderful.
This is going to sound strange, but I’m glad it got a *meh* review — because I love the colors and would consider buying it but read the ingredients and saw carmine. I can’t wear carmine and would feel a lot worse but seeing that it’s not all that great anyway, now I don’t feel bad about not getting one! I love those metallic colors, tho.
I’m surprised carmine is in it, since nothing is super pigmented/reddish here! Bummer!