Tom Ford Moonlit Violet Shade and Illuminate Palette Review & Swatches
Moonlit Violet
Tom Ford Beauty Moonlit Violet Shade and Illuminate Face and Eye Palette ($155.00 for 0.49 oz.) is a new palette that appears to exclusive to Nordstrom at this time. It includes four eyeshadows, one highlighter, and one sculpting powder. The eyeshadows were the stars of the palette; the formula here felt extra-smooth, more finely-milled and “melty” when applied to lids, which gave them a more seamless look. The highlighter/sculpting powder were decent to good but felt a bit denser/firmer. I would have loved to have seen the eyeshadows released as a standalone quad with the highlighter/sculpting powders released as as a duo.
Ingredients
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Moonlit Violet
LELimited Edition. $155.00.
Moonlit Violet Highlight
Moonlit Violet Highlight is a pale, warm white with more of a translucent base and a metallic shimmer that shifted from gold to pink. Per the brand, it’s supposed to be “ultra-sheer,” though it was more medium coverage, that was buildable, than “ultra-sheer.” The texture was smooth, dense without being overly firm, and blendable, but you’ll want to use a moderately-dense brush to pick up an even amount of product. It stayed on nicely for eight and a half hours before showing signs of fading.
Top Dupes
- Rare Beauty Enlighten (P, $25.00) is darker (95% similar).
- Lethal Cosmetics Eviscerate (P, $18.00) is more shimmery (95% similar).
- Natasha Denona Bronze (PiP, ) is less shimmery (90% similar).
- Coloured Raine Fashion Show (P, $25.00) is more shimmery, lighter (90% similar).
- Chanel White Opal (40) (P, $58.00) is cooler (90% similar).
- ColourPop Candy Floss (LE, $10.00) is more shimmery, cooler (90% similar).
- ColourPop Makin' Memories (LE, $12.00) is lighter (90% similar).
- Clionadh Luna (P, $12.50) is more shimmery, cooler (90% similar).
- ColourPop Icy (LE, $10.00) is less shimmery, darker, cooler (90% similar).
- MAC Out on the Tinseltown (LE, $42.00) is warmer (90% similar).
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Moonlit Violet Highlight
LELimited Edition.
Moonlit Violet #1
Moonlit Violet #1 is a darker, dirty beige with moderate, warm undertones and slightly cooler, silver and gold shimmer and micro-sparkle that gave it a metallic finish. It had opaque pigmentation applied dry as well as damp, though the latter applied it more smoothly with a stronger sheen. The texture was soft, incredibly finely-milled, which made it feel almost cream-like, and the eyeshadow blended out beautifully on bare skin. It wore well for eight and a half hours before fading visibly.
Top Dupes
- Make Up For Ever ME554 Gunmetal (P, $17.00) is more shimmery, darker, warmer (90% similar).
- Sydney Grace Queen Anne's Lace (Deep) (PiP, $6.25) is more shimmery, warmer (90% similar).
- ColourPop Sediment to Be (PiP, $4.50) is less shimmery, darker, warmer (90% similar).
- Tom Ford Beauty Soleil Neige #2 (LE, ) is darker, warmer (90% similar).
- Give Me Glow Lavender Taupe (P, $7.00) is more shimmery, darker (90% similar).
- NABLA Cosmetics Chemical Bond (P, $8.00) is more shimmery, lighter, warmer (90% similar).
- Viseart Ballad (PiP, ) is less shimmery, lighter (90% similar).
- NARS Thistle (DC, $25.00) is warmer (90% similar).
- Moira Just Right (P, $7.50) is more shimmery (90% similar).
- Natasha Denona Glam (321M) (PiP, $29.00) is darker, warmer (85% similar).
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Moonlit Violet #1
LELimited Edition.
Moonlit Violet #2
Moonlit Violet #2 is a light mauve with strong, warm undertones and a sparkling finish. It had semi-sheer pigmentation applied dry and more semi-opaque coverage applied with a dampened brush (or fingertip), which was buildable. The texture felt soft and smooth to the touch, despite being fairly sparkly. It applied evenly and blended out with ease without being prone to fallout. This shade lasted well for eight and a half hours before fading noticeably but had a touch of fallout over time.
Top Dupes
- Viseart Bisous (PiP, ) is more shimmery, warmer (90% similar).
- Dior Pink Corolle #4 (PiP, ) is darker, cooler (90% similar).
- Clionadh Centaur (P, $5.52) is darker (90% similar).
- Viseart Sterling (Amethyst #5) (P, ) is more shimmery, darker, warmer (90% similar).
- Sephora Semi-Sweet Chocolate (375) (P, $9.00) is warmer (90% similar).
- Dior Plum Tulle #4 (PiP, ) is less shimmery, warmer (90% similar).
- Inglot J405 Celestial (LE, $25.00) is more shimmery, cooler (90% similar).
- ColourPop Mystery (LE, $4.50) is lighter, warmer (85% similar).
- Huda Beauty Sand Haze #4 (PiP, ) is more shimmery, warmer (85% similar).
- NARS Earthshine (LE, $25.00) is more shimmery, warmer (85% similar).
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Moonlit Violet #2
LELimited Edition.
Moonlit Violet #3
Moonlit Violet #3 is a soft black with neutral-to-warm undertones and fine gold and plum pearl, which gave it more of a satin sheen when applied. It had good color coverage when applied with a dry brush but was fully opaque if applied with a dampened brush. It had a finely-milled, silk-like texture–creamy, smooth but not overly dense–without any powderiness. It stayed on well for eight and a half hours before showing signs of fading.
Top Dupes
- Sephora Ilde (LE, ) is less shimmery, lighter (95% similar).
- Milani Smoke Signals (PiP, $5.99) is less shimmery, cooler (90% similar).
- Too Faced Ooh and Ahh (Left) (LE, $16.00) is less shimmery, darker (90% similar).
- MAC Stroke of Midnight (LE, $17.00) is darker (85% similar).
- ColourPop Stallion (LE, $4.50) is less shimmery, darker (85% similar).
- ColourPop Midnight Curfew (LE, $4.50) is less shimmery, darker (85% similar).
- Tom Ford Beauty Double Indemnity #4 (PiP, ) is darker, warmer (85% similar).
- Tarte Grommet (P, $14.00) is darker (85% similar).
- Urban Decay Lovesick (LE, $19.00) is less shimmery, warmer (85% similar).
- ColourPop South Beach (LE, $4.50) is less shimmery, darker, warmer (85% similar).
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Moonlit Violet #3
LELimited Edition.
Moonlit Violet #4
Moonlit Violet #4 is a muted, medium-dark purple with subtle, warm undertones and a pearl finish. The consistency felt smooth to the touch, finely-milled and almost cream-like but very lightweight and thin. The eyeshadow had good pigmentation applied wet as well as dry with dampened application yielding a more intense sheen and truly full coverage. It wore well for eight and a half hours before fading visibly.
Top Dupes
- Give Me Glow Dark Secrets (P, $7.00) is more shimmery, darker (90% similar).
- Sydney Grace Abigail (Deep) (PiP, $6.25) is more shimmery, darker, warmer (90% similar).
- Sydney Grace Rushed (P, $6.25) is more shimmery, darker (85% similar).
- Tom Ford Beauty Violet Argente #4 (Eye Color) (LE, ) is more shimmery, lighter, brighter (85% similar).
- Fenty Beauty Space Owt (LE, ) is more shimmery, warmer (85% similar).
- Sydney Grace Sovereign Rain (PiP, $6.25) is more shimmery, darker, warmer (80% similar).
- Chanel Au Fil des Fleurs #4 (LE, ) is more shimmery, lighter, warmer (80% similar).
- Viseart Agate (GPV2 #10) (LE, ) is more shimmery, darker, warmer (80% similar).
- Sydney Grace Abigail (Light) (PiP, $6.25) is more shimmery, darker, warmer (80% similar).
- Dior Temptation (184) (P, $29.50) is more shimmery, brighter, warmer (80% similar).
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Moonlit Violet #4
LELimited Edition.
Moonlit Violet Sculpt
Moonlit Violet Sculpt is a medium-dark, reddish-brown with subtle, warm undertones and a semi-matte finish. The powder had a firmer consistency–dense without being powdery–that picked up best with a moderately-dense, more flat-topped brush for richer coverage. For those who prefer sheerer or more buildable coverage, more typical brushes (less-dense) suited the formula fine. This shade lasted nicely for eight and a half hours before fading a bit.
Top Dupes
- Dior Amber Bronze (06) (P, $48.00) is less shimmery, warmer (90% similar).
- NABLA Cosmetics Profile (P, $26.00) is more shimmery, darker, cooler (90% similar).
- Viseart Sculpting #2 (PiP, ) is less shimmery, darker, warmer (90% similar).
- NARS Casino (LE, $38.00) is less shimmery, lighter, warmer (90% similar).
- Phytosurgence Rosy Blaze (6) (P, $25.50) is less shimmery, lighter, warmer (90% similar).
- Salt New York Medium/Deep (P, $16.00) is less shimmery, darker, glossier (90% similar).
- Kosas Medium (P, $34.00) is more shimmery, warmer (85% similar).
- Urban Decay Nooner (Bronzer) (PiP, ) is less shimmery, warmer (85% similar).
- Zoeva Unfinished (PiP, ) is less shimmery, lighter (85% similar).
- Tom Ford Beauty Rose Cashmere Sculpt (LE, ) is lighter, warmer (85% similar).
Glad it got a decent score – at this price-point, it should (A+ would be better) but for me, this is just too spendy for 4 eyeshadows (the other 2 items aren’t ones I’m excited about).
Very Tom Ford and it looks very much like a combo of past palettes … It looks gorgeous on you, Christine, but I am passing on this one. For some, rosy shades make them look ill, for me now with mature eyes, smoky shimmery looks like this make me look like I have been socked in the eye.
Interesting highlighter color and I love the purple eyeshadow. These face palettes aren’t for me because I rarely use highlighter. The highlighter pan size is very big too.
So nice to see that this particular face palette did so well! It is my favorite of the four.
However, with my new circumstances (higher rent, for the most major impact), I too would have much preferred to have seen these being sold as separate e/s quads and face duos. A quad I can still do, but an entire face palette at $155 is rough on the old wallet now.
The Nordstrom site says it’s silicone-free and the Tom Ford site lists a silicone in the ingredients (maybe for one of the eyeshadows?) Does anyone know where to find the ingredients for the highlighter/contour shades?
There’s a photo of the ingredients in this post!
I definately agree with you Christine, that the palette should have been released in an eyeshadow quad, with the highlighter and bronzer as a duo.
The eyeshadows are beautiful all together and this is such a gorgeous colour story, as shown by your stunning eye look. A shame that shade 2 wasn’t as good as the others. I just loved shade 1.
I love the idea of an all in one purple face palette. Thought about picking this one up but the purples were too muted for me. The highlighter and bronzer wouldn’t work for me either. I’m enjoying the TF blue-green face palette.