Tom Ford Solar Exposure Eye & Cheek Palette Review, Photos, Swatches
Solar Exposure
Tom Ford Solar Exposure Soleil Eye & Cheek Palette ($155.00 for 0.45 oz.) includes four eyeshadows, one highlighter, and one blush. If you’re normally a fan of Tom Ford’s eyeshadow quads (the regular kind), then I’d expect you would likely find the eyeshadows similar in quality. The deepest shade was sheerer but buildable, but it would be best over a primer. The cheek products are nice enough but are not quite as dense or as silky as the original powder blush formula but aren’t quite as thin as the current blush formula
Solar Exposure
LELimited Edition. $155.00.
Solar Exposure (Blush)
Solar Exposure (Blush) is a light-medium, pinky coral with warm undertones and gold shimmer. It had semi-opaque, buildable color payoff that applied evenly on the skin and gave it a really luminous sheen once blended and buffed out. The shimmer did not emphasize my skin’s natural texture, and the color showed up on my skin tone but might get lost on medium-dark and deeper skin tones (it would probably act more like a highlighting blush). It stayed on well for eight hours before fading.
Top Dupes
- Guerlain Blush G (LE, $65.00) is darker (95% similar).
- Benefit CORALista (P, $29.00) is more shimmery (95% similar).
- MAC Miss Cupcake (LE, ) is less shimmery, warmer (90% similar).
- MAC Legendary (LE, $24.00) is less shimmery, darker (90% similar).
- Natasha Denona Golden Peach (PiP, ) is more shimmery, lighter (90% similar).
- Laura Mercier Golden Pink (LE, $35.00) is cooler (90% similar).
- Estee Lauder Lover's Blush (P, $34.00) is less shimmery (90% similar).
- Stellar Beauty Flare (P, $25.00) is brighter (90% similar).
- Essence Shimmery Rose (P, $5.99) is lighter (90% similar).
- Natasha Denona Peach (PiP, ) is less shimmery, warmer (90% similar).
Solar Exposure (Blush)
LELimited Edition. $60.00.
Solar Exposure #1
Solar Exposure #1 is a light-medium gold with warm, orange undertones and a sparkling, frosted finish. It had semi-opaque pigmentation with a soft, blendable texture that wasn’t too soft or too firm in the pan. The eyeshadow wore well for seven and a half hours before fading.
Top Dupes
- Tarte Party (LE, ) is lighter (95% similar).
- Chanel Convoitise (90) (LE, $32.00) is darker (95% similar).
- ColourPop Take It Slow (PiP, $4.50) is darker (95% similar).
- Ciate Halo (LE, ) is more shimmery (95% similar).
- ColourPop Peekaboo (LE, $6.00) is lighter (95% similar).
- ColourPop Crimper (LE, $6.00) is more shimmery, lighter (95% similar).
- Tarte Visionary (LE, ) is less shimmery (95% similar).
- Cle de Peau Les Annees Folles #3 (LE, ) is more shimmery, darker (95% similar).
- Smashbox Champagne (PiP, ) is darker (95% similar).
- elf Perfect Pearl (P, $5.00) is lighter (90% similar).
Solar Exposure #1
LELimited Edition.
Solar Exposure #2
Solar Exposure #2 is a light-medium peach with warm undertones and a glittery finish. The color payoff was excellent, as the eyeshadow applied evenly and smoothly to bare skin. The texture felt slightly wet, though it was definitely a powder, and very smooth to the touch. It wore well for eight hours with slight fallout over time.
Top Dupes
- Charlotte Tilbury Pillow Talk Pop (Prime) (LE, ) is lighter, warmer (95% similar).
- Viseart Pont des Arts (PiP, ) is less shimmery (95% similar).
- MAC Sun Speck (LE, $17.00) is less shimmery (95% similar).
- MAC Warming Heart (LE, $21.00) is darker (95% similar).
- NABLA Cosmetics Body and Soul (PiP, ) is less shimmery, lighter (95% similar).
- City Color Bubble Bath (P, $6.99) is darker (95% similar).
- Give Me Glow Ice Princess (P, $7.00) is less shimmery (95% similar).
- NARS Virgin Gorda (P, $19.00) is less shimmery, darker (95% similar).
- Kaja Sandy Peach (PiP, ) is more shimmery, lighter, cooler (90% similar).
- Viseart Peches (PiP, ) is more shimmery, darker, warmer (90% similar).
Solar Exposure #2
LELimited Edition.
Solar Exposure #3
Solar Exposure #3 is a medium-dark taupe brown with warm undertones and a metallic sheen. It had rich pigmentation that applied easily to the lid with even, smooth coverage. The consistency was soft, blendable, and slightly denser than most Tom Ford eyeshadows, but it was never stiff or difficult to pick up on a myriad of brushes. This shade lasted for eight hours on me.
Top Dupes
- Lancome My French #6 (LE, ) is darker (95% similar).
- Tory Burch Beauty Tawny (P, ) is lighter (90% similar).
- LORAC Silver Fox (LE, $19.00) is lighter, brighter (90% similar).
- Sephora Choco Excess (297) (P, $9.00) is less shimmery, darker, warmer (90% similar).
- Dior Cosmopolite (P, $29.50) is darker, warmer (90% similar).
- Chanel Poesie #1 (LE, ) is darker, warmer (90% similar).
- Too Faced Crisp Apple Strudel (LE, $16.00) is warmer (85% similar).
- Anastasia Streak (LE, $12.00) is more shimmery, lighter, warmer (85% similar).
- Marc Jacobs Beauty About Last Night No. 14 (LE, ) is darker (85% similar).
- Sephora Flirting Game (DC, $10.00) is lighter (85% similar).
Look Using this Product
Solar Exposure #3
LELimited Edition.
Solar Exposure #4
Solar Exposure #4 is a muted, dark taupe brown with neutral-to-cool undertones and a satin finish. It had medium, buildable color coverage paired with a lightly dusty texture. The eyeshadow was prone to sheering out without a primer if I was not careful. It blended out nicely, though, which was a surprise as dusty shades like this one often go on unevenly. It wore well for seven hours before fading.
Top Dupes
- MAC Mystery (DC, $17.00) is lighter (95% similar).
- MAC Soot #2 (DC, $17.00) is cooler (95% similar).
- MAC Bowl Out (LE, $17.00) is darker (95% similar).
- Marc Jacobs Beauty O Snap (610) (LE, $29.00) is less shimmery (95% similar).
- Too Faced Smoked Sea Salt (LE, $16.00) is darker (95% similar).
- KVD Beauty Saleos (PiP, ) is warmer (95% similar).
- Anastasia Cyprus Umber (PiP, $12.00) is darker (95% similar).
- MAC Drama in the Snow (LE, $17.00) is lighter (90% similar).
- Sydney Grace Admiral (P, $5.25) is less shimmery, darker, warmer (90% similar).
- NARS Bali (DC, $25.00) is warmer (90% similar).
Look Using this Product
Solar Exposure #4
LELimited Edition.
Solar Exposure (Highlighter)
Solar Exposure (Highlighter) is a light-medium, peachy gold with warm, orange undertones and a frosted sheen. The consistency was soft, smooth, and slightly dense but not stiff or difficult to blend out on the skin. It had rich, opaque color payoff that illuminated the skin but did not emphasize my skin’s natural texture. It lasted for eight and a half hours on me.
Top Dupes
- Cover FX Moonlight (P, $34.00) is less shimmery (95% similar).
- Too Faced Warm Glow (Right) (PiP, ) is darker (95% similar).
- theBalm Mary-Lou Manizer (PiP, $24.00) is more shimmery (95% similar).
- bareMinerals The Soiree (LE, $26.00) is less shimmery (95% similar).
- Tarte Moonlight (PiP, ) is less shimmery, lighter (90% similar).
- Charlotte Tilbury Filmstar Glow (Original) (PiP, ) is less shimmery, darker (90% similar).
- NARS Unlimited (LE, $30.00) is less shimmery (90% similar).
- Iconic London Rose Glow (Right) (PiP, ) is less shimmery, warmer (90% similar).
- Cover FX Sunlight (P, $34.00) is less shimmery (90% similar).
- NYX Nectar (P, $5.00) is less shimmery, darker (90% similar).
I know a lot of people love this palette, but IDK, for $155, this isn’t wowing me. I guess this could make a good travel palette for soft, office appropriate looks, but at this price point, I would be worried about losing or breaking it while travelling.
It’s okay – you can create a nice look out of it, but I can do the same with so many other products that it doesn’t stand out to me.
$155 (I shudder to think what the price will be in Canada) for a fairly mediocre performing palette with products that seem easily duped (and with better quality dupes!). What is Tom Ford thinking? I guess there are people who will simply but it because it carries the Tom Ford name (I think this same sentiment was expressed recently by someone else here).
I think if you’re a fan of Tom Ford and the colors are sort of your “go-to” shades, I could see enjoying it. I think for someone who doesn’t normally spend this type of money on makeup, it’ll be a miss for sure.
Not bad but I’ll save my pennies I think.
Good call 🙂
I’ve had this in my Selfridges basket for the last 24 hours, debating whether to go ahead and purchase. You’ve just saved me £98, thanks! Far too frosty for me, I do wish Tom Ford would do more matte shades and dial down the frost. I am hoping I’ll like some of the new Soleil collection better when it launches here in the UK.
Happy I could save you some money, Jane! 🙂
Is this brand new to stores? I cannot find a Tom Ford palette except the one from the holidays that was called soliel and came in cool or warm. I love the colors you reviewed. I want your palette definitely. Thanks.
I don’t know if it’s in-stores or not – I bought mine from Tom Ford but Neiman Marcus also has it.
It’s getting easier and easier to be over this label. That’s ok..it was a love hate thing anyway.
I wore Nude Dip today and was reminded how lovely that was – so at $155, I just want great quality and superior textures/application across the board.
Nude Dip is my #1 go-to! Some TF quads are too colorful for my lifestyle (mostly at the office). I do have the Solar Exposure palette (got it at NM) and have been wearing it for everyday as well. I like the soft colors and was delighted to find that all are “usable” for me, which with palettes is not always the case!
I love that blush shade! it’s so pretty!!
It is!
Even though I DO really like this, I’m not crazy in love with it either. These shades are pretty well repped in my stash, on the one hand, but this looks like a nice travel palette, on the other. At $155, you’ve got to be madly in love with this rather basic palette.
I agree — you absolutely have to be head over heels for the palette to buy it!
I’m not really fussed about this palette because the shades are fairly common ones and the blushes would only suit those with paler complexions. For the price, the ratings aren’t crash hot either.
It is pretty dupable!
Is it just me or do these Sun Exposure palettes all look the same?!
I’m a fan of Tom Ford, but this is an easy pass for me. Honestly, $155.00USD for a fairly ordinary palette like this just doesn’t add up, pardon the pun.
I wish I didn’t like this expensive palette but I won’t be plunking my money down on this anyway.
(Great eye look!)
A rhetorical question–I know Tom Ford is fond of shimmer, but why are our faces supposed to be glitter bombs as soon as the weather turns warm? Some shimmer is nice any time of year, but it seems like most cosmetic companies’ spring and summer collections are shimmer central–eyes, cheeks, lips, face. Food for thought.
I did pick this one up and I have the earlier cool version. I like it and it does work well for travel; particularly short trips where I don’t feel like bringing multiple options. I passed over the warm version and it was just as well; this suited me better. I don’t go in for anything larger than quads generally (unless I build it myself) and I don’t own any face and eye palettes apart from these two. While I get that it’s not earth shattering for those with a ton of palettes; but for me this is a workhorse I can get behind.
I have dupes for most of the eyeshadows and for both cheek products, in all very dupeable, this palette, isn’t it.
It’s an easy skip for me. I do think it looks quite well put together though, but at the price point it should live up to it’s claims and get A+
Hi Christine,
Love your reviews! I’ve been contemplating on getting one of these palettes while they are still available at Neimans. I was just wondering if the blush and highlighter formula is the same as his contouring palette – The Afternooner? I love the formula of the contouring palettes. I do not have a chance to swatch these palettes at the counter, can you please let me know if the formula feels the same to you? Thanks!
The formula is completely different!