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Tom Ford Unabashed Eye & Cheek Compact Review, Photos, Swatches

Tom Ford Unabashed Eye & Cheek Compact
Tom Ford Unabashed Eye & Cheek Compact

Tom Ford Unabashed Eye & Cheek Compact ($95.00 for 0.47 oz.) is a new and limited edition palette just in time for summer that includes three eyeshadows, one bronzer, and one blush. It’s housed in a white lacquered square compact (the same size as Tom Ford’s bronzer, which is, for all intents in purposes, quite large). The sparkly eyeshadow and the warmer taupe shade are reminiscent of the She Wolf Eyeshadow Trio; they’re not one-for-one dupes, but if you have She Wolf, you may feel this is redundant, depending on how important the undertone is (She Wolf runs cooler-toned, these run warm). The deep blue is interesting, and there’s no doubt that it’s pigmented–seems even more pigmented in practice, not just swatched–but it’s a shade that I can see people loving or leaving. I give props to Tom Ford for actually putting out such a bold blue and not reducing it to sheer nothingness (a la Dior). The quality is good, overall, but I think the texture and quality of Tom Ford’s individual blushes is better and more luxurious.

Believe it or not, but this palette has sold out almost everywhere online in the U.S. Nordstrom is the only U.S. retailer that has it listed, and it’s backordered presently. Selfridges also has it for those outside of the U.S. (it might also be available for shipping to U.S., but international shipping is pretty high). It’s a lot of money to plunk down on a single item, though technically, it has more product than an eyeshadow trio has ($60.00/0.16 oz.) and a single blush ($56.00/0.28 oz.) combined.

Unabashed Eyeshadow #1 is a sparkling, golden beige with warm undertones and a glittery finish. It almost feels wet in the pan, and it’s one of those rare sparkly finishes that doesn’t seem to have fall out all day long. There is some minor fall out, but it’s not noticeable unless you really go looking for it. Divergent Choose (LE) is less warm-toned. theBalm #7 (P, $6.50) is less sparkly. MAC Phresh Out #3 (LE) is pinker. Too Faced Moon on Their Wings (LE, $16.00) is more golden. MAC Warming Heart (LE, $21.00) is slightly more peach. MAC Hey (P, $15.00) is less sparkly. See comparison swatches / view dupes.

Unabashed Eyeshadow #2 is a medium-dark, neutral-to-warm-toned taupe brown with a matte finish. The texture was impossibly soft and finely-milled; really felt more like a loose powder with just how silky it was. It had good color payoff, but because it was so soft, it was a little powdery. On the lid, it was very easy to blend and work with and lasted for nine hours. Givenchy Taupe Velours (5) (P, $23.00) and Dior Mirage (761) (P, $30.00) are both cream products. bareMinerals Head Over Heels (LE) is cooler-toned.Kat Von D Renholder (P) is lighter. Bobbi Brown Slate (P, $22.00) is similar. See comparison swatches / view dupes.

Unabashed Eyeshadow #3 is a deep, dark cobalt blue with cool undertones and a matte finish. It’s mostly opaque, and it is rather rich applied to the lid, but it seems a little brighter in the pan then applied on the lid. The texture was soft, silky, and blendable, but there’s a little powderiness due to the overall softness. This color wore like iron, though, and it did stain the skin. NARS Outremer (P, $24.00) is similar. Illamasqua Sadist (P) is lighter. Inglot #388 (P, $6.00) is purpler. See comparison swatches / view dupes.

Unabashed Bronzer is a gold-shimmered, peachy-brown with a soft, frosted finish. It had good pigmentation, and the texture was soft, smooth, and blendable on the skin. It emphasized pores slightly when applied, and if applied more sheerly, then I didn’t notice any emphasis so it may depend on how you wear it. It wore well for eight and a half hours on me. Too Faced Jingle All the Way Bronzer (LE) is more orange. Too Faced Spice (LE) is browner. Urban Decay Gilded (P, $26.00) is more frosted. Urban Decay Baked (P, $26.00) is browner, more frosted. See comparison swatches / view dupes.

Unabashed Blush is a light-medium, coral-pink with a golden sheen. It’s just bright enough to add a pop of color, but it’s not neon. The texture was blendable when applied, and it felt soft and finely-milled. It had good pigmentation, but it wasn’t as pigmented as Tom Ford’s individual blushes typically are. The color wore well for eight and a half hours. MAC Petal Power (LE, $25.00) is similar. Revlon Racy Rose (008) (P, $9.99) is lighter. NARS Day Dream (LE, $29.00) is less shimmery, darker. Tom Ford Beauty Love Lust (P, $55.00) is darker, less pink. NARS Orgasm (P, $29.00) is slightly pinker. MAC Stereo Rose (LE, $30.00) is more orange. See comparison swatches / view dupes.

Tom Ford Unabashed Eye & Cheek Compact
Tom Ford Unabashed Eye & Cheek Compact

Tom Ford Unabashed Eye & Cheek Compact
Tom Ford Unabashed Eye & Cheek Compact

Tom Ford Unabashed Eye & Cheek Compact
Tom Ford Unabashed Eye & Cheek Compact

Tom Ford Unabashed Eye & Cheek Compact
Tom Ford Unabashed Eye & Cheek Compact

Tom Ford Unabashed Eye & Cheek Compact
Tom Ford Unabashed Eye & Cheek Compact

Tom Ford Unabashed Eye & Cheek Compact
Tom Ford Unabashed Eye & Cheek Compact

Tom Ford Unabashed Eye & Cheek Compact
Tom Ford Unabashed Eye & Cheek Compact

Tom Ford Unabashed Eye & Cheek Compact
Tom Ford Unabashed Eye & Cheek Compact

Tom Ford Unabashed Eye & Cheek Compact
Tom Ford Unabashed Eye & Cheek Compact

Tom Ford Unabashed Eye & Cheek Compact
Tom Ford Unabashed Eye & Cheek Compact

Tom Ford Unabashed Eye & Cheek Compact
Tom Ford Unabashed Eye & Cheek Compact

Tom Ford Unabashed Eye & Cheek Compact
Tom Ford Unabashed Eye & Cheek Compact

Tom Ford Unabashed Eye & Cheek Compact
Tom Ford Unabashed Eye & Cheek Compact

Tom Ford Unabashed Eye & Cheek Compact
Tom Ford Unabashed Eye & Cheek Compact

Tom Ford Unabashed Eye & Cheek Compact
Tom Ford Unabashed Eye & Cheek Compact

Tom Ford Unabashed Eye & Cheek Compact
Tom Ford Unabashed Eye & Cheek Compact

Tom Ford Unabashed Eye & Cheek Compact
Tom Ford Unabashed Eye & Cheek Compact

Tom Ford Unabashed Eye & Cheek Compact
Tom Ford Unabashed Eye & Cheek Compact

Makeup Look
On face:
  • Guerlain Parure de Lumiere Foundation
  • Guerlain Les Voilettes Loose Powder
On eyes:
  • Sephora Summer Cruise Eyeliner
On lips:
  • Sephora Cougar Rouge Cream

74 Comments

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Veronica Avatar

Oh thank goodness, it’s too warm for me. 😛 I don’t know how I was going to justify a $95 compact to myself otherwise. This being said – I wish there were more matte taupes like the second shade out there. So hard to find good matte eyeshadows!

baby in a corner Avatar

I impulse bought this from Selfridges about two weeks ago and have been looking forward to your review as I’m not sure how I feel about this palette. While I love the blue eyeshadow, the glitter shadow is quite grainy except under bright lights. The taupe is very cool toned on me – a bit like a grey. Its lovely on the crease – but I tend not to get very excited about crease colours as they are more like good underwear than a nice dress! The blushes were emphasising the dry patches on my cheeks last week – although saying that my skin was in bad conditions so I’ll have to try them out again when my skin improves.

For the price I’m a little on the fence!

Christine Avatar

I think the permanent blushes have a better texture and they wear a bit longer on me as well. The eyeshadows are nice, but I’m not personally in love with TF’s eyeshadows (I prefer a denser, more buttery texture – to me, it’s the difference between UD eyeshadows and MAC eyeshadows–but it’s more a personal preference than one performs better/worse). I look at this palette and just wonder how easy it is to use on a regular basis, and if it was something I could reach for over and over again, it would be worth it, but I’m more of the mind to get one or two TF products I’d reach for often.

stacey Avatar

The packaging looks like Estee Lauder and the way it is sold out is like Mac.
Not buying into this.
Not impress. So recycled. Spending my money on something else.
But always an “A” for Christine’s reviews.

Let Avatar

Love the cobalt shade. Also, your eyeliner <3
(Is the eyeliner really Urban Decay though, or Sephora? I remember seeing a review for Summer Cruise here sometime ago..)

Wwendalynne Avatar

I’m definitely not feeling this one. The blush looks like an Nars Orgasm dupe and Orgasm is hardly new.. been around forever and already has a kajillion dupes. The neutral eyeshadows remind me of She Wolf which I already have. The blue is interesting, but hardly worth buying the palette for one shadow. Yawn. Expensive. Pass.

Christine Avatar

Especially if one has Tom Ford’s own Lovelust… not an exact dupe, but close enough (better texture, IMO!). They’re selling like hot cakes, so Mr. Ford seems to know his customer, but I would loved to see two new trios, re-release of his cream eyeshadows (or new shades, I’m not THAT picky!), and a NEW blush.

Katherine Avatar

Thank you so much! I was interested in this palette because of the blue. I think I’ll pass and pick up the Nars dupe instead. I finally signed up and paid for the kaleidoscope program for summer at Le Metier de Beaute. I’ve been wanting to try that brand after your reviews. 🙂

Shana Avatar

Very pretty, I just don’t think I could EVER justify spending that much money on one compact. It was hard enough for me to buy Naked 3 lol.

LOVE that lipstick though, I was actually going to buy it last week but I hadn’t seen any swatches of it yet. Do you have any other of the sephora lipsticks to swatch?

Lisa Avatar

The “glitter: shadow is what TF calls their “celestials” these colors are meant to be pressed onto the lids either alone or over an existing color. I tried this palette at NM yesterday and left without it because I think the MUA did a shoddy job of applying the palette on me. She used the cobalt as a line, did not know if it could be used wet. after application and for hours after I suffered considerable fallout of cobalt under my eyes. What a hot mess! Cheeek and bronzer shades were not blended, and she didn’t use the celestial shade. I was so sure I would leave with the palette. After the MUA got done with me, I thought maybe not!

Viola Avatar

It’s a pity that Mr.Ford didn’t do cream eyeshadow this summer… Ever since i read your reviews on his cream eyeshadows, i’ve been longing for them. This palette is a bit disappointing for me. But like always, you wear it beautifully! Thank you, Christina~~~Looking forward to your reviews on lip shimmer sticks.

Denise Avatar

What a smart looking compact and I really like what you’ve done with the blue eyeshadow ! However, me thinks I’ll skip this, as apart from the blue eyeshadow ( which really isn’t my colour at all anyway) I already have stuff pretty similar to this in my makeup stash.
Shame really as I do like Tom Fords makeup.

Jill Avatar

I’ve followed your page for a long time but never commented before now. Your reviews are always my favorite. They are never overly gushy, they are to the point, and they are always astutely observant. I love that you don’t just swatch the stuff on your arm, but you offer photos of yourself actually wearing the product. I also love that the lighting in all of your photos is the same. Whenever I am deciding upon whether or not I should purchase a product, I scour the internet and read every single review I can find. I always gravitate back to your reviews because I think they are simply and consistently the best. Thank you for all that you do.

Christine Avatar

It’s Sephora Cougar!

Just as a heads up, I try to list what I wore at the end of the post, so you’ll see it look like this:

THE MAKEUP LOOK
On face: Guerlain Parure de Lumiere Foundation, Guerlain Les Voilettes Loose Powder. On eyes: Sephora Summer Cruise Eyeliner. On lips: Sephora Cougar Rouge Cream.

Jade Avatar

I personally TOTALLY love the colour combinations in this palette. That blue is just to die for. I do wish the taupe shade was the slightest bit warmer (I’d have settled for neutral!).

Kris Avatar

I just ordered this. I think, for me, the appeal is in the compact presentation: you could take this and only this and go on vacation, and I’d get both a minimal or a more bam! look.

I have Lovelust and Orgasm, but Lovelust can sometimes be too dark and Orgasm wears badly on me, so I’m excited to have a blend of the two that wears well!

I think the blue shade is inspired, and the taupe a great barely-there. I could do without the glitter, to be honest: I’m not sure why TF insists on them 🙁

Angelina Avatar

This is a lovely little palette but it is quite dupeable in my opinion. The packaging is quite pretty too. I just wanted to say I love that lip color on you!

SheDaisy Avatar

Speaking of Tom Ford – I have MAJOR buyer’s remorse after buying their lip color in Indian Rose! I bought it even after seeing your review where you noted that the same amount of money could be spent on a better lipstick. Arg! True to your review, it’s a solid lipstick, but I don’t think it’s 2 -8 times nicer than my other lipsticks (if price correlates to the overall experience). I wish I heeded your warning, and I think this is going to be returned. Thanks for all the work you do on these reviews and for giving your honest opinion and for giving these a thorough test – I feel like I have the same impression and experiences with these products!

Christine Avatar

Unfortunately, while sometimes price means better quality, it’s not usually on a 1/1 ratio, lol! As far as more impressive lips go, Rouge G/Cle de Peau’s Extra Rich lipsticks are more impressive to me than TF’s. I like my pearly, luminous finishes, though.

Quinctia Avatar

I think that’s the most impressive blue eyeshadow I’ve seen come out of a luxury line, they tend to cop out on that sort of color.

Everything else seems less exciting, so I guess if something had to be sold out, at least those that got it have good quality, and those that can’t can probably get similar stuff in other ways?

Christine Avatar

I think Fire Lust is going somewhat quickly (but it’s a repromote), but for some reason this just seemed to zip right out of stores (well, you know, online stores). I was surprised, and Tom Ford continues to impress me by moving $$$ merchandise at breakneck speed.

Lydia Avatar

This is so incredibly vintage glam. I gotta say, if I had big bucks to drop on a compact, I’d probably spring for this. There’s something so classic about it!

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