While waiting in line at Sephora I stumbled upon the Natasha Denona Mini Lila Palette. Immediately I gave in to the temptation to buy this mini palete due to the stunning array of shades, as well as the more approachable price point. But is this worth the hype? Read my Natasha Denona Mini Lila Palette first impressions to see how this palette performed.
The New Luxury
Natasha Denona is having a major moment in the beauty world, alongside other hot brands such as Fenty Beauty, Pat McGrath Labs, and Viseart. Each of these brands founded by badass women (Natasha Denona, Rihanna, Pat McGrath, and Anastasia Vandusen-Sparrow, respectively).
Also, these brands produce innovative, high-quality products. Unlike other high end brands that follow the trends, these brands set them. Additionally, unlike other prestige brands, the four aforementioned brands flirt with luxury price points.
After much consideration and observation online, I decided that I want to try products from each of these brands. However, I don’t want to sink a ton of money into any over-hyped products with steep price tags.
Nevertheless, the opportunity to try Natasha Denona presented itself when I perused Sephora this October. How could I pass up a chance to try her formula at $25.00? Keep reading for my Natasha Denona Mini Lila First Impressions.
Please keep reading for my first impressions on the Natasha Denona Mini Lila Palette.
Natasha Denona Mini Lila Palette Packaging
Packaging
The Mini Lila Palette comes in a sleek package with simple, minimalist design elements. The packaging is solid white on the bottom and has a thick, clear plastic top with Natasha Denona’s name imprinted on it.
Unlike most other plastic-packaged palettes, this one lacks a mirror and a clasp. That being said, the palette is so tiny a mirror wouldn’t have been that helpful, but its size makes great for travel.
Moreover, the case is sturdy enough that I am not afraid the top will suddenly fly open. Overall, I love that the packaging allows the shadows to shine rather than relying on gimmicky design elements.
Price
In terms of pricing, Natasha Denona’s Mini Palettes are the cheapest palettes sold buy the brand. These palettes retail for $25, compared to $48 for a regular-sized 5-pan palette. Read my review of the brand’s 5-pan Camel Palette.
Unlike her other five-pan palettes, the brand’s mini palettes are typically extensions of the larger palettes. However, since 2018, she expanded the mini range to include more standalone mini palettes.
Ingredients
Honestly, I am peeved that ND makes it difficult to find her full ingredient list online. The only readily available ingredient information available online is that the shadows are talc-free and paraben-free.
However, upon further inspection, this claim is not true! The shade linen contains talc! Additionally, these shadows are not tested on animals.
Inside of the Natasha Denona Mini Lila Palette
Natasha Denona Mini Lila Palette Swatches
As previously mentioned, the Mini Lila Palette comes with five shadows – two shimmers and three mattes. The matte shades are Poison Berry (vibrant fuchsia), Raisin (cool burgundy), and Flint (sand). The two shimmers are Blue Dahlia (a duo-chrome purple with a blue shift) and Linen (a champagne metallic).
Had I thought about my purchase more, I would have realized that the colors in this palette are nearly identical to those in the Too Faced Peanut Butter and Jelly Palette.
Admittedly, I wasn’t blown away by the swatches of this palette. However, I was not entirely put off. Some shadow formulas do not swatch well but wear well on the eyes.
(ND Shadows, Top to Bottom): Flint, Linen, Raisin, Blue Dahlia, and Poison Berry
In terms of initial impressions, Flint is easily the best shadow in the palette. It glides onto the skin with its super creamy formula, pigmented formula. Comparatively, Raisin and Poison Berry definitely felt dry. Just based on swatches, Poison Berry seemed to be patchy.
The two shimmers, Linen and Blue Dahlia also felt slightly dry, but not abnormally so. Blue Dahlia actually swatched better than I expected.
If you love purple shadows, check out my review of the Anastasia Beverly Hills Norvina Palette First Impressions or my Menagerie Cosmetics Violet ink Micro Palette review.
Natasha Denona Mini Lila Palette Application & Wear-time
Interestingly enough Natasha Denona actually provides suggestions on where to apply each shadow. According to Natasha Denona’s website:
- Apply Poison Berry to the lower lash line
- Work Raisin into the crease
- Use Blue Dahlia all over the lid or on the lash line
- Pat Linen is on the brow bone or in the inner corner of the eye
- Flint is the transition shade
Keeping ND’s instructions in mind, see the below look created with this palette:
Natasha Denona Mini Lila Palette Application
Although each color was buildable, the formula failed to impress. Simply put, pigementation lacked in these shadows.
Flint was the superstar shade in this palette. This shadow nearly blended itself. Poison Berry and Raisin best applied by patting and building the color onto the lid. But looked subpar.
The colors faded and moved throughout the day. The vibrancy dulled after wearing the shadows over long periods. Although the primer may impact the performance of the shadows, a good shadow should not crease or fade like this.
Are other Natasha Denona mini palettes this bad? Read my honest review of the Natasaha Denona Sunrise Palette.
Final Thoughts on the Natasha Denona Mini Lila Palette
While I wasn’t wowed by this palette, I would consider trying another palette from Natasha Denona. Sadly, after additional testing with various eye primers and methods of application, I determined that I did not enjoy this palette. The quality did not match the price tag.
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Have you tried anything from Natasha Denona, Fenty Beauty, Pat McGrath Labs, or Viseart? What are your thoughts on my Natasha Denona Mini Lila first impressions?