Do you hear the call of the wild? Inspired by the courage and strength of lions, the Menagerie Cosmetics Killer Purr Palette is a unique, grungy neutral palette full of rich cool and warm-toned neutrals. But is this unexpected neutral palette a total roar or a snore? Keep reading for my honest review with satches on the Killer Purr Palette.

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A Little About the Brand

Menagerie Cosmetics is an American indie makeup brand based out of Washington State. This line of hand-made, vegan, and talc-free cosmetics is inspired by nature. Most known for their eyeshadow palettes and singles, Menagerie Cosmetics is one of the most hyped indie beauty brands.

If you love supporting indie makeup brands, check out my in-depth review of the Menagerie Cosmetics Violet Ink Micro Palette or this post rounding up the best European Indie makeup brands.

Menagerie Cosmetics Killer Purr Claims

Unlike some brand that promise the moon, the Menagerie Cosmetics Killer Purr Palette claims are quite simple. Here is what the brand says:

The Lion symbolizes strength, courage and might! We curated a variety of warm and cool shades inspired by lions in their natural habitat.

Packaging & Price

Like all Menagerie Cosmetics Palettes, the inspiration behind the palette is the African savanna. More specifically, lions serve as the major inspiration for the palette. The outside of the palette features a beautiful depiction of lions.

In terms of the packaging, the palette is made from sturdy cardboard that feels weighted. In fact, this palette feels more weighted than some of the luxury palettes I own.

The Killer Purr Palette retails for $36.00.

Is Menagerie Cosmetics Cruelty Free & Vegan?

Menagerie Cosmetics is 100% Cruelty-Free and Vegan. Also, the products are handmade in the United States. All the shadows are talc-free and gluten-free.

RELATED: Check out my ultimate roundup of affordable Cruelty-Free brands.

Ingredient Analysis

Due to the demonization of certain ingredients in the American beauty space, I love to share a breakdown of the top 5-10 ingredients used in the products I review. The below table breaks down the top ingredients and their benefits in the Menagerie Killer Purr Palette.

Please note, top ingredients may vary from eyeshadow to eyeshadow. The below represent some of the most common names I saw at the top of each shade’s ingredient lists.

Top 10 Ingredients in the Killer Purr Palette

Ingredient	Makeup Benefit
Mica	Mica is a naturally occurring mineral dust used in makeup for its shimmery effect. However, there are ethical concerns regarding Mica mining.
Boron Nitride	This is a synthetic powder with similar absorbent policies to talc.
Nylon-12	A powder substance used to enhance texture. Also, provides mattifying properties when used in high amounts.
Kaolin	Kaolin is a naturally occurring clay mineral (often called out by skincare brands as Kaolin Clay) that is commonly used in cosmetics for its absorbent properties. In skincare, Kaolin masks are great for oily skin; however, this ingredient may be too drying when used in high amounts. This will vary from formula to formula and on the user’s skin type.
Zinc Stearate	A commonly using binding agent for powder makeup to help powders stick together and adhere to the skin.
Lauroyl Lysine	In skincare or haircare, this ingredient acts as conditioning agent. In makeup, this can act as stabilizer to hep gel solvents.
Dimethicone	A silicone-based ingredient that is used to give products a smooth, silky feel.
Titanium Dioxide	Titanium Dioxide is a naturally occurring mineral that is mined from the earth, processed and then purified for use in cosmetics and personal care products. Within makeup specifically, Titanium Dioxide is a colorant used to provide white coloring to products. However, it can also be used to  increase the opaqueness, and reduce the transparency of product formulas. Finally, as a common sunscreen ingredient Titanium dioxide absorbs, reflects, or scatters light.
Phenoxyethanol	A common synthetic preservative with global approval for use in all cosmetic products in concentrations up to 1%. Also, this preservative helps to stabilize products and prevent pathogens from multiplying in skincare products. Additionally, it is compatible with many other preservatives.

Thoughts on the Top Ingredients in Killer Purr

To note, I hate when brands do not include ingredient lists on their websites. First, it makes it harder for consumers with allergies to determine whether a product contains an allergen. Second, omitting an ingredient list from a brand’s website is potentially less accessible to consumers with low or limited vision.

Complaints about the accessibility issue aside, nothing in the top ingredients stands out as problematic. However, I was intrigued to see Kaolin so high up in the ingredient list. This is definitely an ingredient that I don’t see used often in eyeshadow formulas.

Menagerie Cosmetics Killer Purr Palette Swatches

As always, swatches are not a perfect indicator of quality. However, swatches can provide clues about a product’s color payoff and ability to blend. The below swatches were done using my fingers on a bare arm. No primer.

Obviously the above swatches show the incredible color payoff and unique shade variety of the palette. However, swatching the shadows from the Killer Purr Palette felt unpleasant. In fact, the shadows felt different from the previous Menagerie Palettes I’ve tried. More specifically, the matte shadows felt almost too soft and produced a ton of fallout at the slightest touch. Additionally, a few of the mattes actually developed hardpan upon the initial swatch.

Also, the two metallic shadows felt incredibly sticky and putty-like. This is common for shadows with a ton of dimethicone. However, I was genuinely concerned that one of the metallic shades seemed to leak or stain the cardboard directly next to the shade. In fact, this makes me worry that the shadows will go bad more quickly because the moisture will produce mold.

Finally, the metallic swatches disappointed me due to the chunky texture and similar colors. The two shade looked similar to one another. Given that there were only two metallics in the palette, I would have appreciated a little more variety.

Application & Wear-Time

The Killer Purr Palette is a perfect example of why swatches can be deceiving. As I stated above, swatching the eyeshadows in this palette felt unpleasant. However, these shadows were a dream to use on the lids.

Despite being intensely pigmented, the soft formula made the matte eyeshadows in Killer Purr extremely easy to blend and build on the lids. Moreover, the shadows played well with one another without looking muddy, developing weird dark patches of color, or completely blending away as I’ve experienced with some higher end matte formulas.

With the above said, I need to call out the intense fallout of the mattes. To avoid ruining the rest of your makeup, I recommend doing your eyeshadow first whenever using this palette.

Although I still wish there were a few more metallic eyeshadows and better variations in the metallic shades chosen for this palette, the intense pigmentation and high-shine metallic finish of Prowl and Lioness cannot be ignored. As always, my preferred method of application is to use my finger. However, a flat packing brush will work, too.

In terms of staying power, these shadows lasted on my oily lids for 10-12 hours when worn over an eyeshadow primer. I did not experience any fallout, smudging, fading or creasing – even at the end of the day. Given the prevalence of Kaolin and Titanium Dioxide so high in the ingredient list, I genuinely wonder whether the absorbent and light reflecting properties of these two ingredients helped to prevent fading.

Finally, I need to callout that these eyeshadows even held up against tears. However, the pigmentation faded and wore away after wearing them during a nap. This is common for most formulas I’ve worn during naps – except the Tarte Maneater Palette.

Where is the Menagerie Cosmetics Killer Purr Palette sold?

Menagerie Cosmetics sells exclusively through the brand’s online store. The Killer Purr Palette is constantly in and out of stock, so please check for restock dates to pick up this palette.

Final Thoughts on the Menagerie Cosmetics Killer Purr Palette

Overall, the Menagerie Cosmetics Killer Purr Palette is a beautifully curated palette full of unexpected, grungy neutrals inspired by the African savannah. The depth and variation in shades and undertones makes this eyeshadow palette super unique and incredibly fun to play with on the lids.

In fact, the Killer Purr palette is a great option for colorful makeup lovers looking to add some fun neutrals to their collection. Alternatively, this is a great colorful palette for makeup lovers that are trying to dip their toes into wearing “muted” or neutral colors.

Although the soft formula produces a lot of fallout, the eyeshadows are extremely easy to manipulate on the eyelids. I’m confident that beginners and experts, alike, are sure to love this palette if they enjoy the color selection. Moreover, I cannot emphasizes enough how impressed I was at the longevity of the Killer Purr eyeshadows on my eyelids.

Also, this palette is a great option for anyone who wanted to purchase the Natasha Denona Safari Palette but couldn’t justify the expensive price point. Given that 10 out of the 12 shades in the palette are mattes, buyers must love mattes to purchase this indie makeup gem.

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What did you think about the Menagerie Cosmetics Killer Purr Palette? Have you tried any products from this dope indie brand? Please let me know your thoughts in the comments below.

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