Inspired by Iceland’s diverse landscape of glaciers, volcanoes, geysers, hot springs and lava fields, indie makeup brand, Nomad Cosmetics released an eyeshadow palette inspired by the Nordic nation. The Nomad Cosmetics Iceland Fire & Ice Palette contains 15 shades ranging from red hot reds to icy blues and greens.
Naturally, as a colorful eyeshadow lover and indie brand supporter, this stunning color story immediately caught my attention. Therefore, I felt beyond grateful when Nomad Cosmetics offered to send me this palette to review. Keep reading for my honest thoughts on the Nomad Cosmetics Iceland Palette.
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A Little About the Nomad Cosmetics
Founded in 2015 by Felicia and Antti Rintanen, Nomad Cosmetics is a US-based indie makeup brand that aims to provide makeup lovers high-quality, Cruelty-Free makeup inspired by the couple’s love of travel.
Unlike many of the travel-inspired makeup products released by mainstream brands, Nomad Cosmetics designs their products on location. This on location inspiration truly shows. From the packaging design to the color selection, the Nomad team works hard to capture the essence of each destination. With each release, the brand aims to capture a destination from a traveller’s perspective.
All Nomad Cosmetics products are manufactured in Guangzhou, China.
Iceland Fire & Ice Palette Claims
Here is what Nomad Cosmetics says about the Iceland Palette:
Welcome to fiery, icy & quirky Iceland! Warm & cool-toned 15 intense eyeshadows formulated with extra-fine pigments for stunning color payoff. 7 majestic mattes, 6 glimmering shimmers & 2 dazzling duo-chromes all inspired by the Land of Fire & Ice. Infused with Cloudberry Seed Oil to help moisturize & protect your skin. Cruelty-free & vegan.
As a beauty-obsessed individual, I appreciate the simple and straightforward description. Too often, brands make grandiose claims that they cannot fulfill. With that said, given the brand’s mention of Cloudberry Seed Oil in the formula, I expected to see this oil mentioned in the first half of the ingredient list. Also, I expect that the eyeshadows will not feel dry.
| Matte Shades | Metallic Shades |
|---|---|
| Frigg (blue lagoon) | River Glacier (Arctic white) |
| Hekla (inferno orange) | Alfheim (duo-chrome lavender with sapphire shift) |
| Odin (thunder gray) | God’s Waterfall (icy turquoise) |
| Muspelheim (flaming red) | Elves (glacier gray) |
| Niflheim (dark cerulean) | Galllow’s Lava (volcanic green) |
| Njord (polar blue) | Northern Lights (galactic green) |
| Dark Castles (obsidian gray) | Hel (blazing crimson) |
| Valkyries (duo-chrome violet with pink shift) |
Packaging & Price
Like all Nomad Cosmetics Palette, the Iceland Palette is made of a sturdy cardboard. Additionally, the palette’s design reflects the geographic inspiration for the palette – Iceland. Out of the four Nomad Cosmetics Palettes in my collection, the blue marble-inspired packaging of the Iceland Fire & Ice Palette is my favorite.
The Iceland Fire & Ice Palette retails for $37.00. Therefore, the price point falls in line with the brand’s other 15-pan palettes. Moreover, the price point is more affordable than some of the indie eyeshadow palettes I’ve tried. However, given that Nomad manufactures internationally, I would expect price-savings compared to brands that still hand-make and hand-press their shadows.
Is Nomad Cosmetics Cruelty Free & Vegan?
Nomad Cosmetics Iceland Fire & Ice Palette is 100% Cruelty-Free and Vegan. Additionally, the palette is free from Parabens, Phthalates, Mineral Oil, Talc and Gluten.
RELATED: Check out my ultimate roundup of affordable Cruelty-Free brands.
Ingredient Analysis
With the current state of the US beauty market, discussions around ingredients remain important. With brands declaring many cosmetically safe ingredients “dirty,” beauty lovers need an understanding of ingredient literacy.
As with most eyeshadow palettes, the formula of each individual shade varies. With that said, below are the top 5 ingredients as listed by the brand:
- Calcium Sodium Borosilicate: a common bulking agent in makeup and nail polish.
- Synthetic Mica: a lab-made ingredient that mimics the effects of naturally occurring mica.
- Mica: A naturally occurring mineral dust used in makeup for its shimmery effect.
- Magnesium Stearate: an ingredient that helps mica in formulas to better adhere to each other.
- Polyethylene Wax: a synthetic wax that improves hardness and crystalline structure of many cosmetic oils. This ingredient is most commonly used in stick-based cosmetic formulas.
My only complaint with the ingredient list pertains to the Cloudberry Seed Oil. Specifically, I am disappointed to see that Cloudberry Seed Oil is the second to last ingredient listed. Given that this ingredient was specifically called out, I wish it were higher up in the ingredient list. However, hyping up certain ingredients in formulas is not an uncommon practice.
Iceland Fire & Ice Palette Swatches
As always, swatches are not a perfect indicator of quality. However, swatches provide clues about color payoff and ability to blend. The below swatches were done using my fingers on a bare arm. No primer.
In full transparency, the Nomad Cosmetics Iceland Palette shook me. The formula of these shades felt ultra-creamy and comfortable. Moreover, the buttery formula made it easy to swatch these shades and build them up on my arm. In fact, the matte shadows’s intense pigmentation caused my jaw to drop. There was full opacity with just one finger swipe! Of the matte shades in this palette, Frigg and Njord are my favorites. (You’ll see with my demo.) Both tones look unique compared to other blues and greens in my collection.
Additionally, I enjoy the glittery finish of the metallic shades. However, the pigmentation of these metallics varied. Some shades are clearly intended as toppers. Meanwhile, other shades appear much more pigmented. For example, Alfheim and God’s Waterfall function more as toppers. In comparison, Gallows Lava and Valkyries look more pigmented.
Finally, this palette contains two duo-chromes, Alfeim and Valkyries. As mentioned above, Alfheim’s pigmentation looks sheer. Meanwhile, Valkyries’s base appears more pigmented in the swatch. Therefore, Valkyries shift looks much more striking than Alfheim when swatched on my arm.
Application & Wear-Time
Normally colorful eyeshadows are more difficult to blend or build pigmentation. However, the Nomad Cosmetics shadows from the Iceland Palette applied with ease. Each matte shade feels soft and creamy to touch. Also, the matte eyeshadow formula blends with minimal effort. Unlike some colorful formulas, these shadows build pigmentation without balding. Also, the matte shadows played together. In other words, they layered together without looking muddy. The unique undertones stood out from one another on the lids. Finally, despite being an ultra-soft formula, I never experienced fallout while applying on the lids.
In terms of the shimmer shadows, some of the shades provided a sheer, transformative wash of color. Meanwhile, other shades had a strong, pigmented base. As a result, the varied metallic finishes enable wearers to create diverse looks.
Depending on my mood, I can go bold or I play with soft washes of colors. Also, the metallics worked well on their own and layered together. When layered together, the shimmers truly act in a transformative way. Additionally, I find it just as easy to apply these shadows with a flat shader brush and my fingers. Nowadays, it is a rare for metallics to apply well with a dry brush.
Despite having a cool undertone and icy colors, the Iceland Fire & Ice Palette works across multiple seasons. Again, the variety in tones and finishes empowers users to create “seasonally-appropriate” looks that fit their mood.
Finally, as an oily-skinned gal, I always set my lids with eyeshadow primer before use. With a primer, the shadows last 10+ hours without creasing or fading. In fact, these shadows even lasted me through several workouts.
Where is the Iceland Fire & Ice Palette sold?
The Nomad Cosmetics Fire & Ice Palette can be purchased exclusively through the brand’s website.
Final Thoughts on the Nomad Cosmetics Iceland Fire & Ice Palette
Overall, the Nomad Cosmetics Iceland Fire & Ice Palette impressed me. Beyond the striking packaging, intricate pan designs, and unique color stories, the formula wowed. Also, I enjoyed playing with the unique mix of textures and pigmentation. From full-pigmentation to topper-like shades, each shadow serves a purpose.
Moreover, given how dry colorful eyeshadows can often feel, the creamy matte formula blew me away. As such, these shades are easy enough to use for an expert or a beginner. With all the above said, I recommend this palette to anyone who loves to play with colors – especially blues!
Do you like indie makeup? Read these…
Read my review on the Menagerie Cosmetics Killer Purr Palette, Menagerie Cosmetics Violet Ink Palette, and the Propa Beauty #PowerPouts Lipsticks. Also, don’t forget to check out this recap of Amazing American Indie Beauty Brands.
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Have you tried Nomad Cosmetics before? What do you think about the Nomad Cosmetics Iceland Fire & Ice Palette? Please let me know your thoughts in the comments below.