review: hard candy look pro! eyeshadow palette in santorini nights

It seems that I can find makeup just about anywhere. Even at a duty free shop. The Hard Candy Look Pro! Eyeshadow Palette in Santorini Nights was at a duty free store that I visited for a mere $5 CDN. As someone who loves Hard Candy products (but isn't always able to find them) it was exciting to see an eyeshadow palette from the brand at all let alone for such a low price. With fifteen different shades and lots of vibrant colours....there was a lot to love right off the bat. So, how does the Santorini Nights palette perform? Here is everything you need to know about this Look Pro! Eyeshadow Palette from Hard Candy.

According to the brand, Santorini Nights is a "Mediterranean inspired palette that features fifteen lavish shades that will make you feel as if you're owning the streets of Santorini. From five velvety mattes to ten high chromes, these luxurious formulas are long lasting, ultra-pigmented, and packed full of gorgeous hues with incredible payoff." Clearly, this Hard Candy palette is inspired by the Mediterranean. The beautiful blues and greens represent the theme well - as do the eyeshadow names. On the back side of the palettes, there are names given to each of the shadows, which is such a nice touch, and something that is not always seen with drugstore products. Some examples include Midnight in Mykonos, Glistening Sea, Olive You, and Prettiest Beach. I love that there are eyeshadow names, two oversized base shades (Cobblestone and It's Greek to Me) as well as a few different applicator brushes. Though I tend to use my own brushes for application, it's nice that some smaller brush options were included as well. I've used them a few times and the bristles are super soft. The packaging is nothing fancy, with a pink plastic base and a clear plastic lid. I like that despite the fact that the packaging is basic...there is still a well executed theme. 

So, how does the Santorini Nights palette perform? There are some hits and misses. The hits? The two base colours work exactly as intended and some of the shimmers are spectacular. The misses? Some of the matte shades are tougher to work with and need to be built up a lot more. I really love the colour story and the combination of mattes and shimmers, but I do wish there was more consistency throughout. My favourite eyeshadow shade in this palette? Aphrodite. It is the first shadow on the top row. For the makeup look above, it was layered on the inner portion of the lid to create all of that extra shine. The finish is so beautiful and it looks even more incredible in person. Quite frankly, this entire palette was worth it for that shadow alone. Another standout is Volcanic Ash, a gorgeous silver shimmer. Most of the shimmers are really fantastic and make any makeup look feel extra fun and fabulous. Though it would have been nice for the matte shades in the Santorini Nights palette from Hard Candy to have more pigmentation, the mattes can still be built up to create contrast to those incredible shimmers.

Finding a Hard Candy eyeshadow palette for $5 CDN was a thrill, even if it was found in an unexpected location. The beautiful shimmery shadows in the palette were even more exciting, especially the Aphrodite shade. It is a new favourite. 

Are you a fan of Hard Candy products? Have you used the Santorini Nights palette before?