Anastasia Subculture Palette

I know, if you’re apart of the beauty community then you are probably sick to death of this topic. It is something that has been shaking our part of the world for a couple of weeks now: the Anastasia Subculture Palette. Now, I first recieved this product 2 days after it launched and I had to use it right away. By that Monday, I was ready to post my review and thoughts. But, I made the mistake of starting to watch YouTube videos. I was shocked at the absolutely terrible reviews this palette was getting and I started to second guess my opinion. So, I decided to use it for a full two weeks before sharing my thoughts with you. Spoiler alert: I actually really like it.

So, I am going to start by telling you why I like it so much and then I will get into my thoughts on the whole ordeal. When I first saw the previews for this palette, I knew I had to have it. I was captivated by the color choices. Everyone has so been into the red and orange warm tones for the last year that this palette was a welcome change.

As for how they swatched, I was fairly impressed. The mattes were all beautiful and EXTREMELY pigmented. However, I was not too impressed with the shimmer shades.

Cube swatches terribly. It also does not show up on the eye very well. If anything, I would call it a eyeshadow topper. If you really love the idea of this shade, it is very similar to Pink Heart in the Moonchild Glow Kit.

Electric is better than Cube, but I am still not a huge fan. It does show up better, but it is very glittery and has glitter fallout. This shade is best used with a glitter glue.

The final non-matte shade is Adorn. This shade is a pretty coppery metallic, but it is nothing new. I find it works best when used with your finger or a damp brush.

Now, drumroll please, here is my opinion. I really love this palette. I find that I do not have a problem with blending or fallout. I have loved every look I have created except for one. There are two major flaws in my opinion.

First, the shades are soft pressed. This is why people can get so much fallout. Also, this can put too much pigment on your brush which will make it hard to blend on the eye. The solution to this is to use soft, fluffy brushes and barely touch your brush into the product.

The second major flaw is the opposite colors. While this isn’t really a flaw, it can cause problems people aren’t used too. Because the shadows have so much pigment, colors can blend together very easily on the eye. This becomes a problem when you use two colors that are opposite on the color wheel, such as New Wave and All Star, in the same look. This can cause the shadows to muddy together and neutralize into a gray tone. The solution to this is to place each color where you want it without going over the top of the opposing color and lightly blend together. It was because of this I created the one look I did not like.

One thing that I have seen a lot of is that people like the colors but are unsure of how to create looks. The palette came be divided into quads. Here are some examples of shades you can use to create some quick looks.

Now, it wouldn’t be a Anastasia Subculture Palette review if I didn’t weigh in on the drama. People are upset by the way the shadows are pressed. They also believe that there was a problem at the lab. Personally, I am not sure what to think. I have noticed that a lot of YouTubers who likes the palette had one from the P7 batch, and mine is from that batch as well. However, I think that the real problem is that this is a formula different from what people are use to and one that people were not expecting. Everyone thought it would be the same as the Modern Renaissance but it is much softer.

MUG Dupes (left to right): Phantom, Beaches & Cream, High Tea, Legend, Cherry Cola, Faux Fur, Time Travel, Poppy, Karma, Mocha, Chickadee, Enchanted Forest, Desert Sands, Taboo

Honestly, I think that this is something you will have to try for yourself. If you are the type of person who generally goes in with a light hand and slowly builds up color, you might really like this. I recommend checking this out in store or purchasing from Sephora ($42) so that it can be easily returned in case it does not suit you. If you are just too worried to take the plunge, here are some dupes that you can purchase in singles from Makeup Geek.

Did this palette catch your eye? What would you like to see different in the coming year, as far as eye shadow palettes?

Xoxo Sammie