REVIEW | Lorac Pro 2 Palette

Hauled this palette weeks ago (when it first launched on June 15 on Ulta's website) but I'm writing about this now because I really wanted to test out the shades before I give you my review. I still haven't used 2 of the shadows but I just wanted to get it out now before I let more time pass by. If you've been on the fence about this palette, hopefully this review helps you decide!

Being the makeup lover I am, I cannot pick one makeup item to use for the rest of my life. Eyeshadow was my first love since eyeliner was a pain with my hooded lids. My skin was pretty good for a teenager so foundation and concealer were irrelevant. Mascara scared the beejesus out of me and I poked my eye a couple of times using it. Mom didn't allow me to use blush or lipstick so eyeshadow was the only way I could experiment with color. Ohhh, if Mom could see my collectino now...Years later, I've incorporated everything into my makeup routine but I still have a soft spot for eyeshadow. 

--AT A GLANCE--

The sequel the best selling Lorac PRO Palette, this second edition features the same format of 8 mattes and 8 shimmers in a variety of slightly more daring colors than those from the original. If pigmentation and longevity is what is most important to you, this palette does not disappoint!

--THE BREAKDOWN--

There are 16 shadows with a total net weight of 0.32 oz/8.8 g for $42 USD ($131.25 USD for 1 oz).  Assuming that each eyeshadow contains the same amount of product, that comes out to $2.63 USD/ 0.02 oz per pan. 

All swatches done in two layers (except for Buff, Nectar, and Plum which were done in 1 layer)

The mattes are no joke. If you have the first palette, you'll know what I'm talking about.With a light dab, I can get a very pigmented look. They are creamy and soft to the touch yet I don't get fallout from them. Lt. Brown, Navy and Black are a bit drier to the touch compared to the other mattes but they are still really pigmented. Overall, the mattes are amazing!

Buff is a cream shade. It blends in with skin seamlessly so if I apply a crease color that looks too dark, I use this to soften the edge without adding a lighter color. I'm not a fan of the eyebrow highlight look so this works perfectly. Cream from the original palette is more pink whereas Buff is a true cream shade.

Lt. Brown is a warm light brown. This is a very natural looking crease color. The most similar color to it is Taupe from the original palette but Taupe is a bit cooler in comparison.

Cool Gray is a medium gray shade. While it's not what I pictured cool to be, it has a slightly violetish undertone. There's not really a shade to compare it to in the original palette. 

Nectar is a warm peachy brown color. It is pigmented with just one layer. The warmth in this color can make eyes look swollen so pair it with a neutral or cool color to combat that. Again, the original palette doesn't really have a similar shade.

Plum is a gorgeous matte...uh...plum. I've used it wet for a softer looking eyeliner that didn't even look soft. It did stay all day without transferring to the upper lid. This is similar to Deep Purple except Plum is matte.

Navy is a dark blue shade. I haven't used this shade yet but it feels buttery soft. It doesn't look all that nice in the swatch but blue colors are hard to get right. 

Charcoal is a cool medium gray. It is most similar to Slate; Slate is a shimmery shadow whereas Charcoal is matte. 

Tried layering Charcoal first, Silver next, and a bit of Charcoal to recreate Slate. Doesn't look exactly the same but demonstrates that the shadows can be layered for a shimmery look (double the shadows!)

Black is your typical matte. It feels softer than the one in the original and looks more pigmented but the Black from the original was pretty pigmented so I don't think the feel matters too much in terms of color payoff.

All swatches done in one layer (except for Snow, Beige, and Rose which were done in three)

If the mattes are incredible, the shimmers are stunning. The swatches below were all done with one layer so I'll let the pictures talk for themselves.

Snow is a shimmery white. It looks nice in the inner corners but can look too stark on my medium skin tone.

Beige is pretty but it doesn't look as warm as I'd like. On my eyes, it is very similar to Snow. Lt. Bronze has more of a golden tone but Beige has a champagne tone.

Following the rose gold trend, Rosé is a coppery gold color. It actually looks more coppery than I'd like so I mix it with Beige to lighten the reddish tones. 

Mocha is a typical coppery brown color. It isn't as shimmery as the other colors so it's nice as a wash all over the eyes for daytime.

Chrome definitely piqued my interest when I first saw the palette and it does not disappoint. It's a taupe brown that looks more warm brown as you blend it out. When I pack the color, it takes on more of a silvery taupe. One of the standout shades in this palette for me! Not too sure if it's clear from the picture but Pewter is warmer and more mauve whereas Chrome is a silvery taupe. If you apply lightly, like I did here in the swatch, they look very similar. 

Silver is as it says. It's actually very, very buttery smooth and pigmented. I didn't get fall out when using my finger but that might change if I used a brush. 

Jade is an amazing forest green with gold shimmers. Jade to me is a bit lighter but natural jade (the rock) comes in a variety of shades. Like Silver, it is very pigmented and soft.

Cocoa is a dark brown with subtle bronze shimmers. As you can see, it looks like Espresso from the original. 

--THE GOOD--

Pigmentation is amazing. I never bothered to invest in an eyeshadow palette before because a good eye primer and base can do wonders for a crappy palette. I used to use elf eyeshadows and while the newer ones have decent pigmentation, I didn't like having to go back multiple times to create a decent eye look (that and the fallout bothered my eyes). Since making the switch, I have never looked back. I actually love how easy eyeshadow is now and how the colors are true to pan and don't get all muddled.  

I'll just say it now for those who don't want to read my entire spiel on this palette: I love this palette for its pigmentation, longevity, and variety of colors #tl;dr. I love my sparkly and glittery eyeshadows as much as any magpie but my eyes are sensitive so the fall out really makes my eyes dry and irritated. I don't have that problem with this palette, which I highly appreciate since bloodshot eyes are not attractive (unless you're a zombie I guess O_O) Nude from the original palette had large silver glitters that made the shadow not apply as smooth as I'd like and were flicked into my eye. Thankfully, this palette doesn't have any large chunks of glitters in the shimmer shades. 

In terms of depth, both the original and the Lorac 2 have light to dark shades that can work for most people. The original has more light tone shadows than the second. However, the second has more medium and dark shades, which allows me to create a variety of different looks. With the original, I was stuck in either a pink (Champagne+Mauve+Pewter+Deep Purple) or brown (Lt. Bronze+Taupe+Sable+Espresso) rut but with the second palette, I can use Rose+Beige, Rose, Mocha, Chrome on my lids; Lt. Brown, Cool Grey, and Nectar in my crease; Cocoa, Plum, Navy, Jade, and Black as outer corner colors or as liner. Lorac 2 has more contrast in terms of shades, which works against it in my opinion since it's harder to make eye looks that look cohesive. The original takes a lot of the thinking out of which colors look good together since I can randomly pick colors to throw on and it'll come out looking like I put in a lot of work and thought into it. 

Quality on the second palette is just as good as the original--buttery softness without fall out, pigmented yet not chalky, even on the mattes. Navy was a bit dry and hard to swatch but I didn't notice fall out when I was swatching. Charcoal didn't look that nice in the swatch but it was buttery soft. The shimmers are phenomenal even when dry. None were chalky or lacking pigment. Did I mention that they're really easy to blend out? Even though they're super duper pigmented, don't freak out if you get too much on there--just get your blending brush and go to town with it!I'm heavy handed when it comes to makeup--blush gets me every time--but these sheer out without much effort. The standouts from the Lorac 2 are the shimmer eyeshadows, especially Cocoa, Jade, and Silver. Definitely do not need to use much of these shades to get a high impact look. 

 I have a warm undertone but I don't have problems using the Lorac 2. Sure, I haven't touched the Navy or Jade shades but I'm slowly working those colors into my everyday looks. I find warm tone eyeshadows complement most people but the coolness of the Lorac 2 isn't too cool where it makes my warm undertone skin look bruised or ashy. I've heard a lot of cool toned people say that the Lorac 2 palette isn't cool enough for them but that works out in my case. 

The Mini Behind the Scenes Eye Primer is a thoughtful inclusion. The Naked 3 Palette has foil packets and that annoyed me; I'm glad Lorac is not sacrificing quality or raising the price with their sequel. 

The thinness of the palette makes it great for travelling. I have taken my original on many trips and flights and it hasn't cracked or been damaged. The mirror is large enough to work with but it doesn't stay propped open, necessitating the use of one hand to hold the palette. I can apply my eye makeup with just one hand so it doesn't bother me but I know there are people out there who like to use one hand to hold their skin taut while the other applies. 

--THE "BAD"--

Aside from the pigmentation and feel of Navy, Lt. Brown, and Black, I don't have much to complain about. Most people claim that this is a cool version of the original Lorac Pro Palette. I don't necessarily agree with that. Most of the shades lean warm and only 6 would be considered neutral or cool tone colors. Having said that, it is cooler in comparison to the original but the Lorac Pro Palette 2 isn't a cool toned palette.

--BOTTOM LINE--

So which palette should you get? If you can only pick one, decide upon what you like in terms of eyeshadows. If you prefer warm toned eyeshadows, stick with the original. If you like something a bit more cool toned or want to get out of the whole warm toned comfort zone, give the Lorac 2 a try. 

I personally like the original palette more. It is more cohesive as a whole. The inclusion of Navy, Jade, and Silver are nice but I find it hard to incorporate them into my daily looks without going overboard. I am thinking of using Navy wet as an eyeliner but Silver and Jade are just too bold to meekly blend into the other colors. 

Do you really need both? If you can afford it and you are a big fan of eyeshadows, go for it. Even though I griped about it a bit, I still really like this palette. There are some shades that I don't have in my collection already and so it's nice to have them for looks I might want to do in the future. Plum and Chrome are my favorites and I can already see myself using these two shades up first. Cool Grey is another unexpected like. I'm not a fan of gray eyeshadow because it just looks weird on me but Cool Grey has enough warmth to work with my skintone rather than look like some soot on my eyes. If you want to pick up your palette, Ulta and Lorac.com has them in stock since I last checked a couple of days ago. Can't wait to see your eyeshadow looks!

MWAH Musings ♥

• I'm so sorry for being missing for weeks but I've just had a lot on my plate with summer school and clinics. My brothers came to visit for a week so that put things on halt; we hung out and went sightseeing (ate a ton of things!). I am scheduling things better so that I have more time to blog so I'll hopefully be turning out some things on a more consistent basis. I have a ton of things I want to tell you all about so keep your eyes peeled!

XOXO,

MWAH