The eyeshadows come packaged in a large rectangular, sturdy plastic case. The palette feels relatively lightweight but good quality.
The front of the palette has the brand name, palette name and palette contents (as viewed above). The eyeshadows are visible through the clear lid on top. The lid states that the palette contains 40 eyeshadows, each with a net weight of 0.03oz/1g.
The back of the palette (below) provides the palette name, ingredients and shade numbers.
There is a chart on the back top right of the palette giving the eyeshadow shade numbers (see photo above). The actual eyeshadows on the front don’t have any numbers printed underneath them, which means you have to refer to the back of the palette for these.
It’s helpful having the numbered chart but I do really prefer to also have shade numbers or names printed underneath the eyeshadows as well. If you are someone who likes to create make-up tutorials, it can be a little bit cumbersome to refer to the back of the palette for the correct shade number. I don’t find this numbering approach to be bothersome in a smaller palette but the vast number of shades in this one means that I have to be careful to not make an error when writing down the number.
The official NYX website states that the palette is “…fall-inspired” and contains “…40 cool and warm tones – from chocolately brown and deep teal, to orange and mustard yellow – in stunning matte, metallic and satin finishes”.
The official NYX website also states that “Everyone can mix and match these flattering, velvety-smooth shades to take their look from dawn, to dusk and beyond”.
The palette has a clear lid which flips up to reveal the eyeshadows contained in the bottom section of the palette.
The eyeshadows are square and large enough to fit various sizes of eyeshadow brushes.
The palette is arranged with 8 rows (horizontally) of eyeshadows spread across 5 columns (vertically), making 40 eyeshadows in total. The lighter shades seem to be spread across the first row (horizontally), with a mix of shades across the other rows.
There is some gathering of similar colour families in particular sections of the palette, along with some mixing of shades. For instance, the pink and plum shades seem to be concentrated in the first two columns, the oranges, reds, coppers and browns in the third, fourth and fifth columns and the greens, blues, teals, greys and blacks in the sixth, seventh and eighth columns.
The arrangement of shades in the palette is quite helpful, as you can either focus on particular colour sections or mix and match across the palette. For example, you can concentrate on specific sections if you want to create a look following a certain colour family (e.g. more green/teal based, more yellow/orange/copper based). Alternatively, you can mix and match as you choose across the palette.
There is a huge choice in shades contained in the palette, ranging from neutrals, brights and smoky hues. The palette contains shades spanning beiges, peaches, yellows, oranges, coppers, roses, plums, greens, teals, blues, greys and blacks.
I think the sheer diversity in shades makes this palette a fantastic buy for anyone looking to experiment with colour combinations and look types. You can use the palette to create simple or complex looks, natural combinations, smoky eyes, add the odd pop of colour or go all out with colour. For example, if you are someone who prefers neutral looks but likes the idea of trying out colour in a safe way, you can simply add a little splash of one of the brights along your upper lashline, lower lashline or in the outer corners of your eyes.
One aspect important to mention is that I feel there are some small gaps in colours within the palettes. Whilst there are some plum shades, I think there is a significant lack in cooler toned purples and icy blues in the palette. There are some similarities between some of the yellow (11 and 13), orange (19 and 29) and plum (9 and 26) shades in the palette which makes me think NYX could have opted for just one of each of these to make room for some cool purples or icy blues. There is also more of a focus on teals and greens, with just a couple of blue-based shades thrown in.
Having played with the palette a lot, I think adding in some purples and blues would have made for a truly cohesive palette. It’s not a deal breaker for me but if you want a palette with ALL colour families, then you might be disappointed you have to go elsewhere for your purples and lighter blues.
The eyeshadows are beautifully pigmented, smooth and last well on the lids. I found the shades to be very easy to blend and buildable as well.
The range of finishes (mattes,satins, shimmers, metallics) and tones (light, medium, dark) makes the palette extremely versatile. The diversity in finishes and tones means you can use the palette for simple looks, to shape the eyes or create more complex eyeshadow combinations. The lighter satin and shimmer shades are great for adding brightness or making eyes look more wide awake, whilst the deeper metallics and shimmers (such as 14, 21, 28, 31, to name just some) add real vibrancy to the lids. The medium and deeper matte shades (such as 22, 34, 38, 39 and 40, to name some) can also be used to add depth to the eyes or as liners.
It’s worth noting that each eyeshadow has a net weight of 1.0g, compared to 1.5g for single MAC eyeshadows (£14 pots, £10 for pans) and 1.5g for single Urban Decay eyeshadows (£15).
Having 40 eyeshadows at 1.0g each means that you get a reasonable amount of eyeshadow for a relatively affordable price (£35). The cost breakdown works out at around £1.14 per eyeshadow, which I find quite appealing!
The NYX Swear By It Eyeshadow Palette costs £35 is available from the official NYX website, Cult Beauty, Look Fantastic and Asos in the UK. I haven’t been able to find it from other NYX retailers in the UK, such as Boots, Feel Unique, Debenhams and Selfridges, so it is more limited in terms of its release.
Have you tried the NYX Swear By It Eyeshadow Palette? What are your thoughts on this product? Any combinations you have tried which you love? What are your thoughts on the colour selection? Let me know your thoughts in the comments section below.