For the longest time, I thought that I wasn’t an eyeshadow girl. Getting into makeup during the 2016 YouTube era meant that people were full-on drawing galaxies on their eyelids, and if you couldn’t keep up, well, tough. It’s for this reason I avoided eyeshadow practically all through college and well into my first few years as a working young adult. Still, over the years and now as a full-fledged beauty professional, I’ve realized that your makeup routine is supposed to work for your needs, not the other way around. This means that if I’m constantly rushing out of the house, I don’t have time to reach for shimmers from three different palettes—I need a curated list of shades that I can throw on and go. This is where Hourglass’s newest release comes in.
A collection of six quads, the aptly named Curator Eyeshadow Palettes, each come with four shadows per component. A mix of matte, shimmer, satin, and metallic formulas, this line has options for everyone—from the makeup maximalist to the person who only has time to fling on a color and go. I happen to fall into the latter camp more regularly, but I got my hands on this collection early and have to admit: my eyeshadow game has improved to levels I didn't even know that I could achieve. I know the proof is in the pudding, so keep reading to see my favorite quad, Idealist, in action before deciding on which one to pick up for yourself.
The Formula
Each quad comes with a mix of shades, but my favorite, Idealist, comes with two shimmers, one satin, and one matte eyeshadow. It’s a warm-toned palette that consists mostly of rosy-toned hues, which I find to be really flattering on my brown eyes and with my skin tone. Each shade, though they vary in finish, has that same buttery-to-the-touch formula, and just a touch with my fingers deposits a ton of pigment—i.e. you won’t have to keep digging your brush into the pans to get a gorgeous color payoff.
The Hourglass Curator palette in Idealist.
The Application
I typically use two brushes and my finger (more on that in a bit) when using this palette. Quite a few of my brushes are discontinued, so similar ones are the Sephora Collection Pro Shadow in number 14 and the Makeup by Mario All-Over Tapered Eyeshadow Brush. They’re essentially brushes that are targeted enough to get into my crease to be more precise with my product placement, but pliable enough to also blend out a color all over my lids.
With any eyeshadow, I typically start with the darkest color in the pan and work my way to the lightest. So in the Idealist palette, that would be shade four, a matte brown, which I applied all over my lids. I then went in with shade three, a soft coral that looks more peach than pink, and applied it to the first third of my eye. After blending the two shades together, I used shade two, a rose gold shimmer, to diffuse the line of demarcation even more by covering it with a thin veil of gold and pink sparkle. The result was this beautifully subtle golden eye that looked elevated, but still effortless.
Ariel Baker testing Hourglass eyeshadow quad in Idealist.
Wear Time
I’ve gotten to six hours of wear time with these eyeshadows before noticing any color difference, and this is without priming my eyes, as it’s typically a step I skip. So if someone were to do their full lid-prep routine with an eyeshadow primer, I can easily see a look created with these formulas lasting a full 12 hours or more.
The Takeaway
In a time where it feels like eyeshadow has to be a big to-do, Hourglass is catering to the everyday makeup wearer and making the experience feel luxe. From the packaging to the shades in the line, everything about this launch feels like an elevated staple—like the perfect white shirt or black wool coat from The Row—and I don’t have to adjust my routine or skill level to take part. So, whether you’re a makeup novice or someone who has years of experience, there is a palette in here for everyone. The Curator palettes will be available on Hourglasscosmetics.com and Sephora.com starting Wednesday, July 9, at 9 AM Eastern Standard Time. Keep reading for a few more products from the line that I always keep in stock.
Hourglass's Ambient Lighting Powders are the best finishing powders on the market. These three-pan palettes are a great way to try out a variety of shades all at once.
This pressed powder has become my holy grail over the past few months. If you want blurred pores and matte skin, look no further.
An underrated offering from Hourglass are these liquid blushes. Coming in seven shades, they're great to wear alone or on top of a traditional powder formula.
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