I Tried Kat Von D's Alchemist Palette and Here's Why It Lives Up to the 7-Year Hype

Kat Von D is a slave to her art. For proof, look no further than her long-awaited Alchemist Holographic palette, which had been seven years in the making prior to its drop over the Christmas holiday.

Housed in a holographic white triangle, it contains four hybrid shades—green "Emerald," blue "Saphyre," ultra-violet "Amethyst," and pink "Opal"—for the eyes, lips, and face that are designed to be worn alone, layered over other pigments, or mixed together for bespoke shades like you're a modern day Marie Curie. Hence the palette's moniker, as Von D was inspired by the ancient science of alchemy, which is the art of transforming natural ingredients into precious elixirs. Von D's chemistry resulted in iridescent pigments with special 360° refractive pearls that give dimension a whole new meaning.

When the coveted triangle landed on my desk, the beauty editor in me was thrilled to start swatching away as I knew how much blood, sweat, and tears when into its creation. However, as a woman who doesn't exactly subscribe to Instagram's heavy-handed definition of lit when it comes to highlighter, I didn't think it would become a staple of mine.

But once I got to playing with the four shades, which aren't too sparkly and super easy to blend with your finger tips, I was hooked. Not necessarily to go full-on intergalactic, but for adding shimmery nuances to both daytime and nighttime looks—like a tap of pinky Opal on the "V" of the cupid's bow or a sweep of Amethyst glow on the lids over a classic black smoky eye.

Despite the fact the palette definitely has its place in outer space, or like 2088, it's actually super versatile when you know how to use it. So if the below looks are even slightly up your alley and the $32 price fits your budget, elevate your makeup collection and vanity (the packaging is seriously a work of art) with Von D's latest.

The Eyes and Brows

Try wearing it on its own or layered over shadow and slashes of eyeliner on the lids.

To bump things up, brush one of the shimmering shades through the brows with a spoolie brush as Kat Von D's global makeup artist Erik Soto did here.

The Face and Body

Apply the holographic shades as you would a regular highlighter on the cheekbones, down the bridge of the nose, under the brow bone, and along the cupid's bow.

And don't forget your exposed upper body parts! Brush some of the highlighter onto your collar bones and shoulders for a contoured effect.

The Lips

Tap the holographic pigment, or a hybrid of a few, over the lips for a touch of dimension or metallic ombré effect.

Kat Von D Alchemist Holographic Palette, $32; sephora.com.

Follow Marie Claire on Facebook for the latest celeb news, beauty tips, fascinating reads, livestream video, and more.