Smashbox Full Exposure palette - photos, swatches, review

 Hello lover....

It's rare that a product will leave me speechless, giddy and in full knowledge that I'll be buying it if I'm not sent it to try.  Say hello to the Smashbox Full Exposure palette.  This only arrived last week and I sat at my desk, dying for 4pm to come so I could collect it from Joanne on my way home!

I kind of felt bad for the Wondervision Christmas collection that we were shown when the team was over in November, because as gorgeous as Wondervision was, and it was, sure I bought a palette and lip gloss set, when we all saw the Full Exposure palette, there was gasping, swooning, oohing and aahing.  At the photoshoot last week, National Makeup Coach for Smashbox, Janine Bird, used the palette on my peepers and it solidified my love for it forever.

So the palette.  We're talking 14 eyeshadows, 7 matte and 7 shimmer graduating from light to dark and like any Smashbox shadow I've tried, each shade is soft, pigmented and beautiful.  It comes with a mini Full Exposure mascara and a double ended brush which is quite interesting altogether.  One end is a flat eyeshadow brush that's to be used with the shimmery shades.  It has black hairs on one side to use with the darker shades and white hairs on the other side for use with the lighter shimmery shades.  The other end is a fluffy blending brush that you can use with the matte shades.

First impressions are that I'm not mad on the duo fibre flat brush.  It doesn't work great with the shimmery shades, picking up more of the fine shimmer than the actual colour itself.  It needs to be more tapered at the tip, rather than being as thick as it is because it's too fluffy to work properly for me.  I've been using it to pick up the matte shades and it works better that way, but there's still fall out.  The blender side however is fantastic.  It's nice and soft and blends away any harsh edges no muss no fuss.

On to the main event though, the palette....  There are varying shades of nudes, browns and greys, with a mix of warm and cool tones meaning that it's nice and versatile.  The shimmers are wonderfully soft and buttery and are finely milled so you don't have to worry about big chunks of glitter blinding anyone who's looking at you!

A tip that Janine gave me last week was to apply the shimmer shades with your finger because you won't lose any of the shimmer, the pigmentation will be even stronger and you won't have any fall out.  So listen to the professional!  My favourite shade is the darkest, gunmetal one.  It's the one Janine was wearing last week and in turn, I wanted it on my eyes!  I do love a shimmery shadow and I know I'll get so much use out of this lot.

The mattes... Oh they're just gorgeous. Velvety soft, buttery goodness in eyeshadow form.  There's not one shade I don't love and the swatches below speak for themselves.  There's no chalkiness, no dryness, just loveliness!  I can't wait to rock a neutral eye with a feline flick thrown in for good measure.

So €43 is the damage and of course the main question on everyone's lips is "Do I need another neutral palette"?  As I said above, I was ready to break my spending ban and go and buy this myself, that's how much I wanted it.  I haven't seen this many matte shades in a palette before and none of them are duds and the same goes for the shimmers.  If you're daunted by this many shades and aren't sure how to use them, there's a chart that shows you how to achieve different looks with it depending on your eye shape which I'll be using myself!

I believe Full Exposure and I are going to have a long and happy relationship.  It's on counters now and should be there until March or thereabouts.  So tell me, are you intrigued?

Stay tuned for a video coming up featuring the palette!