gigi hadid + maybelline eyeshadow palette (review)

The first time I heard about the Gigi Hadid and Maybelline collaboration, I was intrigued. I scoured drugstore after drugstore looking desperately for a piece from the line. Nothing. Anywhere. My search was fruitless every single time, which was frustrating to say the least! Especially with beauty gurus from all over the world were discussing the collaboration. Was it good? Bad? It seemed like I would never find out for myself. I had completely given up hope when one day, on a random shopping trip, there it was. Small, simple, and with GH stamped elegantly on the front of the eyeshadow set.

Since this little (emphasis on little) palette had eluded me for such a long time, it was especially thrilling to stumble upon it. And at a discounted price, no less! It seemed that the drugstore beauty gods were smiling on me that day. I just couldn't wait to take it home and see it this product was worth the wait. So...was it? Here is a review of the Gigi Hadid and Maybelline eyeshadow palette.

Packaging

Right off the bat, the first thing that I noticed was how small the palette was. Though it has six eyeshadows in total, this is about the size of a traditional eyeshadow duo or quad. For whatever reason, I had imagined a much larger set. (Similar to the size of the standard Maybelline eyeshadow palettes.) That being said, I think the small size would actually work well for travel or to take with you on-the-go. While the packaging itself is a standard plastic, I like the chic and elegant touches this has, with the beige matte finish, the gold lettering, and the GH signature. Plus, the fact that on the back of the palette, it shows the names for each eyeshadow shade. Yes, names! This is a drugstore rarity. Such a simple detail really adds that extra something special to the set. 

Shade Selection and Quality 

Inside the set there are six eyeshadows, including: Blondie (a soft shimmering gold), Paradise Cove (soft brown), Firehouse (warm rust), Montecito (matte blush), Summerland (warm gold), and Pacific Coast Highway (dark brown).  So, here is the truth. There are some good and not so good things about the shades inside. The velvet matte shades (Paradise Cove and Montecito) have a wonderful texture and a nice amount of payoff. The soft gold shade is decent, the warm gold is quite pretty and shimmery, and Firehouse is okay. While the latter looks nice, it needs to be built up quite a lot in order to really make an impact. The deepest shade, Pacific Coast Highway, is a total miss. The texture is dry and inconsistent. It fails to add much depth to an eyeshadow look and simply does not have the pigmentation needed to make this a well-rounded palette. 

Overall Impressions 

This Gigi Hadid palette is cute and had the potential to be a travel must-have. Unfortunately, the inconsistencies within the shadows themselves makes this a so-so release. In order to create more than one type of look (a simple daytime look) you would need to bring an additional eyeshadow palette or shadow with you for a smokey look or to add true dimension. That means it is out as far as travel is concerned....because you ideally want everything you need in one size-friendly set. That isn't to say you can't create a nice makeup look! It will likely veer on the neutral daytime side of things, however. One example is the look that I created using the set.....

Rating: 2.5 / 5

Though there are aspects of this palette that I enjoy (the packaging that that warm gold shadow), this release has quite a few missed opportunities. That being said, I think this set would work well as a way to quickly touch up your makeup after work or add on a little extra something. It is small enough to toss into your purse and delivers a few easy to wear neutrals. 

Were you able to try anything from the Gigi Hadid and Maybelline collaboration? What did you think of the products?