review: revolution (brave spirit eyeshadow palette)

Free makeup is my favourite kind of makeup. A while back, an online order was placed, and a free Revolution eyeshadow palette was added to the order as a promotion. It was definitely a nice surprise! The Brave Spirit Eyeshadow Palette has been sitting around my beauty room for several months...and it was finally time to put it to good use. (I like to wait until inspiration hits or I feel drawn to a palette before I use it.) Though the palette looks fairly simple on the outside, there is an awful lot happening on the inside. Ready to see for yourself? It is time to take a closer look at this drugstore release. 

Despite the simple purple metallic packaging on the outside....there is so much interest on the inside. It has a bright background on the bottom and a mirror on the top. Then there are eight colours in total. The Revolution Brave Spirit Eyeshadow Palette has a combination of bright colours and more neutral shades, which means it is possible to create something that is ultra wearable or something that is a little bolder in nature. As you can see from the swatches, these shades have a decent amount of color payoff. That being said, the shadows do require a bit of building on the eyelids. Some shades perform better than others. For instance, the ultra shimmery shades are really smooth and are highly pigmented, but some of the other eyeshadows, like the purples and that blue shade, require a little bit more work. 

In terms of the packaging, this palette is so-so. The outside is nothing special, but it works well enough and is quite sturdy. However, it would have been nice if the eyeshadows had names. Instead, they are referred to as 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8. Sigh! I always love when eyeshadows have names. Not only can this tie in the theme, but it also adds to the overall experience of a product. And makes it easier to refer to a specific colour! When it comes to the variety of eyeshadow shades, this Revolution eyeshadow palette checks all the boxes. There are warm colours, cool colours, deep colours, light colours, and a lot of variety overall. The pigmentation is a bit mixed, but all in all, the palette performs well and is enjoyable to use. 

The look above did not necessarily make good use of those brighter colours, but instead focused on those more neutral shades. The reason? My husband and I were headed to a "drive by baby shower," which essentially had us wave hello, speak at a distance, and drop off a baby shower gift. Given the event, it seemed appropriate to do something that was a little more understated, but still had a bit of glamour. I used the eyeshadow shade 5 (silvery champagne) all over the eyelid, used shade 1 (shimmery gold) underneath the brow bone and in the inner corner, and shade 7 (matte brown) to deepen the crease and along the lower lash line. A little eyeliner and mascara finished off the eye look. As a bonus, shade 1 was also used as a golden highlight on the cheeks. The palette made it easy to create a beautiful and wearable makeup look...and I love that this Revolution palette can also be used for something a little more colourful as well. 

Rating: 3 / 5

Overall, the Revolution Brave Spirit Eyeshadow Palette is a solid drugstore release. There are some strengths and some weaknesses in terms of the quality and the packaging. Some shadows perform really well and some require a little more building and layering of colour. Honestly? There are better Revolution palettes to choose from. That being said, Brave Spirit is certainly something that I will continue to use...especially when I feel like incorporating a splash of colour into a makeup look.