Pat McGrath Labs' Mothership VIII: Rose Decadence II Eye Shadow Palette Review

Price: $125 (I managed to get lucky and snag the Limited Edition Version which is a reflective metallic pink case)

Currently available at Pat McGrath Labs (the standard version)

Not Cruelty Free

Not Vegan

Brand Controversy(ies): Company has been criticized for they handle launches for new products. Many fans and customers have asked the company to do pre-orders and limit product purchase quantities, instead of early shopping. This happened with the launch of the Star Wars: Rise of Skywalker Collection and with the Rose Decadence II Collection. The company has also been criticized for their packaging, stating that a lot of it is not environmentally friendly and not recyclable (the gold sequins in some of the bundles come to mind, though I use them for my resin art).

The last time I reviewed a Pat McGrath Product was the Star Wars: Rise of Skywalker Limited Edition Mothership II: Decadence Palette. While I enjoyed the palette, I did have a few issues with it. This new palette from the Rose Decadence II Collection caught my eye because the colors looked so beautiful and bold. The color story looked like something that would work for Spring, Summer and even Fall looks.

The packaging is gorgeous and extra which suits the style of the products. The reflective, metallic pink case is an especially nice touch. The case may be a little tricky and heavy to open for people who have motor and mobility issues. The palette also contains a nice sized mirror which makes it easier to apply shadows for me since my vision sucks.

Before we get into the review and my experience of the palette, here are the colors from top; row, left to right:

Skinshow Rose Opal (Incandescent Champagne with Opalescent Shift)

Naked Blush (Mid-Tone Coral Matte)

Eleganza (Chromatic Plum Pink)  

Bronze Rosé 005 (Metallic Copper Rose) 

Gold Lust 001 (Glistening Antiqued Gold)

Xtreme Burgundy (Deepened Burgundy Matte) 

Divine Dusk (Luminous Rose Bronze)

Rose Seduction (Vivid Magenta Satin)

VR Sextraterrestrial (Fuschia, Golden Peach and Chartreuse Triochrome)

Astral Pink Moon (Glittering Peach Champagne)

With the brush and finger swatches, I only had issues with three shades. Skinshow Rose Opal is gorgeous but it applies better with the finger than a brush, which is pretty typical for me of most shimmery, shift shades. Naked Blush applied a little patchy with the brush and Extreme Burgundy applied a little bit patchy with both finger and brush swatches. The matte shades also had a lot of kick up. These were the only shades that may be an issue for some.

With that being said, the color story is much more cohesive and there are a lot more variety of looks that one can work with thanks to the matte shades and the lovely variations of mauve, pink and gold. The trichrome shade, VR Sextrterrestrial is one of my favorite shades and that is a shade that is rarely seen in a lot of palettes. It is one of those shades that can be worn on it's own. While Gold Lust 001 is very lovely and it works with this palette, it is a little similar to Gold Standard (which I have in three other palettes of hers).

The only other issue I have with the palette is the price. While the quality is excellent, it is very expensive. Considering the financial hardship that most people are going through right now, I was hoping to be able to get this palette on sale so hopefully, the company will have another sale soon for all of their products.

Overall, I like this palette a lot better than the Mothership II Decadence palette. The colors are a lot easier to incorporate into everyday wear for most and is adventurous enough for people who love color and bold looks. This palette is much more accessible for beginners to make up than Mothership II. Aside from some of the formula issues with some shades, my biggest issue is the price. Is it worth the money? If you have saved up enough and want to treat yourself, feel free to do so. However, for many other people, it's better to wait to see if it goes on sale or if it is received as a gift.

I give this palette 9 roses out of 10.

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