February 18, 2013

Hard Candy Top Ten Eye Shadow Palette Review & Swatches

This was provided to me by a brand for review but all opinions expressed are my own

Hard Candy Top Ten Eye Shadow Palette Neutrals Swatches (2)

It’s understandable that the Hard Candy Top Ten Eye Shadow Palette in Neutrals is damn nearly impossible to find. Let’s face it Urban Decay has created such a stir with their Naked Palette that everyone just wants to gather up any and all nude palettes that launch.

Oh wait, maybe that’s only me?

Naaa! You’re all as crazy and as strange as me so you’re probably stock piling nude, natural, naked palettes like no brand will reproduce one in the next twenty years or more.

Now for the budget girls you might love all over Hard Candy’s Top Ten Eye Shadow Palette in Neutrals because it contains ten nude shades of shadow for a mere six bucks.

Do likey the price but how’s the formula?

Hard Candy Top Ten Eye Shadow Palette 12

This comes in a fragile plastic compact with a soft squishy face plate decorated in lace towards the bottom half of the palette. It stores easily thanks to the thinner design however, the plastic will get scratched up and possibly break if you’re traveling roughly with it.

Inside you’ll find ten shades of nude, natural shadows. They aren’t really exactly dupes for Urban Decay’s Naked Palette but some of the colors are similiar. If naturals aren’t your thing no worries Hard Candy has a pink, green, blue, and purple variation of the palette.

Hard Candy Top Ten Eye Shadow Palette Neutrals

Hard Candy Top Ten Eye Shadow Palette

So you wanna know about the quality of the shadows eh? Ok, so they aren’t bad. They aren’t amazing, they won’t make you run in circles, hands waving around, and screams of delight coming out of your mouth. They are decent though and at this price I’d even say good.

There’s a trick to applying them though!

On their own I find they are pigmented yet dry and a tad chalky. Sponge tip applicators are key here. Grab a sponge, smooth on your lid, and blend out with a great blending brush. Sponge applicators are your friends! They work great piling color on and giving a smooth appearance. Your other option is use a cream base of some sort. I’d recommend Long Wear Cream Shadow Stick in Vanilla from Bobbi Brown as it creates a nice, smooth, natural almost lid-like color which allows the shadow to adhere well to your lid and blends out smoothly lending just that right amount of moisture to the drier, powdery formula.

The shades all have a rather nice pigmentation to them and almost a semi-metallic finish. They wear decently well on their own however, there is some fading and creasing within a four hour period on my drier eye. With primer I find they wear well into the evening without a hiccup!

Hard Candy Top Ten Eye Shadow Palette 4

Hard Candy Neutrals Top Ten Eye Shadow Palette

Hard Candy Top Ten Eye Shadow Palette Neutrals Swatches (1)

Hard Candy Top Ten Eye Shadow Palette Swatches

Overall, the Hard Candy Top Ten Eye Shadow Palette is a keeper at this price. It isn’t a bad palette at all even though it takes a little extra prepping to get the shadows to look their best. If you’re on a strict budget, sorry to say, it isn’t Urban Decay Naked but it is however, a lovely selection of natural shades that you can definitely create some good looks with. And hey, even if you aren’t on a budget and just love nudes, I’d pick it up. Six dollars doesn’t have my wallet crying any.

Hard Candy Top Ten Eye Shadow Palette FOTD

Hard Candy Top Ten Eye Shadow Palette Face of the Day

Hard Candy Top Ten Eye Shadow Palette Eyes

Hard Candy is sold exclusively at the evil empire Walmart.

This was provided to me by a brand for review but all opinions expressed are my own

About the Muse

Isabella MuseIsabella is just an average everyday geeky girl who doesn’t blend her eyeshadow correctly, wears too much blush, and hopes she never finds her holy grail products because she likes the thrill of the chase so much. Her mission is to bring you super honest reviews on makeup, skincare, fragrance and all things beauty. She’s in no way an expert on the topic and she sure as hell isn’t a super model. But she’s passionate about makeup and is seeking like-minded individuals that like pina coladas, getting caught in the rain, and ones that enjoy spending hundreds of dollars at Sephora without feeling buyer’s remorse. If you’re that person feel free to reach out and leave a comment or follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Bloglovin‘.

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Comments

  • Sara

    I was eying the green one in Walmart last week but resisted getting it. Seems like the quality isn’t too terrible for $6! I’m a sucker for green palettes for my green eyes like people are with nude/naked palettes.

    • the Muse

      I love green too, I’ll be reviewing green one soon if you wanna wait for swatches ;D

    • Simone

      I have all of these except the pink one.
      IMO, the green has the best quality eyeshadows of the bunch.
      I def do t regret buying it, esp. If u like greens!

      Just wait for The Muses swatches, I’m sure you’ll fall in love!

  • Kiss & Make-up

    Love the look, and the shades look very pretty, but I worry about the quality. But hey, six dollars, who cares right? 🙂

  • Dr. Jessica Tuttle

    I saw these palettes and almost bought one. I’m glad I didn’t now. I want amazing, jump up and down quality lol. Thanks for your honest review.

    • the Muse

      lol my pleasure jessica ;-D I think I always want amazing jump up and down quality myself ;-D

  • Marty

    You are not the only one addicted to Nude palettes. I’ve been hauling them too just got MUA Undress Me Too and love it. I have this found it chalky also but for the price it’s OK.

  • Daemonswolf

    Are they as glittery in real life as in the picture? Or is that just the flash? I want to try these, but glitterbits make me cringe! (Except when I’m at a club, then glitterbits are fine)

    • the Muse

      once on my lid it felt more metallic than glitter. There isn’t chunky glittery pieces, it’s just the flash 🙂

  • Teresa

    Ha, ha, ha, the evil empire! I hate shopping there, but Hard Candy and my search for Flower sucks me in!

    This palette looks gorgeous, it’s too bad the quality isn’t comparable to HC’s baked shadows. But the use of sponge applicators is pure genius! I’m such a sucker for a neutral palette I may have to snatch one up!

  • amy

    If the nearest Wal-Mart wasn’t such a trek, I’d be all over this. Unfortunately, it’s the only store in L.A. that carries the brand.

  • kristin

    Okay first of all I’m loving that gloss you’re wearing. Secondly, I really like that last close-up picture of your closed eyes! Please do that more! You can see the color so well!

  • Jennie

    I’ve always wondered why people call Walmart the evil empire. XD Anyway, I’m not getting this palette. Too much glitter for my liking. 🙂

  • Quinctia

    Haha, I guess I’m the weirdo. I have Naked…and I just got the Naked Basics with my Ulta birthday coupon, but I am more than set for neutrals…especially considering most catch-all palettes seem to have at least a couple neutrals in them.

    But, yeah, I already have Naked, I don’t need another variation on the theme. (Unless UD wants to release their own Green, Blue, Purple, etc themed palettes in the Naked design.)

  • Meghan

    I love these colors! For $6, the pigment isn’t bad at all! I can’t wait to see the green one too!

  • Jenn S.

    Bought it, thought it would be love at first swipe, hated it!! Flakey, crumbly, chalky, lacking in pigmentation (I do not like to dig deep into a shadow to get pigment!) At first glance these look so promising, but for me? Ended up in File 13, sadly. Soon after, I purchased my first Naked palette. LOVE!!! Hard Candy has been a few hits and lots of misses with me, which stinks since they’re so affordable!

    • the Muse

      aw sorry jenn did you try wet? sponge applicator? I love the Naked one too! that def is a winner ;D

  • Angela

    Ha! “Evil Empire.” I’m liking this palette but it does seem similar to the ones they’re selling at Forever 21. $6 for an eye shadow palette is great but why does it have to be at Walmart? Ahh. How would you compare this with the Physician’s Formula Nudes palette? Love ya Muse.

    • the Muse

      hi angela I haven’t tried the F21, will have to look out for it 🙂 no comparison to the PF ones, they are vastly different shadow formulas 🙂

  • Tiffany Martin

    I got the blue one a few months ago and I really hate it. The colors are gritty and fallout is a nightmare. >:

    • the Muse

      oh thanks gina…I WISH I could remember lol! that’s bad I know but can’t recall!?