December 28, 2017

Maybelline Total Temptation Shadow + Highlight Palette Review & Swatches

Affiliate / Purchased
I purchased this item and I receive a small commission if you shop using the links in this post.

Maybelline Total Temptation Shadow + Highlight Palette ($9.99) is a new 10 pan eyeshadow and highlighter palette that launched with the Maybelline Spring 2018 Collection earlier this Holiday season.

This was an appealing palette to me since it not only contained a very nice selection of peachy brown neutrals. But also, as many of you know I’m a fan of Japanese eyeshadows which tend to have a slurry formula that has a creamy powdery texture which are very, very easy to apply. I love that hybrid consistency of a cream and a powder as it gives the powder such a soft, silky texture. I thought perhaps the Maybelline Total Temptation Shadow + Highlight Palette would have a formula like this which is why I decided to buy it.

Maybelline Total Temptation Shadow + Highlight Palette is arranged in a cool and light shade selection. The palette comes in a rose gold plastic compact that’s thin and lightweight. The palette is arranged into two different shade selections of warm and cool. The left side of the palette is a warmer selection of shades and the left contains cooler shades. I loved the warm peachy dunes on the left hand side of the palette with the matching gold highlighter but the mauve selection of shades was actually quite as nice and I was able to easily use these shades to create a smoky look. But yes, I was pretty partial to those gorgeous peachy nudes.

The eyeshadows are very, very soft and powdery but not dry in the least. I would go so far as to call them silky however, they apply very, very sheer and chalky. They adhere terribly to my eyes and dust right off as I blend. Even when using eyeshadow sponge applicators it was impossible to build the color it just fall right off my lid. After much building I was quite happy that I got a good pay off from the second peach shade in the palette. I was prepared to contrast with the dune brown in the palette but sadly, it was impossible to get any contrast in my look because the shade just failed to apply with any color pay off. I felt like I was dusting air onto my lids.

The cooler shades in the palette unfortunately apply just as badly.

The two highlighters in the palette are ok. The gold was the better than the lavender for me. It has a silky, thinner texture but it applied quite smoothly and gave my cheeks a nice luminosity although it does fade quite quickly. The lavender shade was sheerer and didn’t show up as well but still just as silky and thin in consistency.

I’m actually somewhat surprised at the Maybelline Total Temptation Shadow + Highlight Palette launch. Maybelline has made great strides to improve their formula and releases over the last few years. This palette’s release seems like a step way back. They could have easily created a gorgeously textured palette like some of the Maybelline Eye Studio Plush Silk Eyeshadow Quads yet they give us this powdery, dusky palette with little to no pigment. Why!?

Come on guys! I know you can do better!

Maybelline Total Temptation Shadow + Highlight Palette is available now at ulta.com, amazon.com, and target.com.

Own it already?

Do share your thoughts!

Affiliate / Purchased
I purchased this item and I receive a small commission if you shop using the links in this post.

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‘.

Leave a Comment

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Comments

  • ruth

    I know that you don’t return much, but that should go back to the store. that’s terrible quality!! maybelline should be ashamed of themselves for keep churning out rubbish products.

      • ruth

        it would just twist my buttons because i spent money on it and it sucked. my thinking is, if people returned the garbage then maybelline might get the idea their products aren’t worth using. I remember when the nekkid 1 came out and i bought a maybelline neutral pallet because it was the same thing. i had the same experience that you did above. it was rubbish!! apparently i’m still a little mad about it =P

  • Carol

    Wow, this is indeed an epic fail on their part. What a shame. Maybelline used to be one of my favorite drugstore brands but in the past few years or so, they have failed to wow me with anything. It’s sort of weird because you know they do research and test these palettes with consumers before they launch them so it’s strange that they would let this go out into the real world. Thanks for the warning. I was sort of tempted because the colour scheme is quite pretty but I figured it wouldn’t pan out.
    And on a side note, those GiGi Hadid palettes are already on sale everywhere you go. That was another failure on their part. Especially because they upcharged the whole collection!

    • Isabella Muse

      major. I’m sad because maybelline seemed to making strides the last few years, this is just a set back! I’m skeptical they do consumer tests with these launches because there’s no way makeup lovers would let this past! I love the color scheme too but it is way too sheer! Yes, indeed, that was a major fail! The price was absurd. I did a post about the price that expressed by sadness it was so much higher than the original prices! Absurd!

    • ruth

      the had the gigi pallets on display at ulta and they were TINY!! i had second hand embarrassment on maybelline’s behalf.

  • kjh

    Consumer reviews on Ulta agree these suck. I was tempted, but glad I waited. Speed Dial looks great, but your eyes look like the Emperor’s new eyeshadow. Give it to a shelter.

  • bella

    It doesn’t even show up on your eyes! Super disappointing as I absolutely love the two city mini palettes. I have the bronze one and then the peachy one. I wear them everyday and have hit pan on them and have already repurchased them! I also love their matte lipsticks!

  • genevieve

    This is why I don’t buy DS eyeshadows – apart from the celebrated L’Oreal Infalliable range, Milani and the old Wet n Wild comfort zone – the rest are pretty awful.
    Maybelline are just as bad as Revlon now and as delightful as those shades look, they are just not worth the money.

  • Eraser

    I bought this but haven’t tried it yet. I noticed that this and the other multi-palette are made in Italy, so I’m surprised by your review – usually Italian products are great. Anyway, I liked the colors and I’ll find some way to make it work.

    • Isabella Muse

      i think the texture is quite nice. Soft and silky! It’s just that it lacks pigment and the colors fade very quickly. Let me know how it goes for you!

      • Eraser

        I will – at my age I’m liking a softer look anyway but I’ll be honest if the color level isn’t up to snuff.

  • Amalia

    Thank you for the review. İ was at Rossman and Watson yesterday, paused at their Maybelline shelves. Had no idea which one would do their job well on me. Kept staring at the burgundy bar, the blushed nudes and total temptation. İ have yellow undertone y’know and I am aware that pale colors wouldn’t really appear once applied on me. So I delayed purchasing it, need further research