December 29, 2015

Maybelline The Rock Nudes Palette Review & Swatches

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

Maybelline The Rock Nudes

The Maybelline The Rock Nudes Palette is a new 12 pan eyeshadow palette that launched with the Maybelline Spring 2016 Collection. The Maybelline the Nudes Eyeshadow Palette launched in 2014 at drugstores and followed up with other shades variations like the Blushed Nudes and the Smokes.

Since Maybelline introduced these larger palettes many other drugstore brands started doing their own variations such as L’Oreal’s La Nude 1 and La Nude 2 and more recently Covergirl TrueNaked Eyeshadow Palettes and Revlon Not So Nude Eyeshadow Palettes.

For me these are a nod to Urban Decay’s popular Naked Eyeshadow Palette Collection and it’s understandable that drugstore brands are doing their own variations to cash in on the success of the “larger” “naked” eyeshadow palette.

I enjoy seeing different brands doing their own versions but many can prove disappointing and I think the Maybelline the Rocks Nudes Palette is one such disappointment.

Maybelline The Rock Nudes Palette

Maybelline The Rock Nudes Palette ($11.99) contains 12 eyeshadow shades which can be used to create 13 different looks according to Maybelline. On the back of the palette you’ll find a diagram of the shades that can be used in groups of four, three, or two. I’m always at a lost for color placement so I appreciate this little guide on which colors will work well together.

I didn’t technically compare it to my other palettes but this comes in a new packaging that seems like a smaller compact. This contains a total of 0.35 oz of eyeshadow and the compact is a matte black versus the lacquer finish of the other four palettes Maybelline has introduced. Although it seems a little smaller in size it actually contains a little more product as the original compacts contain 0.34 oz of product.

Maybelline has already done the Smokes Palette which for me kinda takes care of any smoky looks you’d want to create and dare I say some of the shade variations in the Rock Nudes are very similar to those featured in the Smokes. I wouldn’t say they are complete dupes but there are similarities for sure. I didn’t like the Smokes Palette but dare I say that the Smokes is better quality than the Rock Nudes. I couldn’t even create a look with these shades as they were rather bad quality all around.

I’m unsure where nudes comes into play here. It could be a reference to the silver, white, cream, and taupe shades towards the start of the palette. Five of the shades as you can see in my images are considerably lighter than the rest of the palette but not really your traditional nude by any means. The rest of the palette is made up of darker shades. There are a good deal of blackened shades here that have micro-shimmer in the mix which results in sheerer, patchy color pay off with chunks of shimmer in the mix. There’s a lovely Olive Green here but the shade is a blackened color that has very little color pay off. The inconsistencies in the formula are kinda mind boggling. You have dry, frosty shades combined with denser sparkly ones and dry, denser mattes. I can’t say that any one shade stood out as having a good texture. They are all just bad in my opinion. Add to the fact they blend really badly and adhere terribly to my lids which results in a fast to fade formula and you have yourself a hot mess.

Maybelline The Rock Nudes Palette Swatches

Maybelline The Rock Nudes Palette Swatches

Maybelline The Rock Nudes Palette Swatches

Maybelline The Rock Nudes Palette Swatches

Maybelline The Rock Nudes Palette Swatches

Maybelline The Rock Nudes Palette Swatches

Maybelline The Rock Nudes Palette Swatches

Maybelline The Rock Nudes Palette Swatches

Maybelline The Rock Nudes Palette Swatches

Maybelline The Rock Nudes Palette Swatches

Unfortunately, like many of these bigger palettes from the brand, the Maybelline The Rock Nudes Palette is a total mess. You can get better quality eyeshadows from brands like E.L.F. and pay less for them as well.

This one gets a big old avoid.

But if you must try it yourself the Maybelline The Rock Nudes Palette is launching now at drugstores and at drugstore.com or Ulta.com.

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

  • Christina D.

    I don’t know why I bought this except for my OCD when it comes to eyeshadow palettes and the old “well I have all the other ones in this series so I should get this one too” convoluted logic. And yeah it was buy one get one 1/2 on Ulta so it got me to free shipping. And I don’t even like Maybelline!

    • Isabella Muse

      likewise. same exact thought process lol! Did you get it? I HATED it. It’s just awful!

  • Yosh

    This is just odd considering how much criticism the other Maybelline palettes have received. Is it that hard to make a decent formula for eyeshadows? It doesn’t have to be amazing, just something consistent and useable.

    • Isabella Muse

      Agreed. It can’t be that hard to create a cheaper budget formulated eyeshadow can it!?

  • Natalie Brown

    I had such high hopes for this palette when I saw the shades. Oh well, like I need another eye shadow palette. lol Thanks for the review. 🙂

  • Katherine T.

    Yep, this is why I’ve stayed far, far away from DS shadows. The swatches look like a hot mess –dry, crumbly, fallout, chunky glitter, sheer, and chalky looking. The dark cool-toned colors remind me of UD Naked Smoky, so I think that’s why they named it “Rocky Nudes”, but this palette is complete junk. One UD Palette is worth 10 of these, so save your pennies, and get the real thing

    • Brenda

      I agree!
      I bought this palette because the colors were so pretty. With the same colors as rock, what brand do you reccomend that has good eye coverage?

  • genevieve

    I always stay away from DS eye shadows now (I used to use them in the past, but they really were awful). I think medium to higher end eye shadow palettes are just so much better quality and cost effective in the long run. Besides, these products often contain all kinds of things that can irritate your eyes – so many of these swatches look a little glittery to me. I just don’t want glitter in my eyes. UD Nakeds 1 & 2 are really great value.
    Besides, as you have said Isabella, this is not a true neutral palette at all.

    • Isabella Muse

      I agree! It’s rare to find a good drugstore eyeshadow! They are out there but far and between!

  • Susie

    I found your blog because I just bought this palette and I’m looking for makeup looks other than the ones suggested on the packaging… I’ve only used two so far but already my hopes have been dashed for the the rest of them. I’m definitely a makeup minimalist and I thought owning just this one palette would help me to diversify my look without having to buy lots of different products (before this I owned just one eyeshadow quad). I feel like I’ll be struggling to find just a couple looks that works. Any recommendations?

    • Isabella Muse

      Aw susie! Sorry 🙁 This formula is crushingly bad I fear. Did you want recommendations for other eyeshadows? Or did you want recs for creating looks using this one?

  • trayray

    I just got it. So far I like it. Sorry you didn’t. Everyone likes different things I guess.

    • Isabella Muse

      I’m glad you like it! So long as you like it that’s all that matters 🙂

  • Fallon

    I got this because I am a “rock” girl at heart and love smokey colors. The colors appealed to me in the packaging even though I have many similar palettes. I have not yet opened this and thankfully got it next to nothing from CVS with extra care bucks. Every review I have seen has been terrible.