Like These Colors, I’m Cool and Warm on the Smashbox Softbox Eye Palette

I woke up this morning thinking I’d get a ton of stuff done today, but I’ve been feeling like a spazzy hyperactive chihuahua all afternoon and haven’t been able to focus at all, gah! Maybe this is the universe’s way of telling me to lay off the caffeinated tea…

The only thing that’s kept my attention for any length of time is the new Smashbox Softbox Eye Shadow Palette ($48).

Pretty, yeah?

I guess what they say is true — makeup really does soothe the savage beast. 

The new eye palette, brimming with sweet neutrals, hails from Smashbox’s summerSoftbox collection, and the products, like a real soft box a photographer might use, are designed to diffuse the light and soften any shadows falling on a subject’s face. With the palette, you get nine powder eyeshadows, two cream liners, a double-sided brush, a mini-Photo Finish Lid primer and a fold-out Get-the-Look Guide with step-by-step directions for three different looks.

With iPhone for scale

Swatches from the left: Nectar, Lucky Penny and Sienna

Vanilla, Sugar and Nude

Eye Shadows in Flirt, Stone and Truffle; Liners in Bronze and Taupe

Swatches with the flash…

…without the flash

Urban Decay Naked Palette swatches for comparison

Wearing eyeshadows in Nectar, Lucky Penny and Sienna Eyeshadows; liner in Bronze

If you’re wondering how much the palette has in common with the Urban Decay Naked Palette, I think there’s some overlap, but I wouldn’t call it a dupe. Softbox has a few warm bronzes and lighter colors absent in Naked, and its pigments are generally sheerer than Naked’s overall.

Urban Decay Naked Palette for comparison

My luck with Smashbox shadows has been hit or miss, but I think these are on the better end of the spectrum. They’re easy to blend and layer, but I do observe a little fallout here. Not nearly as much as I saw with the Style Files shadows, but still.

PRICE: $48
AVAILABILITY: Available now at Sephora stores and smashbox.com
MAKEUP AND BEAUTY BLOG RATING: B

What do you think? Thumbs up for Softbox, or do you crave more color?

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,