Makeup Geek Manny MUA Eyeshadow Palette – First Impressions

Makeup Geek Manny MUA Eyeshadow Palette

I think Manny MUA, asking me if I wanted one of his palettes was maybe one of my most surreal moments of my blogging life so far. Of course I bit his hand off, whilst I’d in all honesty not really watched all that many of his videos at this point (now, I’ve probably watched a good 30+), it had been one of the few youtuber collaborations I had actually eyed up – mainly because this palette is totally up my alley and as a big fan of everything Makeup Geek that I’ve tried, therefore the Makeup Geek Manny MUA Eyeshadow Palette was on my list.

Available in the UK from the Beauty Bay, it’s been something that seems to have been out of stock every time I’ve thought of purchasing. It’s now back in stock (yay). I used it for the first time this weekend and was so pleased at how my makeup turned out (so much so, I told Ben about 6 times during the night how shit hot my makeup looked).

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So let’s start from the top, packaging of the Makeup Geek Manny MUA Eyeshadow Palette. I’m sure if you’re a fan of Manny’s you might be a little disappointed with the packaging for the palette, the outer sleeve is a charcoal coloured box with a holo foil emblazoned with Manny’s logo on the front. Inside the packaging is also nice, with an foil rose pink and black art deco design – but there’s no where on the front of this palette that tells you, “this is Manny’s Collaboration”. I could understand this if the design seemed like it was a one off exclusive to this palette – but the recent collaboration of highlighters with Makeup Geek come in the same design packaging, which makes me think all collaborations will do. I think this could have been solved with a nice ‘Makeup Geek X Manny MUA’ instead of just makeup geek, it would be enough to differentiate the palette and the design without it being too much for people who might not be a fan.

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The palette features 9 full size shadows (1.8g each) and is made up a foil, duochrome, mattes and shimmers in largely warm toned shades. This is one of the few palettes that I feel has everything to create a perfect look, whether you want it to be daytime appropriate or smokier for the evening. It’s worth noting that whilst most of this palette is exclusive colours, some of the colours come from Makeup Geek’s normal line.

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Makeup Geek Manny MUA Eyeshadow Palette Swatches

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Artemis (Palette Exclusive) –  White champagne shimmer

Beaches and Cream (Regular Line) – Pale Peach Matte

Luna (Palette Exclusive) – Foil Finish, Rose Gold shade. Packs extra metallic goodness if used wet.

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Cosmopolitan (Normal Line) – Melon Shimmer

Sora (Palette Exclusive) – Orange toned matte, in the pan it has a slight silver glitter which doesn’t translate

Frappe (Normal line) – Mid toned maple brown matte

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Insomnia (Palette Exclusive) – Orange toned brown base with ice blue shimmer

Mars (Palette Exclusive) – Matte deep cherry red

Aprhrodite – Deep brown with burgundy undertones matte


Makeup Geek Manny MUA Eyeshadow Palette Looks

There’s not a shade in this palette I don’t love, I think Insomnia is an absolutely stunning colour. If I had to make a change I think I would make Artemis pack more of a punch, I’m loving those really bright inner corner colours at the moment and wish this had a bit more ‘pow’, but that being said whilst it’s not my favourite, it does make a lovely brow bone highlight and is great for balancing out a day time look.

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I’ve been using this all week and so far my favourite look for day is sweeping Cosmopolitan all over the lid with beaches and cream in the crease, with a little bit of frappe blended in the outer corner for a bit of extra definition.

While in the evening I’ve loved putting frappe through the crease, then mars worked in towards the crease on the outer corner. Packing either Insomina or Luna wet all over the lid leaving the inner corner free. Putting Aphrodite into the outer corner and smoking out, with Artemis in the inner corner. Under the lash line I’ve been running Aphrodite from the outer edge into mars then meeting up with Artemis in the inner corner.

One shade I’d been wanting to try but hadn’t got round to it yet I tried out at the weekend. I put a mix of frappe and beaches and cream into the crease and placed Insomnia all over the lid with a bit of Aprhrodite in the outer corner with Artemis in the inner corner. I love the shade Insomnia in some ways catching the light the shimmer looks more blue or more silver.

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One final thing, these last so well on the lid, last weekend I primed my eyes with just foundation and totally forgot to put on UD Primer Potion, We went to a wedding, danced, then went on a night out for a friends birthday (because we like to get our social gatherings done and dusted for the year in one day), and danced some more and I came back at 3.30ish AM and my shadow was still perfect. So much so that my slightly hazy tired self decided I was just going to take my foundation off and leave my eyeshadow on for my early rise at Sunday at 7.30AM, I went out without retouching it and it looked absolutely fine until I got home at 4pm and I decided to go and shower. 24 Hour wear test, 100% approved (cough cough, totally don’t do this I’m a real blogger who takes all my makeup off all of the time, alright?!).


My one sticking point on this is price, it retails at £56, which feels kinda expensive to me. UD naked palettes are £38 – so this is a fair whack more, however I think it’s unfair to call this palette ‘just another dupable neutral palette’ as it’s not. But that being said based on Makeup Geek’s normal pricing there’s 1 Duo Chrome shadow (£6), 1 Foiled Shadow (£9.75), and the other 7 are the regular formula (£6) = £57.75. There’s a mild saving but considering I think of their pans as being quite affordable, this is not so much. This retails in the US for $45 – converting to £36. I’m not sure whether we get the raw end of the deal thanks to import tax, but this pricing does feel a bit unfair – the difference in price between pans in the US > UK is minimal, this feels high. All that being said… I love this palette, and it’s been the first palette I’ve been picking up every day for two weeks, I can’t see that stopping any time soon.

Check out my reviews of other Makeup Geek products here.

Have you tried the Makeup Geek Manny MUA Eyeshadow Palette?

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Helpless Whilst Drying

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47 Comments

  1. November 15, 2016 / 7:34 am

    I love Manny! He’s so great, love this palette and the look you created ☺️ I’d love it if you could check out my blog, emilykburr.wordpress.com 💕

  2. November 15, 2016 / 7:48 am

    The colours in this are just stunning but he price does put me too off completely! That would be my most expensive palette to date and I kind of feel tipping into the 50’s mark is getting a little bit insane for only 9 colours. Great post though, again I want to add this to my list so damn you! Xxx

    • November 15, 2016 / 9:12 am

      The problem with each others blogs is we both love the same tones and colours, everything gets added to my want list from you too ha.
      The price is crazy, it’s definitely my most expensive too – I mean it’s even verging towards £60, which is bonkers. I think if I was going to purchase it, I would either wait for a discount code on beauty bay (they had 30% off purchases over £50 a couple of weekends ago) or consider getting it directly from makeup geek, I can understand it being a little more expensive due to importing it, but for it to be this much more expensive does seem really odd!

  3. Ekatemmy
    November 15, 2016 / 11:43 am

    It looks so lovely, that even though I am cool toned I want it!

  4. November 15, 2016 / 2:07 pm

    These shades are absolutely beautiful!! Great post 🙂

  5. November 15, 2016 / 2:17 pm

    Great post! So amazing that he gave you the palette himself! It is so gorgeous! Love the two looks you created too, particularly the evening one <3 Insomnia looks like such a beautiful shade, wow! Very surprised at the price though! A little too high for Makeup Geek in my opinion but beautiful nevertheless!

      • November 15, 2016 / 2:24 pm

        I know, just a little too much when as you said you can get the likes of Urban Decay for a much lower cost!

        • November 15, 2016 / 2:35 pm

          Yeah the plus this does have is that it’s not another neutral palette, it’s way more interesting to me than a lot of those kinda shades which you can find anywhere!

          • November 15, 2016 / 2:53 pm

            Definitely! The shade range is beautiful, very unique!

  6. November 15, 2016 / 3:03 pm

    You look absolutely stunning in the last pic! Insomnia, Mars and Aphrodite are freaking beautiful! The Palette is about £42 right!? Wish it was a bit cheaper so I could get it! Great review Hun 💛
    Laura| http://www.lauralivinglife.com

      • November 15, 2016 / 5:25 pm

        £56! Nah nah I wouldn’t even dare request it as a Xmas pressie. I will def wait for a discount code! 💛

  7. MyStyleInsideOut
    November 15, 2016 / 3:21 pm

    This palette is really pretty but for the $$?? Hhmmm…🤔

  8. November 15, 2016 / 3:40 pm

    I’m not surprised the inside packaging isn’t personalized – it’d be way too expensive to do a run of etching on the plastic cover. And I guess they thought a sticker would look cheap?
    But this palette looks fantastic! I really like the smokey look you created – it looks so rich! I like the look of Frappe and Aprhrodite – glad to know I can get these from the regular line. Insomnia is so interesting but I think I’ve got a few similar shades.
    But yikes, £56 is pricy for this palette compared to a straight conversion of the USD. I know how you feel though, this palette converts to $89 CAD. 😆
    All in all, Manny MUA sounds like a genuine, lovely person and I’m glad you got this palette straight from him – that in itself is priceless!

    • November 15, 2016 / 4:05 pm

      They don’t currently at least use this palette design for anything else, the highlighter one whilst same, is long and shaped like a naked palette, whilst they belong to the same collaboration family each seems to only be used once! I thought I had similar shades to insomnia but actually side by side this is very different!

  9. November 15, 2016 / 4:17 pm

    This is such a pretty palette! I was contemplating last week on purchasing it, but decided to pass as I have way too many eyeshadows for my own good. The shades look gorgeous and very pigmented! Love the looks you created 🙂
    Nicole | The Glam Surge

  10. November 15, 2016 / 5:03 pm

    I want that palette but I’m unable to get my hands on it. Too bad it’s limited edition.

  11. November 15, 2016 / 5:35 pm

    This palettes been on my to buy list forever it’s gorgeous. I’ve held off ‘cos of price but it looks beautiful on you x

  12. jennywren7
    November 16, 2016 / 12:54 am

    I love manny. Very jealous that he offered you his palette for free! I love how he named some of the shades after sailor moon characters and references

  13. November 16, 2016 / 12:25 am

    Such a stunning palette! Insomnia looks gorgeous! And I love your eye look. ❤ If I ever get a chance, I would love to try this palette.

  14. November 16, 2016 / 2:02 am

    No doubt, the colours are beautiful!

  15. November 16, 2016 / 4:17 am

    The last row is by far my favourite! So rich and pigmented. Love the looks you did with this palette. I can’t believe how expensive it is to buy in the UK. Awesome thing you got it for free, and from Manny himself!

  16. November 18, 2016 / 6:15 pm

    i’ve wanted this pallete for so long, it’s so beautiful! love this

  17. WineAndWhine
    November 19, 2016 / 9:34 am

    Super cute packaging and i love the shades too, they all look so pigmented x

    • November 19, 2016 / 7:07 pm

      Packaging is great, nice and compact for travel. Shades are all pigmented, those swatches are just one swipe. Very easy to work with too they’re not so pigmented that they’re a pain to blend out!

  18. November 19, 2016 / 6:41 pm

    The colors in this palette look fabulous! OMG! I love that dark brown with the copper transition shade! NICE!

    • November 19, 2016 / 7:06 pm

      These colours are stunning, I’ve actually ended up hiding this palette for myself this week to try and stop myself only reaching for this. It’s a perfect palette, especially the colour selections for this time of year! x

      • November 19, 2016 / 11:09 pm

        i bought the Dose of Colors palette and never used it. I need to fish it out among a few others and start using them. I grab whatever sits on top of the pile. LOL

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